Bandiagara Region is an administrative region of Mali that was created from the division of Mopti Region. Its capital is the town of Bandiagara. The region includes large parts of Dogon country and is particularly known for the Cliff of Bandiagara, which has been listed as a mixed cultural and natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 1989.[1]
Bandiagara | |
|---|---|
 Rocky landscape | |
 Location of Bandiagara Region in Mali | |
| Coordinates: 14°21′00″N 3°37′00″W / 14.350000°N 3.616667°W | |
| Country | Mali |
| Capital | Bandiagara |
| Area | |
• Total | 24,850 km2 (9,590 sq mi) |
| Population (2023) | |
• Total | 1,270,224 |
| • Density | 51.12/km2 (132.4/sq mi) |
Geography
editThe region is located in central Mali, south of the Niger Bend, and borders Burkina Faso to the south. It covers an area of 24,850 km².[2] The landscape is shaped by the Dogon Plateau, sandy plains and the escarpments of Bandiagara. UNESCO describes the Cliff of Bandiagara as an extensive cliff and sandstone landscape with traditional Dogon settlements, granaries, sanctuaries and meeting places.[1]
History
edit
The area of present-day Bandiagara Region belonged to Mopti Region until the administrative reform. The creation of a separate Bandiagara Region had already been envisaged by Mali’s administrative reform of 2012, but was initially not fully implemented. Law No. 2023-006 of 13 March 2023 confirmed the new administrative division and established Bandiagara as one of the country’s regions.[3]
Administrative divisions
editThe region is divided into nine cercles.[4][5] In total, it comprises 30 arrondissements, 53 communes and 1,024 villages and fractions.[6]
| Cercle code | Cercle | Communes |
|---|---|---|
| 1901 | Bandiagara | 10 |
| 1902 | Koro | 16 |
| 1903 | Bankass | 4 |
| 1904 | Kendié | 5 |
| 1905 | Ningari | 4 |
| 1906 | Diallassagou | 5 |
| 1907 | Sangha | 2 |
| 1908 | Kani | 4 |
| 1909 | Sokoura | 3 |
Culture
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Historically, the region is closely associated with the settlement area of the Dogon. The Cliff of Bandiagara and the surrounding villages are considered one of Mali’s most important cultural areas. In addition to the traditional architecture and religious customs of the Dogon, the region has also played an important role in archaeological research into older settlement patterns in West Africa. In recent years, the area has also been affected by the security crisis in central Mali, which has severely disrupted agriculture, livestock herding, markets and tourism.
Economy
editThe economy of the region is predominantly rural. The most important livelihoods include rain-fed agriculture, livestock herding, small-scale vegetable cultivation and local trade. On the Dogon Plateau, the main crops are millet, sorghum and shallots; wild plants, small-scale crafts and, traditionally, tourism also plays a role, although tourism has been restricted by the poor security situation in the country.
Demographics
editIn 2023, the region had a population of 1,270,224.[2] With a total fertility rate at 6.2 births per woman, Bandiagara has a slightly higher TFR than the Malian national average of 6.1 births per woman.[8]
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 690,740 |
| 2009 | 940,819 |
| 2023 | 1,270,224 |
Ethnicity
editReligion
editThe 2022 census found that 93.96% of the population in Bandiagara was Muslim, 5.99% was Christian, 0.04% were Animists (Dogon religion), and 0.01% practiced other religions.[7] Most Dogon have converted to Islam but maintain traditional practices and beliefs (syncretism),[9] with a minority being Christian.[10]
References
edit- 1 2 "Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons)". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
- 1 2 "Mali: Regions, Cities & Urban Localities - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". Citypopulation.de. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
- ↑ "Loi n°2023-006 portant création des circonscriptions administratives en République du Mali" (in French). Ministère de l'Administration Territoriale et de la Décentralisation. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
- ↑ "Mali - Subnational Administrative Boundaries" (XLSX; GeoJSON; Shape; GDB). The Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) - OCHA Global Subnational Administrative Boundaries. UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - Field Information Services Section (FISS), Geneva, Switzerland. 2 April 2026. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
- ↑ "Projet de loi portant création des circonscriptions administratives au Mali" (PDF) (in French). Retrieved 8 May 2026.
- ↑ "Réorganisation Administrative : Le Nouveau Visage des Collectivités au Mali". Bamada.net (in French). 13 January 2026. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT) (December 2024). "RAPPORT D'ANALYSE DES DONNEES DU RGPH5 THÈME : CARACTERISTIQUES CULTURELLES DE LA POPULATION". Retrieved 13 June 2026.
- ↑ Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT) (December 2024). "RAPPORT D'ANALYSE DES DONNEES DU RGPH5 THÈME : NATALITE ET FECONDITE (RGPH5)". Retrieved 13 June 2026.
- ↑ "Mali's Dogon Face Growing Jihadist Violence". Center for African Security Studies. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
Most [Dogon] have converted to Islam, yet continue to adhere to traditional, pagan customs too.
- ↑ Şaul, Mahir (26 April 2018). Fleet, Kate; Krämer, Gudrun; Matringe, Denis; Nawas, John; Rowson, Everett (eds.). "Dogon". Encyclopedia of Islam Three. 4: 13–16. ISBN 978-90-04-35665-8 – via Brill.
Ironically, as the publications of the early generation of French ethnologists entrenched the image of Dogon as inveterate traditionalists, the communities they wrote about rapidly acquired a public Muslim character (a minority of them converted to Christianity).