
Mali in the World
Mali - Introduction 2012
top of pageBackground:
The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a military coup that ushered in a period of democratic rule. President Alpha KONARE won Mali's first two democratic presidential elections in 1992 and 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE who was elected to a second term in 2007 elections that were widely judged to be free and fair.
Malian returnees from Libya in 2011 exacerbated tensions in northern Mali and Tuareg ethnic militias started a rebellion in January 2012. Low-mid level soldiers frustrated with the poor handling of the rebellion overthrew TOURE on 22 March. Coup leader Capt. Amadou Haya SANOGO and his junta under the mediation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) returned power to a civilian administration in April with the appointment of interim President Dioncounda TRAORE. Interim Prime Minister Chieck Modibo DIARRA immediately appointed a unity cabinet. The post-coup chaos led to rebels expelling the Malian military from the three northern regions of the country which remain under the control of a Tuareg militia Ansar al-Din and its terrorist group allies. Hundreds of thousands of northern Malians fled the violence to southern Mali and neighboring countries exacerbating regional food insecurity in host communities. TRAORE was attacked by an angry mob in May and spent two months recovering in Paris he returned in July. TRAORE and DIARRA announced a second unity government in August and in September called upon the international community to assist them in reclaiming land lost to rebels. SANOGO forced DIARRA to resign in December 2012; Django CISSOKO immediately replaced him and announced a third unity cabinet. The interim government is working with ECOWAS to organize negotiations with Tuareg rebels and the international community to plan a military intervention to retake the three northern regions.
Malian returnees from Libya in 2011 exacerbated tensions in northern Mali and Tuareg ethnic militias started a rebellion in January 2012. Low-mid level soldiers frustrated with the poor handling of the rebellion overthrew TOURE on 22 March. Coup leader Capt. Amadou Haya SANOGO and his junta under the mediation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) returned power to a civilian administration in April with the appointment of interim President Dioncounda TRAORE. Interim Prime Minister Chieck Modibo DIARRA immediately appointed a unity cabinet. The post-coup chaos led to rebels expelling the Malian military from the three northern regions of the country which remain under the control of a Tuareg militia Ansar al-Din and its terrorist group allies. Hundreds of thousands of northern Malians fled the violence to southern Mali and neighboring countries exacerbating regional food insecurity in host communities. TRAORE was attacked by an angry mob in May and spent two months recovering in Paris he returned in July. TRAORE and DIARRA announced a second unity government in August and in September called upon the international community to assist them in reclaiming land lost to rebels. SANOGO forced DIARRA to resign in December 2012; Django CISSOKO immediately replaced him and announced a third unity cabinet. The interim government is working with ECOWAS to organize negotiations with Tuareg rebels and the international community to plan a military intervention to retake the three northern regions.
Mali - Geography 2012
top of pageLocation: interior Western Africa southwest of Algeria north of Guinea Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso west of Niger
Geographic coordinates: 17 00 N 4 00 W
Map reference
Area
Rank: 24
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries
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 gypsum granite hydropower
Land use
Land use
Irrigated land: 2,360 km² (2003)
Major rivers
Major watersheds area km²
Total water withdrawal
Total renewable water resources: 100 km³ (2001)
Natural hazards: hot dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding
Geography
Note: landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern cultivated Sudanese; the central semiarid Sahelian; and the northern arid Saharan
Mali - People 2012
top of pagePopulation: 15,494,466 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 66
Growth rate: 3.02% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 11
Below poverty line: 36.1% (2005 est.)
Nationality
Ethnic groups: Mande 50% (Bambara Malinke Soninke) Peul 17% Voltaic 12% Songhai 6% Tuareg and Moor 10% other 5%
Languages: French (official) Bambara 80% numerous African languages
Religions: Muslim 90% Christian 1% indigenous beliefs 9%
Demographic profile
Age structure
Age structure
Dependency ratios
Median age
Population growth rate: 3.02% (2012 est.)
Rank: 11
Birth rate: 46.6 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 2
Death rate: 13.9 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 13
Net migration rate: -5.08 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 192
Population distribution
Urbanization
Major urban areas
Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching
Air pollutants
Sex ratio
Mothers mean age at first birth
Maternal mortality ratio
Infant mortality rate
Rank: 2
Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 207
Total fertility rate: 6.35 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 2
Contraceptive prevalence rate
Drinking water source
Current health expenditure
Physicians density: 0.049 physicians/1000 population (2008)
Hospital bed density: 0.57 beds/1000 population (2008)
Sanitation facility access:
urban: 54% of population
rural: 32% of population
total: 36% of population
rural: 32% of population
total: 36% of population
Unimproved:
urban: 46% of population
rural: 68% of population
total: 54% of population
rural: 68% of population
total: 54% of population
Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 1% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 47
People living with hivaids: 76,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 47
Deaths: 4,400 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 41
Major infectious diseases
Obesity adult prevalence rate
Alcohol consumption
Tobacco use
Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 27.9% (2006)
Rank: 22
Education expenditures: 4.4% of GDP (2009)
Rank: 86
Literacy
School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Youth unemployment
Mali - Government 2012
top of pageCountry name
Government type: republic
Capital
Administrative divisions: 8 regions (regions singular - region) 1 district*; District de Bamako* Gao Kayes Kidal Koulikoro Mopti Segou Sikasso Tombouctou (Timbuktu)
Dependent areas
Independence: 22 September 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day 22 September (1960)
Constitution: adopted 12 January 1992
Legal system: civil law system based on the French civil law model and influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders: African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI [Oumar MARIKO secretary general]; Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE]; Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP (a coalition of political parties including ADEMA and URD formed in December 2006 to support the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); Alliance for Democratic Change (political group comprised mainly of Tuareg from Mali's northern region); Convergence 2007 [Soumeylou Boubeye MAIGA]; Convergence for the development of Mali or CODEM [Housseyni GUINDO]; Front for Democracy and the Republic or FDR (a coalition of political parties including RPM and PARENA formed to oppose the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Mady KONATE]; Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile DRAME]; Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR [Choguel MAIGA]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Amadou Ali NIANGADOU]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA]; Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Basir GOLOGO]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]; Union for Republic and Democracy or URD [Soumaila CISSE]
