Gao Cercle
| Gao | |
|---|---|
| Cercle | |
 |
|
 Cercle of Gap in Mali |
|
| Country |
 Mali
|
| Region | Gao Region |
| Capital | Gao |
| Area | |
| • Total | 31,250 km2 (12,070 sq mi) |
| Population (2009 census) | |
| • Total | 239,853 |
| • Density | 7.7/km2 (20/sq mi) |
| Time zone | GMT (UTC+0) |
Gao Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Gao Region of north-eastern Mali. The administrative center (chef-lieu) is the town of Gao.
During the Northern Mali conflict in 2012, the main Tuareg rebel group, the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) lost the region to the Islamist groups Ansar Dine, Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MOJWA) and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). In 2013, the Islamists then lost most of the region to French and Malian soldiers.
The cercle is divided into seven communes:
Coordinates: 16°45′N 0°35′E / 16.750°N 0.583°E
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Wikipedia