The urban community of Dongondoutchi ("High Hill"), also nicknamed Doutchi, is located about 300 km east of Niamey the capital of Niger and 40 km from the Nigerian border. It lies on national route 1 which links the capital to the towns of Maradi and Zinder to the east and the RN25 heading to north to Tahoua, Agadez and Arlit. The limits of the Dogondoutchi district are roughly those of the ancient region of the Arewa. Since 2008, Dogondoutchi is the administrative centre of the surrounding Dogondoutchi department which carries the same name. It is part of the Dosso Region. The population is near 80 000 distributed over the urban centre with near 30 000, 17 villages lying 5 to 30 km from the centre and 5 Fula tribes.