Mali: cities by population
Mali has a population of 25,932,275 (UN estimate, 2026), with Bamako as its capital. The 50 largest of its 77 recorded towns and cities, ranked.
+124%
since 2000 (11,559,290)
+78%
projected by 2050 (46,154,079)
21
people per km²
Figures are the latest available in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), which draws on national censuses of varying dates — treat them as recent, not same-year. Country totals are UN World Population Prospects 2024 (medium variant) where the UN lists the country separately; the handful it reports under a parent state keep a GeoNames figure and are marked as such. Sources & method.
Largest cities in Mali
| # | Place | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bamako | Bamako | 4,227,569 |
| 2 | Sikasso | Sikasso | 349,324 |
| 3 | Koutiala | Sikasso | 218,031 |
| 4 | Ségou | Ségou | 205,787 |
| 5 | Kayes | Kayes | 194,716 |
| 6 | Mopti | Mopti | 186,187 |
| 7 | Kalaban Koro | Koulikoro | 148,247 |
| 8 | Gao | Gao | 133,110 |
| 9 | Kati | Koulikoro | 130,254 |
| 10 | San | Ségou | 103,227 |
| 11 | Bougouni | Sikasso | 90,234 |
| 12 | Timbuktu | Tombouctou | 84,208 |
| 13 | Kita | Kayes | 75,598 |
| 14 | Dialakorodji | Koulikoro | 70,619 |
| 15 | Koulikoro | Koulikoro | 64,128 |
| 16 | Fana | Koulikoro | 56,809 |
| 17 | Markala | Ségou | 53,738 |
| 18 | Niono | Ségou | 52,584 |
| 19 | Nioro | Kayes | 51,933 |
| 20 | Pèlèngana | Ségou | 50,552 |
| 21 | Kolokani | Koulikoro | 48,774 |
| 22 | Bourem | Gao | 42,371 |
| 23 | Sangarébougou | Koulikoro | 42,314 |
| 24 | Massiogo | Sikasso | 41,317 |
| 25 | Djenné | Mopti | 40,489 |
| 26 | Kidal | Kidal | 40,030 |
| 27 | Kadiolo | Sikasso | 38,149 |
| 28 | Douentza | Mopti | 37,002 |
| 29 | Bla | Ségou | 33,779 |
| 30 | Moninnpébougou | Ségou | 32,899 |
| 31 | Zégoua | Sikasso | 31,593 |
| 32 | Diré | Tombouctou | 31,348 |
| 33 | Diéma | Kayes | 30,592 |
| 34 | Banamba | Koulikoro | 30,591 |
| 35 | Bankass | Mopti | 30,159 |
| 36 | Bamba | Gao | 28,524 |
| 37 | Bafoulabé | Kayes | 26,823 |
| 38 | Mahina | Kayes | 26,754 |
| 39 | Sibi | Koulikoro | 26,633 |
| 40 | Diourou | Ségou | 26,559 |
| 41 | Bandiagara | Mopti | 26,460 |
| 42 | Dougabougou | Ségou | 26,399 |
| 43 | Koro | Mopti | 24,694 |
| 44 | Yanfolila | Sikasso | 24,399 |
| 45 | Siribala Coro | Ségou | 24,301 |
| 46 | Kabala | Koulikoro | 24,241 |
| 47 | Finnkolo | Sikasso | 24,229 |
| 48 | Moribabougou | Koulikoro | 24,085 |
| 49 | Nara | Koulikoro | 23,599 |
| 50 | Dioïla | Koulikoro | 23,535 |
Twenty years earlier: Mali in the 2005 World Gazetteer — population then 10,587,269.
Common questions
What is the population of Mali?
Mali has a population of 25,932,275, the UN World Population Prospects estimate for 2026. The UN's medium-variant projection for 2050 is 46,154,079 — a forecast, not a measurement.
What is the capital of Mali?
Bamako.