Map of Mali | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a transitional government and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic presidential election was held.


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Location: Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total area total: 1.24 million km²
Land: 1.22 million km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total 7,243 km, Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

Climate: subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

Terrain: mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast

Elevation

Natural resources: gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited

Land use
Arable land: 2%
Permanent crops: 0%
Meadows and pastures: 25%
Forest and woodland: 7%
Other: 66%

Irrigated land: 50 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: landlocked


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Population: 9,375,132 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 2.89% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Malian(s)
Adjective: Malian

Ethnic groups: Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Sarakole), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Languages: French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Religions: Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 48% (female 2,240,565; male 2,242,373)
15-64 years: 49% (female 2,416,952; male 2,165,043)
65 years and over: 3% (female 162,234; male 147,965) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.89% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 51.88 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 19.93 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -3 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching
Current issues natural hazards: hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts
Current issues international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Nuclear Test Ban

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 104.5 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 46.37 years
Male: 44.7 years
Female: 48.09 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 7.33 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 6 and over can read and write (1988)
Total population: 19%
Male: 27%
Female: 12%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Mali
Conventional short form: Mali
Local long form: Republique de Mali
Local short form: Mali
Former: French Sudan

Government type: republic

Capital: Bamako

Administrative divisions: 8 regions (regions, singular - region; Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Dependent areas

Independence: 22 September 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 22 September (1960)

Constitution: adopted 12 January 1992

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was formally established on 9 March 1994; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Alpha Oumar KONARE (since 8 June 1992); election last held in April 1992 (next to be held April 1997); Alpha KONARE was elected in runoff race against Montaga TALL
Head of government: Prime Minister Ibrahima Boubacar KEITA (since March 1994)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly: elections last held on 8 March 1992 (next to be held February 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (116 total) Adema 76, CNID 9, US/RAD 8, Popular Movement for the Development of the Republic of West Africa 6, RDP 4, UDD 4, RDT 3, UFDP 3, PDP 2, UMDD 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim Siragatou CISSE
In the us chancery: 2,130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 332-2,249, 939-8,950
From the us chief of mission: (vacant) (Ambassador William H. DAMERON III retired March 1995)
From the us embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako
From the us mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako
From the us telephone: [223] 22 54 70
From the us FAX: [223] 22 37 12

Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its land area desert or semidesert. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in agriculture and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. The economy is beginning to turn around after contracting through 1992-93, largely because of enhanced exports and import substitute production in the wake of the 50% devaluation of January 1994. Post-devaluation inflation appears to have peaked at 35% in 1994 and the government appears to be keeping on track with its IMF structural adjustment program.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 2.4% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $600 (1994 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: accounts for 50% of GDP; mostly subsistence farming; cotton and livestock products account for over 70% of exports; other crops - millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; livestock - cattle, sheep, goats

Industries: minor local consumer goods production and food processing, construction, phosphate and gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: -1.4% (1992 est.), accounts for 13.0% of GDP

Labor force: 2.666 million (1986 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 80%
By occupation services: 19%
By occupation industry and commerce: 1% (1981)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $376 million
Expenditures: $697 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $415 million (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodoties: cotton, livestock, gold
Partners: mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Imports: $842 million (f.o.b., 1993)
Commodoties: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, construction materials, petroleum, textiles
Partners: mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $2.6 billion (1991 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 529.43 (January 1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990)
Note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948


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Electricity
Capacity: 90,000 kW
Production: 310 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 33 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 11,000 telephones; domestic system poor but improving; provides only minimal service
Local: NA
Intercity: microwave radio relay, wire, and radio communications stations; expansion of microwave radio relay in progress
International: 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) earth stations

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $66 million, 2.2% of GDP (1994)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 33
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 10
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2438 m: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 12

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 1,815 km navigable

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: the disputed international boundary between Burkina and Mali was submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in October 1983 and the ICJ issued its final ruling in December 1986, which both sides agreed to accept; Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs