But amid the ramshackle mud-brick buildings, Timbuktu scholars are once again piecing together the African history that once filled vast libraries in the city’s heyday. Timbuktu (/ ˌ t ɪ m b ʌ k ˈ t uː /) (French: Tombouctou; Koyra Chiini: Tumbutu) is a city in Mali, situated 20 km (12 mi) north of the Niger River.The town is the capital of the Timbuktu Region, one of the eight administrative regions of Mali.It had a population of 54,453 in the 2009 census. Read more about Timbuktu here. In 1988, Timbuktu was designated a United Nations World Heritage Site, and efforts were underway to preserve and protect the city and especially its centuries-old mosques. Timbuktu, city in the western African country of Mali, historically important as a trading post on the trans-Saharan caravan route and as a center of Islamic culture (c. 1400–1600). Explore more on Timbuktu. In 2012, due to regional fighting, the city was placed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage in Danger, where it still remains in 2018. Read all the latest news, breaking stories, top headlines, opinion, pictures and videos about Timbuktu from Nigeria and the world on today.ng Today’s Timbuktu is a very different place, a dusty footnote in northern Mali, the last major settlement on the edge of a vast Saharan wasteland. It is located on the southern edge of the Sahara, about 8 miles (13 km) north of the Niger River. Timbuktu Tourism: Tripadvisor has 53 reviews of Timbuktu Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best Timbuktu resource. Find Timbuktu Latest News, Videos & Pictures on Timbuktu and see latest updates, news, information from NDTV.COM.