International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU CD ECOWAS EITI (compliant country) FAO FZ G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA MONUSCO NAM OIC OIF OPCW UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNMIL UNMISS UNWTO UPU WADB (regional) WAEMU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO
Diplomatic representation
Flag description: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) yellow and red
National symbols
National anthem
National heritage
Mali - Economy 2012
top of pageEconomy overview: Among the 25 poorest countries in the world Mali is a landlocked country highly dependent on gold mining and agricultural exports for revenue. The country's fiscal status fluctuates with gold and agricultural commodity prices and the harvest. Mali remains dependent on foreign aid. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger River and about 65% of its land area is desert or semidesert. About 10% of the population is nomadic and about 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. The government in 2011 completed an IMF extended credit facility program that has helped the economy grow diversify and attract foreign investment. Mali is developing its cotton and iron ore extraction industries to diversify foreign exchange revenue away from gold. Mali has invested in tourism but security issues are hurting the industry. Mali experienced economic growth of about 5% per year between 1996-2010 but the global recession and a military coup caused a decline in output in 2012. The interim government slashed public spending in the context of a declining state of security and declining international aid.
Real gdp purchasing power parity:
$18.17 billion (2011 est.)
$17.69 billion (2010 est.)
$17.69 billion (2010 est.)
Rank: 137
Real gdp growth rate:
2.7% (2011 est.)
5.8% (2010 est.)
5.8% (2010 est.)
Rank: 212
Real gdp per capita:
$1100 (2011 est.)
$1200 (2010 est.)
$1200 (2010 est.)
Rank: 214
Gross national saving
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end use
Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture products: cotton millet rice corn vegetables peanuts; cattle sheep goats
Industries
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor force: 3.241 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 101
Labor force
Unemployment rate: 30% (2004 est.)
Rank: 178
Youth unemployment
Population below poverty line: 36.1% (2005 est.)
Gini index
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Distribution of family income gini index: 50.5 (1994)
Rank: 59
Budget
Surplus or deficit: -7.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 188
Taxes and other revenues: 14.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 193
Public debt: 23.3% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 124
Revenue
Fiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer prices: 2.9% (2011 est.)
Rank: 169
Central bank discount rate: 4.25% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 88
Commercial bank prime lending rate: 9% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 102
Stock of narrow money: $2.156 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 122
Stock of broad money: $2.929 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 141
Stock of domestic credit: $1.669 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 139
Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A
Current account balance: -$1.301 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 124
Exports: $2.453 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 138
Commodities: cotton gold livestock
Partners: China 31% South Korea 14.5% Indonesia 12.2% Thailand 6.3% Malaysia 5.4% Bangladesh 5% (2011)
Imports: $3.026 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 146
Commodities: petroleum machinery and equipment construction materials foodstuffs textiles
Partners: Senegal 14.9% France 11.6% China 8.2% Cote dIvoire 6.3% (2011)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Debt external: $2.652 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 137
Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $2.351 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 92
Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $48 million (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 84
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
514.1 (2012 est.)
471.87 (2011 est.)
495.28 (2010 est.)
472.19 (2009)
493.51 (2007)
514.1 (2012 est.)
471.87 (2011 est.)
495.28 (2010 est.)
472.19 (2009)
493.51 (2007)
Mali - Energy 2012
top of pageElectricity
Production: 520 million kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 160
Consumption: 483.6 million kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 168
Exports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 100
Imports: 0 kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 213
Installed generating capacity: 304,000 kW (2009 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 148
Generation sources fossil fuels: 48.4% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 157
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 138
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 51.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 41
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 159
Coal
Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 166
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 153
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 95
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 165
Crude oil
Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products production rank: 175
Products consumption: 4,994 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 170
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products exports rank: 201
Products imports: 4,568 bbl/day (2008 est.)
Products imports rank: 160
Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Production rank: 166
Consumption: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 172
Exports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 116
Imports: 0 m³ (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 98
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2012 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 170
Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 893,700 Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 169
Energy consumption per capita
Mali - Communication 2012
top of pageTelephones
Main lines in use: 104,700 (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 145
Mobile cellular: 10.822 million (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 70
Telephone system
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
Country code: .ml
Hosts: 437 (2012)
Hosts rank: 187
Users: 249,800 (2009)
Users rank: 135
Broadband fixed subscriptions
Mali - Military 2012
top of pageMilitary expenditures: 1.9% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 78
Military and security forces
Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2010)
Space program
Terrorist groups
Mali - Transportation 2012
top of pageNational air transport system
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Airports: 21 (2012)
Rank: 135
Heliports
Pipelines
Railways
Rank: 109
Roadways
Rank: 113
Waterways: 1800 km (downstream of Koulikoro; low water levels on the River Niger cause problems in dry years; in the months before the rainy season the river is not navigable by commercial vessels) (2011)
Rank: 44
Merchant marine
Ports and terminals: Koulikoro
Mali - Transnational issues 2012
top of pageDisputes international: demarcation is underway with Burkina Faso
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Illicit drugs
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