Nioro Du Sahel

Nioro du Sahel often referred to as simply Nioro is a town and urban commune in the Kayes Region of western Mali, 241 km from the city of Kayes. It is located 275 miles ( by road) north-west of the capital Bamako. The commune as of 1998 had a population of 60,112 although current estimates are nearer 69,100 people.

Founded in the 16th or seventeenth century by a slave named Diawandé, Nioro attained its greatest height in the eighteenth century when it served as the capital of the Bambara kingdom of Kaarta. The town became an important trading center between Upper Senegal and the Sudan.

In the early 1850s, Toucouleur conqueror El Hadj Umar Tall invaded Kaarta, forcing the kingdom's conversion to Islam; he built a great mosque in Nioro in 1854.

The town has an airstrip at Nioro Airport.

Communes and towns of the Kayes Region, Mali

Capital: Kayes

Bafoulabé Cercle	Bafoulabé (Bafoulabé) Bamafele (Bamafele) Diakon (Diakon) Diallan (Diallan) Diokeli (Diokeli) Gounfan (Gounfan) Kontela (Goundara) Koundian (Koundian) Mahina (Mahina) Niambia (Horokoto) Oualia (Oualia) Sidibela (Tigana) Tomora (Oussoubidiagna)

Diéma Cercle	Diéma (Diéma) Béma (Béma) Diangounté Camara (Diangounté Camara) Dianguirdé (Dianguirdé) Diéoura (Diéoura) Dioumara Koussata ( Dioumara Koussata) Fassoudébé (Fassoudébé) Fatao ( Fatao) Gomitradougou ( Kouloudiengué) Grouméra ( Grouméra) Guédébiné (Guédébiné) Lakamané (Lakamané) Lambidou (Lambidou) Madiga Sacko (Madiga Sacko) Sansankidé ( Sansankidé)

Kayes Cercle	Kayes (Kayes) Bangassi (Bangassi) Colimbiné (Kabate) Diamou (Diamou) Djélébou (Aourou) Falémé (Diboli) Fegui (Fegui) Gory Gopela (Gory Gopela) Goumera (Goumera) Guidimakan Keri Kafo (Gakoura) Hawa Dembaya (Médine) Karakoro (Teichibe) Kéméné Tambo (Ambidédi) Kouniakary (Kouniakary) Khouloum (Khouloum) Koussané (Koussané) Liberté Dembaya (Diala Banlieue) Logo (Kakoulou) Maréna Diombougou (Maréna Diombougou) Marintoumania (Marintoumania) Sadiola (Sadiola) Sahel (Bafarara) Samé Diomgoma (Samé) Ségala (Ségala) Séro Diamanou (Séro) Somankidi (Somankidi) Sony (Lany Tounka) Tafacirga (Tafacirga)

Kéniéba Cercle	Kéniéba (Kéniéba) Bayé (Bayé) Dabia (Dabia) Dialafara (Dialafara) Dombia (Dombia) Faléa (Faléa) Faraba (Faraba) Guénégoré (Guénégoré) Kassama (Kassama) Kroukoto (Kroukoto) Sagalo (Sagalo) Sitakilly (Sitakilly)

Kita Cercle	Kita (Kita) Badia (Dafela) Bendougouba (Bendougouba) Benkadi Founia (Founia Moribougou) Boudofo (Boudofo) Bougaribaya (Bougaribaya) Didenko (Didenko) Djidian (Djidian) Djougoun (Djougoun) Gadougou I (Sagabari) Gadougou II (Gallé) Guemoukouraba (Guemoukouraba) Kassaro (Kassaro) Kita Nord (Sibikily) Kita Ouest (Kofeba) Kobri (Kobri) Kokofata (Kokofata) Koulou (Balia) Kourouninkoto (Kourouninkoto) Kotouba (Kotouba) Madina (Madina) Makano (Makano) Namala Guimba (Namala) Niantanso (Niantanso) Saboula (Balandougou) Sébékoro (Sébékoro) Séféto Nord (Niagané) Séféto Ouest (Séféto) Senko (Senko) Sirakoro (Sirakoro) Souransan-Tomoto (Souransan-Tomoto) Tambaga (Tambaga) Toukoto (Toukoto)

Nioro Cercle	Nioro du Sahel (Nioro du Sahel) Baniéré Koré (Baniéré Koré) Diabigue (Diabigue) Diarra (Diarra) Diaye Coura (Diaye Coura) Gavinane (Gavinane) Gogui (Gogui) Guétéma (Guétéma) Kadiaba Kadiel (Kadiaba Kadiel) Koréra Koré (Koréra Koré) Nioro Tougouné Rangabé (Nioro Tougouné Rangabé ) Sandare (Sandare) Simbi (Simbi) Trougoumbé (Trougoumbé) Yéréré (Yéréré) Youri (Youri)

Yélimané Cercle	Guidimé (Yélimané) Diafounou Diongaga (Diongaga) Diafounou Gory (Tambacara) Fanga (Fanga) Gory (Gory) Kirane Kaniaga (Kirane) Konsiga (Kersignané) Kremis (Kremis) Marekaffo (Dogofiry) Soumpou (Takaba) Tringa (Marena) Toya (Yaguine)

Coordinates: 15°11′N 9°33′W / 15.183°N 9.55°W / 15.183; -9.55