Map of Gao, Mali

Gao is the administrative centre of Gao, Mali, with a population of about 133,110. It lies at 16.2717°N, 0.0447°W. Gao is about 946 km (588 mi) northeast of Bamako, the capital. The nearest city on our map is Bourem, 83 km to the northwest.

Gao at a glance

Where is Gao?

• The 8th largest city in Mali by recorded population.
• Located in the Northern and Western hemispheres.
• Daylight ranges from about 11 h 09 min on the shortest day to 13 h 06 min on the longest day (around 21 December and 21 June).

Cities near Gao

• Bourem — 83 km northwest
• Aribinda — 244 km south, Burkina Faso
• Dori — 249 km south, Burkina Faso
• Téra — 266 km south, Niger
• Kidal — 286 km northeast
• Djibo — 295 km southwest, Burkina Faso
• Timbuktu — 321 km west
• Douentza — 342 km southwest
• Titao — 353 km southwest, Burkina Faso
• Kongoussi — 365 km southwest, Burkina Faso

Largest cities in Gao

• Bourem — 42,371

Largest cities in Mali

• Bamako — 4,227,569
• Sikasso — 349,324
• Koutiala — 218,031
• Ségou — 205,787
• Kayes — 194,716
• Mopti — 186,187
• Kalaban Koro — 148,247
• Kati — 130,254
• San — 103,227
• Bougouni — 90,234

Map of Mali and all its cities →

Sources: place names, coordinates, populations and time zones from GeoNames (CC BY 4.0, data retrieved October 2026). Population figures are the latest values recorded in GeoNames; depending on the country they refer to the city proper, a municipality or a wider urban area, so they can differ from census or metro-area figures. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.