Map of Mali

Satellite image of Mali

Topography of Mali

Mali is a landlocked nation in West Africa, located southwest of Algeria, extending south-west from the southern Sahara through the Sahel to the Sudanian savanna zone.

At about 1.2 million square kilometers, Mali is comparable in size to South Africa and is almost twice the size of the US state of Texas. Mali shares a total of 7,243 kilometers of land boundaries with seven bordering states: Algeria (1,376 kilometers) to the north and northeast, Niger (821 kilometers) to the east, Burkina Faso (1,000 kilometers) to the southeast, Côte d’Ivoire (532 kilometers) to the south, Guinea (858 kilometers) to the southwest, and Senegal (419 kilometers) and Mauritania (2,237 kilometers) to the west.^[1]

Topography[link]

Mali's territory encompasses three natural zones: the southern cultivated Sudanese zone, central semiarid Sahelian zone, and northern arid Saharan zone. The terrain is primarily savanna in the south and flat to rolling plains or high plateau (200–500 meters in elevation) in the north. There are rugged hills in the northeast, with elevations of up to 1,000 meters. Desert or semi-desert covers about 65 percent of the country’s area. The Niger River creates a large and fertile inland delta as it arcs northeast through Mali from Guinea before turning south and eventually emptying into the Gulf of Guinea.^[1]

The Niger (with 1,693 kilometers in Mali) and Senegal are Mali’s two largest rivers. The Niger is generally described as Mali’s lifeblood, a source of food, drinking water, irrigation, and transportation.^[1]

The country's lowest point is on the Senegal River (23 m) and its highest point is Adrar des Iforas (960 m).

Climate[link]

Mali's climate ranges from subtropical in the south to arid in the north. The country is mostly dry, with 4–5 months of rainy season. In Bamako, at an elevation of 340 meters (1,115 ft) above sea level, temperatures generally range from 16 to 39 °C (60.8 to 102.2 °F). January is the coldest month, with temperatures ranging from 16 to 33 °C (60.8 to 91.4 °F), and April is the hottest month, with temperatures averaging 34 to 39 °C (93.2 to 102.2 °F). Annual precipitation in Bamako averages 1,120 millimeters (44.1 in). The driest months are December and January with zero rainfall. The wettest month is August, which averages 220 millimeters (8.7 in) of rainfall. Most of the country receives negligible rainfall, and droughts are a recurring problem. During dry seasons, a hot, dust-laden harmattan haze is also common. Flooding of the Niger River occurs regularly in the rainy season (approximately June/July–November/December).^[1]

Geology[link]

The area of Mali consists mostly of vast flatlands of granite and shale covered by sandstone and alluvial quartz.^[2] Mali extends over two main geological structures, the West African craton in the west and the Tuareg shield in the southeast, which came together at the end of the Precambrian era between 600 and 550 million years ago. The suture zone is to the west of the Adrar des Ifoghas mountains. The underlying rocks of the West African craton are covered in the northwest by sediments of the Taoudeni basin, with two main outcrops of crystalline rocks in the northern Reguibat shield in Mauritania and the southern Leo shield which includes the Bougouni and Kaneiba outcrops, both of which contain valuable minerals.^[3] There may also be petroleum reserves in the Taoudeni basin.^[4]

Natural resources[link]

Mali is endowed with bauxite, copper, diamonds, gold, Granite, gypsum, iron ore, kaolin, limestone, lithium, manganese, phosphates, salt, silver, uranium, and zinc, but not all deposits are being exploited, and some may not be commercially viable. Mali also has ample hydropower

Land use[link]

Sixty-five percent of Mali’s land area is desert or semi-desert. According to estimates in 1998, only 3.8 percent of Mali’s area can be classified as arable land, and less than 0.1 percent was planted to permanent crops in that year. Mali was estimated to have 1,380 square kilometers of irrigated land in 1998.^[1]

Environmental issues[link]

Mali faces numerous environmental challenges, including desertification, deforestation, soil erosion, drought, and inadequate supplies of potable water. Deforestation is an especially serious and growing problem. According to the Ministry of the Environment, Mali’s population consumes 6 million tons of wood per year for timber and fuel. To meet this demand, 400,000 hectares of tree cover are lost annually, virtually ensuring destruction of the country’s savanna woodlands.^[1]

Mali is a party to international treaties on Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, and Wetlands. It has signed, but not ratified: the Kyoto Protocol and the Nuclear Test Ban.

