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. Since his reelection in 1997 President KONARE has continued to push through political and economic reforms and to fight corruption.

Geographic coordinates: 17 00 N, 4 00 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 1.24 million km²
Land: 1.22 million km²
Water: 20,000 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 7,243 km
Border countries: (7) Algeria 1,376 km; , Burkina Faso 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
Extremes lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
Extremes highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

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%
Permanent pastures: 25%
Forests and woodland: 6%
Other: 67% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 780 km² (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts

Geography
Note: landlocked

Population: 9,788,904 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 3.18% (1997 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%

Age structure
0-14 years: 47% (male 2,329,669; female 2,307,248)
15-64 years: 50% (male 2,287,769; female 2,546,981)
65 years and over: 3% (male 150,732; female 166,505) (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.18% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 50.26 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 19.52 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 1.1 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 124 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 46.56 years
Male: 45.25 years
Female: 47.9 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 7.09 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 31%
Male: 39.4%
Female: 23.1% (1995 est.)

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

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

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Alpha Oumar KONARE (since 8 June 1992)
Head of government: Prime Minister Ibrahima Boubacar KEITA (since NA March 1994)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 11 May 1997 (next to be held NA May 2002); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: Alpha Oumar KONARE reelected president; percent of vote - Alpha Oumar KONARE 85.15%, Mamadou DIABY 4.09%, other 10.76%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (116 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 8 March 1992 (next to be held in two rounds on 20 July and 3 August 1997)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - 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)

International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Cheick Oumar DIARRAH
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
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 332-6,603
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador David P. RAWSON
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

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 farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export. Nonetheless the government has successfully implemented an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform, and the 50% devaluation of the African Franc in January 1994, has pushed up economic growth. Several multinational corporations increased gold mining operations in 1996 and the government projects that Mali will become a major Sub-Saharan gold exporter in the next few years.

Real gdp growth rate: 5.2% (1995 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $600 (1995 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 49%
Industry: 17%
Services: 34% (1995)

Agriculture products: cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats

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

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1994)

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

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget
Revenues: $730 million
Expenditures: $770 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1997 est.)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports
Total value: $320 million (f.o.b., 1994)
Commodities: cotton, livestock, gold
Partners: mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Imports
Total value: $422 million (f.o.b., 1994)
Commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, construction materials, petroleum, textiles
Partners: mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Debt external: $2.8 billion (1995)

Exchange rates: CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 541.69 (January 1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993), 264.69 (1992)
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

Electricity
Capacity: 84,100 kW (1990)
Production: 235 million kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 28 kWh (1991 est.)

Telephones: 11,000 (1982 est.)

Telephone system: domestic system poor but improving; provides only minimal service
Domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open wire, and radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio relay in progress
International: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $66 million (1994)
Percent of gdp: 2.2% (1994)

Airports: 24 (1996 est.)
With paved runways total: 13
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 7 (1996 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 11
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 8 (1996 est.)

Railways
Total: 641 km; (linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes)
Narrow gauge: 641 km 1.000-m gauge (1995)

Waterways: 1,815 km navigable

Disputes international: none