Mali

country in West Africa

Mali (Bambara: ߡߊߟߌ, Fula: 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Arabic: مالي), officially the Republic of Mali (French: République du Mali; Bambara: ߡߊߟߌ ߞߊ ߝߊߛߏߖߊߡߊߣߊ); Fula: 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Arabic: جمهورية مالي) is a landlocked country (a country entirely surrounded by land) in West Africa. Mali is bordered by 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. Physical features of Mali include the Sahara desert in the north, with the Niger River and Sénégal River in the southern part of the country. As of a July 2021 estimate, Mali had a population of approximately 21.9 million people.[8][9] Mali has a total area of 1,241,238 square kilometres (479,245 sq mi).[10] Most of the people live in the southern part of the country. Mali's capital and most populated city is Bamako.

Republic of Mali
  • République du Mali  (French)
  • Mali ka Fasojamana ߡߊߟߌ ߞߊ ߝߊߛߏߖߊߡߊߣߊ  (Bambara)
  • Renndaandi Maali 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭  (Fula)
Motto: "Un peuple, un but, une foi" (French)
"One people, one goal, one faith."
Anthem: "Le Mali" (French)
Location of  Mali  (green)
Location of  Mali  (green)
Capital
and largest city
Bamako
12°39′N 8°0′W / 12.650°N 8.000°W / 12.650; -8.000
Official languages13 national languages
  • Bambara
  • Bobo
  • Bozo
  • Dogon
  • Fulani
  • Hassaniyya Arabic
  • Kassonke
  • Maninke
  • Minyanka
  • Senufo
  • Songhay
  • Soninke
  • Tamasheq
Working languageFrench
Ethnic groups
Religion
Demonym(s)Malian
GovernmentUnitary semi-presidential republic under a provisional government[1]
Assimi Goïta
Vacant
Choguel Kokalla Maïga
Lassana N’Diaye
LegislatureNational Assembly
Independence
• Sudanese Republic established
24 November 1958
• from Francea
20 June 1960
• as Mali
22 September 1960
Area
• Total
1,240,192 km2 (478,841 sq mi) (23rd)
• Water (%)
1.6
Population
• 2020 estimate
20,250,833[2] (59th)
• November 2018 census
19,329,841[3]
• Density
11.7/km2 (30.3/sq mi) (215th)
GDP (PPP)2018 estimate
• Total
$44.329 billion[4]
• Per capita
$2,271[4]
GDP (nominal)2018 estimate
• Total
$17.407 billion[4]
• Per capita
$891[4]
Gini (2010)33.0[5]
medium
HDI (2019)Increase 0.434[6]
low · 184th
CurrencyWest African CFA franc (XOF)
Time zoneUTC (GMT)
Driving sideright[7]
Calling code+223
ISO 3166 codeML
Internet TLD.ml

History

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The Mandé people founded several kingdoms in the Sahel. This was a big area that included Mali. These kingdoms included the Ghana Empire, the Mali Empire, and the Songhai Empire. Timbuktu was an important city in these empires because a lot of trade across the Sahara Desert went there. Timbuktu was also a good place for learning. The Songhai Empire became much smaller after a Moroccan attack in 1591.

France invaded Mali in 1880. After that, France owned Mali. France gave Mali the names French Sudan and the Sudanese Republic. At some times it also included other nearby countries. In early 1959, Mali and Senegal united and they became the Mali Federation. They became independent from France on June 20, 1960. Senegal left the Mali Federation a few months later. The Republic of Mali, with Modibo Keïta as the first president, left the French Community on September 22, 1960.

There was a coup in Mali in 1968. Modibo Keïta lost his job and was put in prison. Mali was then ruled by Moussa Traoré until 1991. He treated the country badly, and so there was another coup in 1991 after protests against the government, and a new constitution was made. The leader of the country was then Amadou Toumani Touré.

In 1992, Alpha Oumar Konaré won Mali's first democratic election. President Konaré won again in 1997 and he made big political and economic changes. In 2002, Amadou Toumani Touré won the election and he started his second term as head of state. He was a retired general and was the military leader of the 1991 coup. Today, Mali is one of the least stable countries in Africa.

Regions and cercles

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Mali regions

Mali is divided into 10 regions and 1 district.[11] The country is further divided into 49 cercles, containing 288 "arrondissements" and 703 communes.[12]

The regions and district are:

Geography

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Map of Mali

Mali is the world's 24th-largest country. The area of the country is 1,240,000 km² (478,734 mi²). Mali and South Africa are about the same size. It is two times bigger than Texas.

Most of Mali is part of the Sahara Desert. Mali is does not have any sea coast. It is landlocked. Mali does not have many mountains. Flat areas in the north are covered by sand. Savanna is around the Niger River in the south. The climate is dry. The dry season is hot and dusty. There are many natural resources in Mali, including gold, uranium, phosphates, kaolinite, salt, and limestone.

Economy

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Market scene in Kati

Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world. 65% of its land area is desert or something similar. There have been several long droughts over the last hundred years. Therefore, most economic activity is near the Niger River.

About 10% of the people are nomads and 80% of workers have jobs in farming and fishing. Industry is mainly to process farm products. Women also do pottery and the pots are bought and taken to markets. Many foreign tourists like the traditional methods which the women use to make the pots.

Mali's main export is cotton, so if the price of cotton changes, Mali's economy is affected a lot. Mali also receives a lot of financial help from other countries.

In 1997, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recommended a programme for changing the economy and the government followed this. Several international companies started exploring for larger amounts of gold in 1996-1998, and the Malian government thinks that Mali will become an important gold exporter soon.

Demographics

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Population changes in Mali

There are several ethnic and religious groups in Mali.

These religions are common in Mali.

Culture

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Mosque being built in Bamako

About 90% of people from Mali follow Sunni Islam, but they do not always forget their traditional religions. Muslims have their own schooling system. The number of Muslims from Mali who go to Mecca is increasing and some study in Arab countries. About 1% of the people are Christians. When Mali was under French control, Christian teachers were sent to Islamic areas.

The language of Mali under French rule was French, but now not many people outside towns can read or write this language. However, about 60% of the people use other languages well. Many people can read and write in Bamanakan (the most popular spoken language). This language has its own alphabet, called N'Ko. Other people can read and write in Arabic, after going to an Islamic school. One of the oldest universities in the world is Sankore University in Timbuktu. It began in the 1400s.

Famous musicians from Mali include kora player Toumani Diabaté, and the guitarist Ali Farka Touré, who has died.

References

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  1. "Mali: President Bah N'Daw decrees the dissolution of the CNSP". 28 January 2021.
  2. "UNdata | record view | Total population, both sexes combined (thousands)". data.un.org. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  3. "Mali preliminary 2018 census". Institut National de la Statistique. Archived from the original on 18 April 2010. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Mali". International Monetary Fund.
  5. "Gini Index". World Bank. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
  6. Human Development Report 2020 The Next Frontier: Human Development and the Anthropocene (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. 15 December 2020. pp. 343–346. ISBN 978-92-1-126442-5. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  7. Which side of the road do they drive on? Brian Lucas. August 2005. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  8. "World Population Prospects 2022". population.un.org. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  9. "World Population Prospects 2022: Demographic indicators by region, subregion and country, annually for 1950-2100" (XSLX). population.un.org ("Total Population, as of 1 July (thousands)"). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  10. "Mali summary | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  11. "Mali". CIA World Factbook. May 2, 2023. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
  12. Imperato, Gavin (2006). "From Here to Timbuctoo: A story of discovery in West Africa". Haverford. Archived from the original on 13 July 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2011.

Other websites

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