Natural hazards[link]

Natural hazards in Mali include:

• Desert sandstorms in the north
• Dust-laden harmattan wind is common during dry seasons, bringing a dust haze which may ground aircraft and damage computers and sensitive electronics and machines, as well as aggravating respiratory diseases.
• Recurring droughts
• Bushfires in the south
• Occasional floods, for example in July 2007.^[5]
• Tropical thunderstorms in the south, which may bring wind and lightning damage as well as flash floods.
• Occasional Niger River flooding

Extreme points[link]

This is a list of the extreme points of Mali, the points that are farther north, south, east or west than any other location.

• Northern-most point – the northern section of the border with Mauritania, Tombouctou Region*
• Eastern-most point – the eastern section of the border with Niger**
• Southern-most point – Fonto Kourou on the border with Cote d'Ivoire, Sikasso Region
• Western-most point - the tripoint with Senegal and Mauritania, Kayes Region

• *Note: Mali does not have a northern-most point, the border being formed by a straight east-west line
• **Note: Mali does not have an eastern-most point, the border being formed by a straight north-south line

See also[link]

• Inner Niger Delta
• Manding Mountains
• 2010 Sahel famine

References[link]

Republic of Mali République du Mali (French) Mali ka Fasojamana (Bambara) (browse)
Emblem of Mali Flag Emblem
Motto: "Un peuple, un but, une foi" "One people, one goal, one faith"
Anthem: Le Mali "Mali"[1]
Capital (and largest city)		Bamako 12°39′N 8°0′W / 12.65°N 8°W / 12.65; -8
Official language(s)		French
Vernacular languages		Bambara
Demonym		Malian
Government		Unitary semi-presidential republic
-	Chairperson of the National Committee for the Restoration of Democracy and State of Mali	Amadou Sanogo
-	Acting President	Dioncounda Traoré
-	Acting Prime Minister	Cheick Modibo Diarra
Legislature		National Assembly
Independence
-	from France as the Sudanese Republic, with Senegal as the Mali Federation	4 April 1960
-	as Mali	22 September 1960
Area
-	Total	1,240,192 km2 (24th) 478,839 sq mi
-	Water (%)	1.6
Population
-	April 2009 census	14,517,176[2] (67th)
-	Density	11.7/km2 (215th) 30.3/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2011 estimate
-	Total	$17.872 billion[3]
-	Per capita	$1,127[3]
GDP (nominal)		2011 estimate
-	Total	$10.600 billion[3]
-	Per capita	$668[3]
Gini (2001)		40.1 (medium)
HDI (2007)		0.371 (low) (178th)
Currency		West African CFA franc (XOF)
Time zone		GMT (UTC+0)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+0)
Drives on the		right[4]
ISO 3166 code		ML
Internet TLD		.ml
Calling code		223

Mali ⁱ/ˈmɑːli/, officially the Republic of Mali (French: République du Mali, French pronunciation: [maˈli]), is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with a population of 14.5 million. Its capital is Bamako. Mali consists of eight regions and its borders on the north reach deep into the middle of the Sahara, while the country's southern part, where the majority of inhabitants live, features the Niger and Sénégal rivers. The country's economic structure centers around agriculture and fishing. Some of Mali's natural resources are gold, uranium, livestock, and salt. About half the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.^[5]

Present-day Mali was once part of three West African empires that controlled trans-Saharan trade: the Ghana Empire, the Mali Empire (from which Mali is named), and the Songhai Empire. In the late 19th century, during the Scramble for Africa, France seized control of Mali making it a part of French Sudan. French Sudan (then known as the Sudanese Republic) joined with Senegal in 1959, achieving independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation. Shortly thereafter, following Senegal's withdrawal from the federation, the Sudanese Republic declared itself the independent Republic of Mali. After a long period of one-party rule, a 1991 coup led to the writing of a new constitution and the establishment of Mali as a democratic, multi-party state. On 22 March, 2012, a group of junior soldiers seized control of the country's presidential palace and declared the government dissolved and its constitution suspended. ^[6] On 6 April, 2012, rebels from the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA) declared the secession of a new state, Azawad, from Mali.^[7]

