Country Profiles - Mali

MALI

Geography: Most of Mali, in West Africa, lies in the Sahara. A landlocked country four-fifths the size of Alaska, it is bordered by Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, Algeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, and the Côte d'Ivoire. The only fertile area is in the south, where the Niger and Senegal rivers provide water for irrigation.

Government: Republic.

History: Caravan routes have passed through Mali since A.D. 300. The Malinke empire ruled regions of Mali from the 12th to the 16th century, and the Songhai empire reigned over the Timbuktu-Gao region in the 15th century. Morocco conquered Timbuktu in 1591 and ruled over it for two centuries. Subjugated by France by the end of the 19th century, the land became a colony in 1904 (named French Sudan in 1920) and in 1946 became part of the French Union. On June 20, 1960, it became independent and, under the name of Sudanese Republic, was joined with the Republic of Senegal in the Mali federation. However, Senegal seceded from the federation on Aug. 20, 1960, and the Sudanese Republic then changed its name to the Republic of Mali on Sept. 22.

Map of Mali

President: Ibrahim Boubacar Keita (2013)

Prime Minister: Moussa Mara (2014)

Land area: 471,042 sq mi (1,219,999 sq km); total area: 478,767 sq mi (1,240,000 sq km)

Population (2014 est.): 16,455,903 growth rate: 3%; birth rate: 45.53/1000; infant mortality rate: 104.34/1000; life expectancy: 54.95

Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Bamako, 2.037 million

Monetary unit: CFA Franc

National name: République de Mali

Languages: French (official), Bambara 46.3%, Peul/foulfoulbe 9.4%, Dogon 7.2%, Maraka/soninke 6.4%, Malinke 5.6%, Sonrhai/djerma 5.6%, Minianka 4.3%, Tamacheq 3.5%, Senoufo 2.6%, unspecified 0.6%, other 8.5%. note: Mali has 13 national languages in addition to its official language

Ethnicity/race: Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Religions: Muslim 94.8%, Christian 2.4%, Animist 2%, none 0.5%, unspecified 0.3% (2009 Census)

National Holiday: Independence Day, September 22

Literacy rate: 33.4% (2011 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $18.9 billion; per capita $1,100. Real growth rate: 4.8%. Inflation: 0.1%. Unemployment: 30% (2004 est.). Arable land: 5.53%. Agriculture: cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats. Labor force: 3.241 million (2007 est.); agriculture and fishing 80%, industry and services 20% (2005 est.). Industries: food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining. Natural resources: gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, hydropower; note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited. Exports: $2.577 billion (2013 est.): cotton, gold, livestock. Imports: $2.895 billion (2012 est.): petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, textiles. Major trading partners: China, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, France, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire (2012).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 112,000 (2012); mobile cellular: 14.613 million (2011). Broadcast media: national public TV broadcaster; 2 privately owned companies provide subscription services to foreign multi-channel TV packages; national public radio broadcaster supplemented by a large number of privately owned and community broadcast stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2007). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 437 (2012). Internet users: 249,800 (2009).

Transportation: Railways: total: 593 km (2008). Roadways: total: 22,474 km; paved: 5,522 km; unpaved: 16,952 km (2009 est.). Waterways: 1,800 km. Ports and harbors: Koulikoro. Airports: 25 (2013).

International disputes: demarcation is underway with Burkina Faso.

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