Timbuktu birni ne, da ke a yankin Tombouctou, a ƙasar Mali yammacin Afirka. Jami'ar Sankore da sauran makarantun addinin musulunci ko madrasas suna cikin gari. Garin yana da mahimmanci ga tunani da kuma addini a ƙarni na 15 da 16. Yana da mahimmanci wajen yada addinin Musulunci ta hanyar Afirka a wancan lokacin. Akwai manyan masallatai guda uku: Djingareyber, Sankore da Sidi Yahya.Tunatarwa ne game da zamanin zinar Timbuktu. Kullum ana gyara su, amma ana musu barazana saboda hamada tana yaduwa. Mutanen Songhay, Abzinawa, Fulani, da na Mandé sune ke zaune a Timbuktu. Shi yana kilomita 15 arewa daa Kogin Neja . Akwai hanya ta hamadar Sahara daga gabas zuwa yamma kuma ana amfani da wannan don kasuwanci . Akwai wani daga arewa zuwa kudu . Waɗannan hanyoyi biyu sun haɗu a Timbuktu. Yana da wani entrepôt ga dutse gishiri daga Taoudenni . Wannan yana nufin cewa an kawo gishirin nan kuma a sayar wa wasu mutane su kai shi wani wuri, amma ba a biyan haraji . Wurin ya taimaka mutane daban-daban sun haɗu, don haka mutanen gida, Abzinawa da Larabawa suka haɗu anan.