History[link]

The extent of the Mali Empire's peak

Mali was once part of three famed West African empires which controlled trans-Saharan trade in gold, salt, slaves, and other precious commodities.^[8] These Sahelian kingdoms had neither rigid geopolitical boundaries nor rigid ethnic identities.^[8] The earliest of these empires was the Ghana Empire, which was dominated by the Soninke, a Mande-speaking people.^[8] The empire expanded throughout West Africa from the 8th century until 1078, when it was conquered by the Almoravids.^[9]

The Mali Empire later formed on the upper Niger River, and reached the height of power in the 14th century.^[9] Under the Mali Empire, the ancient cities of Djenné and Timbuktu were centers of both trade and Islamic learning.^[9] The empire later declined as a result of internal intrigue, ultimately being supplanted by the Songhai Empire.^[9] The Songhai people originated in current northwestern Nigeria. The Songhai had long been a major power in West Africa subject to the Mali Empire's rule.^[9]

In the late 14th century, the Songhai gradually gained independence from the Mali Empire and expanded, ultimately subsuming the entire eastern portion of the Mali Empire.^[9] The Songhai Empire's eventual collapse was largely the result of a Moroccan invasion in 1591, under the command of Judar Pasha.^[9] The fall of the Songhai Empire marked the end of the region's role as a trading crossroads.^[9] Following the establishment of sea routes by the European powers, the trans-Saharan trade routes lost significance.^[9]

The pages above are from Timbuktu Manuscripts written in Sudani script (a form of Arabic) from the Mali Empire showing established knowledge of astronomy and mathematics. Today there are close to a million of these manuscripts found in Timbuktu alone.

One of the worst famines in the region's recorded history occurred in the 18th century. According to John Iliffe, "The worst crises were in the 1680s, when famine extended from the Senegambian coast to the Upper Nile and 'many sold themselves for slaves, only to get a sustenance', and especially in 1738–56, when West Africa's greatest recorded subsistence crisis, due to drought and locusts, reportedly killed half the population of Timbuktu."^[10]

Mali fell under the control of the French during the late 19th century.^[9] By 1905, most of the area was under firm French control as a part of French Sudan.^[9] In early 1959, French Sudan (which changed its name to the Sudanese Republic) and Senegal united to become the Mali Federation. The Mali Federation gained independence from France on 20 June 1960.^[9] Senegal withdrew from the federation in August 1960, which allowed the Sudanese Republic to become the independent Republic of Mali on 22 September 1960. Modibo Keïta was elected the first president.^[9] Keïta quickly established a one-party state, adopted an independent African and socialist orientation with close ties to the East, and implemented extensive nationalization of economic resources.^[9]

On 19 November 1968, following progressive economic decline, the Keïta regime was overthrown in a bloodless military coup led by Moussa Traoré,^[11] a day which is now commemorated as Liberation Day. The subsequent military-led regime, with Traoré as president, attempted to reform the economy. However, his efforts were frustrated by political turmoil and a devastating drought between 1968 to 1974,^[11] in which famine killed thousands of people.^[12] The Traoré regime faced student unrest beginning in the late 1970s and three coup attempts. However, the Traoré regime repressed all dissenters until the late 1980s.^[11]

The government continued to attempt economic reforms, and the populace became increasingly dissatisfied.^[11] In response to growing demands for multi-party democracy, the Traoré regime allowed some limited political liberalization, but refused to usher in a full-fledged democratic system.^[11] In 1990, cohesive opposition movements began to emerge, and was complicated by the turbulent rise of ethnic violence in the north following the return of many Tuaregs to Mali.^[11]

A statue of freedom in Bamako.

Anti-government protests in 1991 led to a coup, a transitional government, and a new constitution.^[11] Opposition to the corrupt and dictatorial regime of General Mousa Traoré grew during the 1980s. During this time, strict programs imposed to satisfy demands of the International Monetary Fund brought increased hardship upon the country's population while elites close to the government supposedly lived in growing wealth. Peaceful student protests in January 1991 were brutally suppressed, with mass arrests and torture of leaders and participants. Scattered acts of rioting and vandalism of public buildings followed, but most actions by the dissidents remained nonviolent.

