Tombouctou: population, jobs, schools, health, housing and poverty
Tombouctou is a region of Mali, number 8 of 20 by population. Mali's fifth general census (RGPH5), taken in 2022, counted 974,278 people in the Tombouctou region (504,864 men and boys, 469,414 women and girls), 4.4% of Mali's 22.40 million; 8th largest of Mali's 20 regions (counting Bamako).
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Tombouctou: 62.8% of people aged 15 and over in Tombouctou were in work at the 2022 census (86.6% of men, 38.2% of women), 5th highest of Mali's 20 regions (counting Bamako) (Mali: 59.0%).
- Education in Tombouctou: 13.9% of people aged 15 and over in Tombouctou could read and write in 2022 (15.3% of men, 12.5% of women), 5th lowest of Mali's 20 regions (counting Bamako) (Mali: 34.6%).
- Poverty and living standards in Tombouctou: INSTAT's 2024 household survey (EMOP) puts the share of people below the national poverty line in Tombouctou at 25.3%, 2nd lowest of the 8 regions the survey reports (Mali: 43.3%). The survey publishes results only for eight regions, with no figures for Kidal or the newer regions, so its Tombouctou figure may cover a wider area than the region as drawn today.
How many people in Tombouctou live in towns?
16.0% of Tombouctou's people lived in urban communes at the 2022 census (155,602 urban, 818,676 rural), 9th most urban of Mali's 20 regions (counting Bamako) (Mali: 30.4%).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Mali and Bureau Central du Recensement · saved copyHow big are households in Tombouctou?
The census counted 106,876 ordinary households in Tombouctou, with 6.5 people each on average (Mali: 9.3); 11.8% were headed by a woman (Mali: 10.5%).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Mali and Bureau Central du Recensement · saved copyHow many children do women in Tombouctou have?
Women in Tombouctou have 4.9 children each on average at the fertility rates measured by the 2022 census, 4th lowest of Mali's 20 regions (counting Bamako) (Mali: 6.1).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Mali and Bureau Central du Recensement · saved copyDo families in Tombouctou have safe drinking water?
73.0% of children under five in Tombouctou lived in households with access to safe drinking water in 2022, 10th highest of Mali's 20 regions (counting Bamako) (Mali: 78.5%).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Mali and Bureau Central du Recensement · saved copyDo households in Tombouctou have toilets?
37.0% of households in Tombouctou had no toilet and relieved themselves in the open in 2022, 7th highest of Mali's 20 regions (counting Bamako) (Mali: 14.3%); 34.8% shared a latrine with other households.
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Mali and Bureau Central du Recensement · saved copyHow many people in Tombouctou live with a disability?
The 2022 census counted 4,002 people living with a major disability in Tombouctou, 0.6% of its population (Mali: 0.8%).
Source: Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Mali and Bureau Central du Recensement · saved copyHow regions are governed in Mali
Regions (19 in law; about 10 fully operational in 2021) and the District of Bamako. Governor appointed by central government; regional council elected (last in 2009, mandates extended); interim authorities in some northern regions since 2017. Regional planning and development.
Every tier of government in Mali
Other regions of Mali
- Bamako 4,227,569
- Ségou 2,455,263
- Koulikoro 2,255,157
- Kayes 1,840,329
- Bougouni 1,570,979
- Sikasso 1,533,123
- Koutiala 1,169,882
- Mopti 935,579
- Bandiagara 868,916
- San 820,807
- Gao 727,517
- Kita 681,671
- Nioro 678,061
- Dioïla 675,965
- Ménaka 318,876
- Nara 307,777
- Douentza 170,189
- Taoudenni 100,358
- Kidal 83,192
Up a level: Mali · government and power in Mali · cities
Sources
- Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Mali: Annuaire statistique du Mali 2023 (Statistical Yearbook): Table 47, livestock by region (DNPIA report 2023), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2519f7272dd9…)
- Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Mali and Bureau Central du Recensement: RGPH5 2022 thematic report: caractéristiques économiques de la population (Tables 4.5, 4.17, 4.28, 5.2), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4502014c1444…)
- Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Mali and Bureau Central du Recensement: RGPH5 2022 thematic report: scolarisation, instruction et alphabétisation (Tables 2.10, 3.10, 3.17, 3.23, 4.1), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f1354be81add…)
- Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Mali and Bureau Central du Recensement: RGPH5 2022 thematic report: natalité et fécondité (Table 4.02), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9f0d77a12d0c…)
- Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Mali and Bureau Central du Recensement: RGPH5 2022 thematic report: caractéristiques des habitations et cadre de vie (Tables 3.3, 3.14, 3.23, 4.17, 5.2, 6.2, 6.6), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e71c382c55b0…)
- Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Mali: Mali en chiffres 2024: Table 5, poverty indices by region (EMOP 2024), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 67b2d6f76b20…)
- Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Mali and Bureau Central du Recensement: RGPH5 2022 thematic report: état et structure de la population (Table 2.3, resident population by region and sex), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4d41cfc2e543…)
- Institut National de la Statistique (INSTAT), Mali and Bureau Central du Recensement: RGPH5 2022: résultats globaux (Tables 4 urban and rural population, 13 disability, 19 households), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2ebb4230e94b…)
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