Sikasso Region

Sikasso Region (Bambara: ߛߌߞߊߛߏ ߘߌߣߋߖߊ tr. Sikaso Dineja) is the southernmost region of Mali. The region's capital city, Sikasso, is the country's second-largest city. Major ethnic groups include the Senoufo, known for masks and reverence for animals, the Samago, known for being Mali's best farmers, and the main ethnic group in Mali, the Bambara people.

Sikasso Region
Region
Location within Mali
Interactive map of Sikasso Region in Mali
Coordinates: 11°11′59″N 7°5′49″W
Country	Mali
Capital	Sikasso
Area
• Total	70,280 km2 (27,140 sq mi)
Population  (2009 census)[1]
• Total	2,625,919
• Density	37/km2 (97/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC±0 (UTC)
HDI (2017)	0.410[2] low · 3rd

Administrative divisions

Cercles of the Sikasso Region

Sikasso Region is divided into seven cercles:^[3][4]

Cercle name	Area (km2)	Population Census 1998	Population Census 2009
Bougouni	20,028	307,633	459,509
Kadiolo	5,375	130,730	239,713
Kolondiéba	9,200	141,861	202,618
Koutiala	8,740	382,350	575,253
Sikasso	15,375	514,764	725,494
Yanfolila	9,240	163,798	211,824
Yorosso	5,500	141,021	211,508

The city of Sikasso is known for a vibrant outdoor market which features fabrics, numerous vegetables and fruits (especially mangoes, for which Sikasso is particularly renowned.) Sikasso is an ethnic and linguistic melting pot featuring people from outlying villages, immigrants from Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso and refugees.

The southwest corner of the Sikasso region is traditionally known as Wassoulou. This area is known for its unique music and strong tradition of hunting. The main city of Wassoulou is Yanfolila.

Besides the regional capital, the other urban communes and major cities in Sikasso Region are Bougouni, a junction town en route to Bamako (the capital of Mali), and Koutiala in the northern part of Sikasso Region, which is the hub of Mali's highly productive cotton industry, which produces one of the country's few exports.

Communities

• Mandela

See also

• Regions of Mali
• Cercles of Mali