From March 22 through March 26, 1991, mass pro-democracy rallies and a nationwide strike was held in both urban and rural communities, which became known as les evenements ("the events") or the March Revolution. In Bamako, in response to mass demonstrations organized by university students and later joined by trade unionists and others, soldiers opened fire indiscriminately on the nonviolent demonstrators. Riots broke out briefly following the shootings. Barricades as well as roadblocks were erected and Traoré declared a state of emergency and imposed a nightly curfew. Despite an estimated loss of 300 lives over the course of four days, nonviolent protesters continued to return to Bamako each day demanding the resignation of the dictatorial president and the implementation of democratic policies.^[13]

March 26th, 1991 is the day that marks the clash between military soldiers and peaceful demonstrating students which climaxed in the massacre of dozens under the orders of then President Moussa Traoré. He and three associates were later tried and convicted and received the death sentence for their part in the decision-making of that day. Nowadays, the day is a national holiday in order to remember the tragic events and the people that were killed.^[14] The coup is remembered as Mali's March Revolution of 1991.

By March 26, the growing refusal of soldiers to fire into the largely nonviolent protesting crowds turned into a full scale tumult, and resulted into thousands of soldiers putting down their arms and joining the pro-democracy movement. That afternoon, Lieutenant Colonel Amadou Toumani Touré announced on the radio that he had arrested the dictatorial president, Moussa Traoré. As a consequence, opposition parties were legalized and a national congress of civil and political groups met to draft a new democratic constitution to be approved by a national referendum.^[13]

In 1992, Alpha Oumar Konaré won Mali's first democratic, multi-party presidential election. Upon his reelection in 1997, President Konaré pushed through political and economic reforms and fought corruption. In 2002, he was succeeded in democratic elections by Amadou Toumani Touré, a retired general, who had been the leader of the military aspect of the 1991 democratic uprising.^[15] Although recently Mali has been listed as one of the most politically and socially stable countries in Africa,^[16] the country has been facing a major internal conflict since January 2012 led by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad against the Malian government.^[17]

On 22 March 2012, it was reported that rebel troops from the military appeared on state TV announcing they had seized control of the country.^[18] Unrest over the president's handling of the conflict with the rebels was a motivating force. However, due to the 2012 Tuareg Rebellion, the military government controls only the southern third of the country leaving the north of the country known as Azawad to MNLA rebels. The rebels control Timbuktu, 700 km from the capital.^[19] In response, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) froze assets and imposed an embargo, leaving some with only days of fuel. Mali is dependent on fuel imports trucked overland from Senegal and Ivory Coast.^[20]

Geography[link]

Satellite image of Mali

Landscape in Hombori

Mali is a landlocked nation in West Africa, located southwest of Algeria. It lies between latitudes 10° and 25°N, and longitudes 13°W and 5°E.

At 1,242,248 square kilometres (480,000 sq mi), including the disputed region of Azawad, Mali is the world's 24th-largest country and is comparable in size to South Africa or Angola. Most of the country lies in the southern Sahara, which produces a hot, dust-laden Sudanian savanna zone.^[21] Mali is mostly flat, rising to rolling northern plains covered by sand. The Adrar des Ifoghas lies in the northeast.

The country's climate ranges from tropical in the south to arid in the north.^[21] Most of the country receives negligible rainfall; droughts are frequent.^[21] Late June to early December is the rainy season. During this time, flooding of the Niger River is common, creating the Inner Niger Delta.^[21] The nation has considerable natural resources, with gold, uranium, phosphates, kaolinite, salt and limestone being most widely exploited. Mali faces numerous environmental challenges, including desertification, deforestation, soil erosion, and inadequate supplies of potable water.^[21]

Regions and cercles[link]

Mali is divided into eight regions (régions) and one district.^[22] Each region has a governor.^[23] Since Mali's regions are very large, the country is subdivided into 49 cercles and 703 communes.^[24]

The régions and Capital District are:

Since March 2012, the Malian government has not exercised control over Tombouctou, Gao and Kidal Regions and the north-eastern portion of Mopti Region. On 6 April 2012, the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad unilaterally declared their secession from Mali as Azawad, an act that neither Mali nor the international community have recognised.^[25]

