GAO, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. — In French West Africa. It was erected on 9 June 1942 and entrusted to the White Fathers. The territory was detached from the Apostolic Vicariates of Bamako, Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso and covered an area of approximately 700,000 sq. km., entirely within the colony of French Sudan, including a Saharan or Niger zone and a Sudanese zone to the south. On 12 June 1947, the Sudanese zone was detached from its territory to form the new Apostolic Prefecture of Nouméa, reducing GAO’s territory to approximately 505,000 sq. km. It is traversed by the Niger River from west to east.
The climate is hot and dry, with scant rainfall. The terrain is sandy with few trees. Population centres are scattered along the Niger River, which, though a convenient means of communication, does not contribute to making the area fertile. The population exceeds half a million, of whom some are nomadic. They are of both white and black races. Indigenous Catholics number 2,400, and foreign Catholics 2,400. The rest are Muslims, who, after crossing the Sahara with ancient Arab caravans, ascended the Niger from the 15th and 16th centuries onward to take control of the Sudan. In the south-western part lies the rocky region of Bandiagara, inhabited by the Habè tribe (singular: Kado), who are still animist (150,000 inhabitants) but are slowly becoming Islamized. Only in GAO is there a quasi-parish. A few other secondary stations operate. The apostolate is very difficult, both because of the mobility of the population and because almost all are Muslims, though somewhat liberal and given to superstitions.