Politics and government[link]

Malian President Amadou Toumani Touré

Mali is a constitutional democracy governed by the Constitution of 12 January 1992, which was amended in 1999.^[26] The constitution provides for a separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.^[26] The system of government can be described as "semi-presidential".^[26]

Executive power is vested in a president, who is elected to a five-year term by universal suffrage and is limited to two terms.^[26][27] The president serves as a chief of state and commander in chief of the armed forces.^[26][28] A prime minister appointed by the president serves as head of government and in turn appoints the Council of Ministers.^[26][29] The unicameral National Assembly is Mali's sole legislative body, consisting of deputies elected to five-year terms.^[30][31] Following the 2007 elections, the Alliance for Democracy and Progress held 113 of 160 seats in the assembly.^[32] The assembly holds two regular sessions each year, during which it debates and votes on legislation that has been submitted by a member or by the government.^[30][33] Democracy-wise, things looked positive after the local elections at the end of April 2009, though significant shortcomings and attempts at manipulation still existed.

Government buildings

Mali's constitution provides for an independent judiciary,^[30][34] but the executive continues to exercise influence over the judiciary by virtue of power to appoint judges and oversee both judicial functions and law enforcement.^[30] Mali's highest courts are the Supreme Court, which has both judicial and administrative powers, and a separate Constitutional Court that provides judicial review of legislative acts and serves as an election arbiter.^[30][35] Various lower courts exist, though village chiefs and elders resolve most local disputes in rural areas.^[30]

Foreign relations and military[link]

Malian President Amadou Toumani Touré with U.S. President George W. Bush

Mali's foreign policy orientation has become increasingly pragmatic and pro-Western over time.^[36] Since the institution of a democratic form of government in 2002, Mali's relations with the West in general and with the United States in particular have improved significantly.^[36] Mali has a longstanding yet ambivalent relationship with France, a former colonial ruler.^[36] Mali was active in regional organizations such as the African Union until its suspension over the 2012 Malian coup d'état.^[37][36] Working to control and resolve regional conflicts, such as in Côte d'Ivoire, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, is one of Mali's major foreign policy goals.^[36] Mali feels threatened by the potential for the spillover of conflicts in neighboring states, and relations with those neighbors are often uneasy.^[36] General insecurity along borders in the north, including cross-border banditry and terrorism, remain troubling issues in regional relations.^[36]

Mali's military forces consist of an army, which includes land forces and air force,^[38] as well as the paramilitary Gendarmerie and Republican Guard, all of which are under the control of Mali's Ministry of Defense and Veterans, headed by a civilian.^[39] The military is underpaid, poorly equipped, and in need of rationalization.^[39] Organization has suffered from the incorporation of Tuareg irregular forces into the regular military following a 1992 agreement between the government and Tuareg rebel forces.^[39] The military has generally kept a low profile since the democratic transition of 1992. The incumbent president, Amadou Toumani Touré, is a former army general and as such reportedly enjoys widespread military support.^[39] In the annual human rights report for 2003, the U.S. Department of State rated civilian control of security forces as generally effective but noted a few "instances in which elements of the security forces acted independently of government authority".^[39] Western powers such as the United States have also helped Mali's military with training and equipment.^[40][41]

Economy[link]

Market scene in Kati

Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world.^[38] The average worker's annual salary is approximately US$1,500.^[42] Between 1992 and 1995, Mali implemented an economic adjustment program that resulted in economic growth and a reduction in financial imbalances. The program increased social and economic conditions, and led to Mali joining the World Trade Organization on 31 May 1995.^[43] The gross domestic product (GDP) has risen since. In 2002, the GDP amounted to US$3.4 billion,^[44] and increased to US$5.8 billion in 2005,^[42] which amounts to an approximately 17.6% annual growth rate.

Mali's key industry is agriculture. Cotton is the country's largest crop export and is exported west throughout Senegal and the Ivory Coast.^[45][46] During 2002, 620,000 tons of cotton were produced in Mali but cotton prices declined significantly in 2003.^[45][46] In addition to cotton, Mali produces rice, millet, corn, vegetables, tobacco, and tree crops. Gold, livestock and agriculture amount to eighty percent of Mali's exports.^[42] Eighty percent of Malian workers are employed in agriculture while fifteen percent work in the service sector.^[46] However, seasonal variations lead to regular temporary unemployment of agricultural workers.^[47] Mali's resource in livestock consists of millions of cattle, sheep, and goats. Approximately 40% of Mali's herds were lost during the Sahel drought in 1972–74.^[48]

Cotton processing at CMDT.

In 1991, with the assistance of the International Development Association, Mali relaxed the enforcement of mining codes which led to renewed foreign interest and investment in the mining industry.^[49] Gold is mined in the southern region and Mali has the third highest gold production in Africa (after South Africa and Ghana).^[45] The emergence of gold as Mali's leading export product since 1999 has helped mitigate some of the negative impact of the cotton and Côte d'Ivoire crises.^[50] Other natural resources include kaolin, salt, phosphate, and limestone.^[42]

Electricity and water are maintained by the Energie du Mali, or EDM, and textiles are generated by Industry Textile du Mali, or ITEMA.^[42] Mali has made efficient use of hydroelectricity, consisting of over half of Mali's electrical power. In 2002, 700 GWh of hydroelectric power were produced in Mali.^[46]

The Malian government participates in foreign involvement, concerning commerce and privatization. Mali underwent economic reform, beginning in 1988 by signing agreements with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.^[42] During 1988 to 1996, Mali's government largely reformed public enterprises. Since the agreement, sixteen enterprises were privatized, twelve partially privatized, and twenty liquidated.^[42] In 2005, the Malian government conceded a railroad company to the Savage Corporation.^[42] Two major companies, Societé de Telecommunications du Mali (SOTELMA) and the Cotton Ginning Company (CMDT), are expected to be privatized in 2008.^[42]

Mali is a member of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).^[51]

Demographics[link]

A Bozo girl in Bamako

In July 2009, Mali's population was an estimated 14.5 million. The population is predominantly rural (68% in 2002), and 5–10% of Malians are nomadic.^[52] More than 90% of the population lives in the southern part of the country, especially in Bamako, which has over 1 million residents.^[52]

In 2007, about 48% of Malians were less than fifteen years old, 49% were 15–64 years old, and 3% were 65 and older.^[38] The median age was 15.9 years.^[38] The birth rate in 2012 was 45.2 births per 1,000, and the total fertility rate was 6.4 children per woman.^[38] The death rate in 2007 was 16.5 deaths per 1,000.^[38] Life expectancy at birth was 49.5 years total (47.6 for males and 51.5 for females).^[38] Mali has one of the world's highest rates of infant mortality,^[52] with 106 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2007.^[38]

Mali's population encompasses a number of sub-Saharan ethnic groups, most of which have historical, cultural, linguistic, and religious commonalities.^[52] The Bambara (Bambara: Bamanankaw) are by far the largest single ethnic group, making up 36.5% of the population.^[52] Collectively, the Bambara, Soninké, Khassonké, and Malinké, all part of the broader Mandé group, constitute 50% of Mali's population.^[38] Other significant groups are the Fula (French: Peul; Fula: Fulɓe) (17%), Voltaic (12%), Songhai (6%), and Tuareg and Moor (10%).^[38] Mali historically has enjoyed reasonably good inter-ethnic relations; however, some hereditary servitude relationships exist,^[53][54] as do ethnic tensions between the Songhai and the Tuareg.^[52] Over the past 40 years, persistent drought has forced many Tuareg to give up their nomadic way of life.^[55]

Mali's official language is French, but numerous (40 or more) African languages also are widely used by the various ethnic groups.^[52] About 80% of Mali's population can communicate in Bambara, which is the country's principal lingua franca and marketplace language.^[52]

Religion[link]

Islam came to west Africa in the 11th century and remains the predominant religion in most countries in that region. An estimated 90% of Malians are Muslim (mostly Sunni and Sufi), approximately 5% are Christian (about two-thirds Roman Catholic and one-third Protestant) and the remaining 5% adhere to indigenous or traditional animist beliefs.^[56] Atheism and agnosticism are believed to be rare among Malians, most of whom practice their religion on a daily basis.^[57] Islam as practiced in Mali is moderate, tolerant, and adapted to local conditions; relations between Muslims and practitioners of minority religious faiths are generally amicable.^[57] The constitution establishes a secular state and provides for freedom of religion, and the government largely respects this right.^[57]

Health and education[link]

Mali faces numerous health challenges related to poverty, malnutrition, and inadequate hygiene and sanitation.^[57] Mali's health and development indicators rank among the worst in the world.^[57] Life expectancy at birth is estimated to be 53.06 years in 2012.^[58] In 2000, only 62–65 percent of the population was estimated to have access to safe drinking water and only 69 percent to sanitation services of some kind.^[57] In 2001, the general government expenditures on health totaled about US$4 per capita at an average exchange rate.^[59] Medical facilities in Mali are very limited, and medicines are in short supply.^[59] Malaria and other arthropod-borne diseases are prevalent in Mali, as are a number of infectious diseases such as cholera and tuberculosis.^[59] Mali's population also suffers from a high rate of child malnutrition and a low rate of immunization.^[59] An estimated 1.9 percent of the adult and children population was afflicted with HIV/AIDS that year, among the lowest rates in Sub-Saharan Africa.^[59]

High school students in Kati, Mali

Public education in Mali is in principle provided free of charge and is compulsory for nine years between the ages of seven and sixteen.^[57] The system encompasses six years of primary education beginning at age seven, followed by six years of secondary education.^[57] However, Mali's actual primary school enrollment rate is low, in large part because families are unable to cover the cost of uniforms, books, supplies, and other fees required to attend.^[57] In the 2000–01 school year, the primary school enrollment rate was 61% (71% of males and 51% of females); in the late 1990s, the secondary school enrollment rate was 15% percent (20% of males and 10% of females).^[57] The education system is plagued by a lack of schools in rural areas, as well as shortages of teachers and materials.^[57] Estimates of literacy rates in Mali range from 27–30% to 46.4%, with literacy rates significantly lower among women than men.^[57]

According to the World Health Organization in 2001 an estimated 91.6% of Mali's girls and women have had some form of female genital cutting performed on them.^[60]

Culture[link]

Griots of Sambala, king of Médina (Fula people, Mali), 1890.

Malian musical traditions are derived from the griots, who are known as "Keepers of Memories".^[61] Malian music is diverse and has several different genres. Some famous Malian influences in music are kora virtouso musician Toumani Diabaté, the late roots and blues guitarist Ali Farka Touré, the Tuareg band Tinariwen, and several Afro-pop artists such as Salif Keita, the duo Amadou et Mariam, Oumou Sangare, and Habib Koité. The Dance of Mali includes many different dancing styles. As well as the music telling a story through sound, the Malian dance shows a story through series' of movements. There are dances for weddings, funerals, marriages, hunting, war, celebration, etc. Malian music and dance also tells about the major events in Mali's history, but as well as the day to day lives of its people.

Malian musical duo Amadou & Mariam are known internationally for their music combining Malian and international influences.

Though Mali's literature is less famous than its music,^[62] Mali has always been one of Africa's liveliest intellectual centers.^[63] Mali's literary tradition is passed mainly by word of mouth, with jalis reciting or singing histories and stories known by heart.^[63][64] Amadou Hampâté Bâ, Mali's best-known historian, spent much of his life writing these oral traditions down for the world to remember.^[64] The best-known novel by a Malian writer is Yambo Ouologuem's Le devoir de violence, which won the 1968 Prix Renaudot but whose legacy was marred by accusations of plagiarism.^[63][64] Other well-known Malian writers include Baba Traoré, Modibo Sounkalo Keita, Massa Makan Diabaté, Moussa Konaté, and Fily Dabo Sissoko.^[63][64]

The varied everyday culture of Malians reflects the country's ethnic and geographic diversity.^[65] Most Malians wear flowing, colorful robes called boubous that are typical of West Africa. Malians frequently participate in traditional festivals, dances, and ceremonies.^[65] Rice and millet are the staples of Malian cuisine, which is heavily based on cereal grains.^[66][67] Grains are generally prepared with sauces made from leaves such spinach or baobab leaves, with tomato, or with peanut sauce, and may be accompanied by pieces of grilled meat (typically chicken, mutton, beef, or goat).^[66][67] Malian cuisine varies regionally.^[66][67]

Sports[link]

Malian children playing football (soccer) in a Dogon village.

The most popular sport in Mali is football (soccer),^[68][69] which became more prominent after Mali hosted the 2002 African Cup of Nations.^[68][70] Most towns have regular games;^[70] the most popular teams nationally are Djoliba AC, Stade Malien, and Real Bamako, all based in the capital.^[69] Informal games are often played by youths using a bundle of rags as a ball.^[69]

The country has produced notable players for French teams, including Salif Keita and Jean Tigana. Frédéric "Fredi" Kanouté, named 2007 African Footballer of the Year, currently plays for Sevilla FC in Spain's La Liga. Mahamadou Diarra, the captain of the Mali national team, played for Real Madrid for four seasons before moving to AS Monaco FC and Seydou Keita plays for FC Barcelona. Other notable players currently on European squads include, Mamady Sidibe (Stoke City), Mohammed Sissoko (Juventus), Sammy Traore (Paris Saint-Germain), Adama Coulibaly (AJ Auxerre), Kalifa Cisse, Jimmy Kebe (Reading F.C.), Dramane Traoré (Lokomotiv Moscow),^[68][69] Garra Dembele (Levski Sofia) and others.

Basketball is another major sport;^[69][71] the Mali women's national basketball team, led by Hamchetou Maiga, competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.^[72]

Traditional wrestling (la lutte) is also somewhat common, though popularity has declined in recent years.^[70] The game wari, a mancala variant, is a common pastime.^[69]

See also[link]

	Geography portal
	Africa portal
	Mali portal

• Outline of Mali
• Index of Mali-related articles
• Malian passport
• LGBT rights in Mali

Notes[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Campbell, Bonnie (2004). Regulating Mining in Africa: For Whose Benefit?. Uppsala, Sweden: Nordic African Institute. ISBN 978-0-7614-7571-2. 
• Cavendish, Marshall (2007). World and Its Peoples: Middle East, Western Asia, and Northern Africa. Tarrytown, New York: Marshall Cavendish. ISBN 978-0-7614-7571-2. 
• Constitution of Mali. (French) A student-translated English version is also available.
• DiPiazza, Francesca Davis (2006). Mali in Pictures. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Learner Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-8225-6591-8. 
• Hudgens, Jim, Richard Trillo, and Nathalie Calonnec. The Rough Guide to West Africa. Rough Guides (2003). ISBN 1-84353-118-6.
• Mali country profile. Library of Congress Federal Research Division (January 2005). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• Martin, Phillip L. (2006). Managing Migration: The Promise of Cooperation. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books. ISBN 978-0-7391-1341-7. 
• May, Jacques Meyer (1968). The Ecology of Malnutrition in the French Speaking Countries of West Africa and Madagascar. New York, New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-02-848960-5. 
• Milet, Eric & Jean-Luc Manaud. Mali. Editions Olizane (2007). ISBN 2-88086-351-1. (French)
• Pye-Smith, Charlie & Rhéal Drisdelle. Mali: A Prospect of Peace? Oxfam (1997). ISBN 0-85598-334-5.
• Velton, Ross. Mali. Bradt Travel Guides (2004). ISBN 1-84162-077-7.

External links[link]

Find more about Mali on Wikipedia's sister projects:
	Definitions and translations from Wiktionary
	Images and media from Commons
	Learning resources from Wikiversity
	News stories from Wikinews
	Quotations from Wikiquote
	Source texts from Wikisource
	Textbooks from Wikibooks

• Official website
• Mali entry at The World Factbook
• Mali at the Open Directory Project
• Wikimedia Atlas of Mali
• Mali travel guide from Wikitravel
• Mali Fashion Week Press Conference at United Nations.
• Key Development Forecasts for Mali from International Futures

v t e Countries and territories of Africa Sovereign states Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) Djibouti Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia France Mayotte Réunion Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Italy Pantelleria Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Portugal Madeira Rwanda São Tomé and Príncipe Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa South Sudan Spain Canary Islands Ceuta Melilla Plazas de soberanía Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Yemen Socotra Zambia Zimbabwe States with limited recognition Azawad Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Somaliland Dependencies Îles Éparses (France) Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (United Kingdom) Unclear sovereignty Western Sahara