2010 Edition

Background

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 - led by the current president Amadou TOURE - enabling Mali's emergence as one of the strongest democracies on the continent. President Alpha KONARE won Mali's first democratic presidential election in 1992 and was reelected in 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, KONARE stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE, who was subsequently elected to a second term in 2007. The elections were widely judged to be free and fair.

Area

land

1,220,190 sq km

total

1,240,192 sq km

water

20,002 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Climate

subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February)

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

lowest point

Senegal River 23 m

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

484 cu m/yr (2000)

total

6.55 cu km/yr (9%/1%/90%)

Geographic coordinates

17 00 N, 4 00 W

Geography - note

landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan

Irrigated land

2,360 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

7,243 km

Land use

arable land

3.76%

other

96.21% (2005)

permanent crops

0.03%

Location

Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Natural resources

gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum, granite, hydropower note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

100 cu km (2001)

Age structure

0-14 years: 47.6% (male 3,220,491/female 3,177,823) 15-64 years: 49.5% (male 3,241,250/female 3,406,757) 65 years and over: 3% (male 189,886/female 207,018) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

46.09 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

14.64 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

3.8% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.5% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

5,800 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

100,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

106.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

120.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

113.66 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

53.8 years (2010 est.)

male

50.59 years

total population

52.17 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

39.6% (2003 est.)

male

53.5%

total population

46.4%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory disease

meningococcal meningitis (2009)

vectorborne disease

malaria

water contact disease

schistosomiasis

Median age

female

16.6 years (2010 est.)

male

15.8 years

total

16.2 years

Nationality

adjective

Malian

noun

Malian(s)

Net migration rate

-5.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

13,796,354 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

2.607% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

7 years (2009)

male

9 years

total

8 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.54 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

32% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

12 39 N, 8 00 W

name

Bamako

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

adopted 12 January 1992

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Mali

conventional short form

Mali

former

French Sudan and Sudanese Republic

local long form

Republique de Mali

local short form

Mali

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC

embassy

located just off the Roi Bin Fahad Aziz Bridge just west of the Bamako central district

FAX

[223] 270-2479

mailing address

ACI 2000, Rue 243, Porte 297, Bamako

telephone

[223] 270-2300

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Mamadou TRAORE

FAX

[1] (202) 332-6603

telephone

[1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002)

election results

Amadou Toumani TOURE reelected president; percent of vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 71.2%, Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA 19.2%, other 9.6%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2012); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Modibo SIDIBE (since 28 September 2007)

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the colors from left to right are the same as those of neighboring Senegal (which has an additional green central star) and the reverse of those on the flag of neighboring Guinea

Government type

republic

Independence

22 September 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Legal system

based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ADP coalition 113 (ADEMA 51, URD 34, MPR 8, CNID 7, UDD 3, and other 10), FDR coalition 15 (RPM 11, PARENA 4), SADI 4, independent 15

elections

last held on 1 and 22 July 2007 (next to be held in July 2012)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Seydou Badian KOUYATE/Banzoumana SISSOKO note: adopted 1962; the anthem is also known as "Pour L'Afrique et pour toi, Mali" (For Africa and for You, Mali) and "A ton appel Mali" (At Your Call, Mali)

name

"Le Mali" (Mali)

National holiday

Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

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]; 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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

other

the army; Islamic authorities; rebels in the northern region; state-run cotton company CMDT; tuaregs

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats

Central bank discount rate

4.25% (31 December 2009) 4.75% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

NA% (31 December 2009 est.) NA% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$446 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$2.8 billion (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

40.1 (2001) 50.5 (1994)

Economy - 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 some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. The government has continued an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that has helped the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali is developing its cotton and iron ore extraction industries to diversify its revenue sources because gold production has started to fall. Mali has invested in tourism but security issues are hurting the industry. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic growth to a 5% average in 1996-2010. Worker remittances and external trade routes for the landlocked country have been jeopardized by continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire, however, Mali is building a road network that will connect it to all adjacent countries and it has a railway line to Senegal. In 2010, Mali experienced a regional drought that hurt livestock and livelihoods.

Electricity - consumption

479 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

515 million kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 506.04 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006) note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par

Exports

$294 million (2006)

Exports - commodities

cotton, gold, livestock

Exports - partners

China 14.61%, Thailand 8.28%, Pakistan 6.74%, Morocco 6.48%, Burkina Faso 4.67%, France 4.6%, India 4.45% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

45%

industry

17%

services

38% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,200 (2010 est.) $1,200 (2009 est.) $1,200 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

5.2% (2010 est.) 4.4% (2009 est.) 5% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$9.077 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$16.74 billion (2010 est.) $15.91 billion (2009 est.) $15.24 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 30.5% (2006)

Imports

$2.358 billion (2006)

Imports - commodities

petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners

Senegal 12.21%, France 11.57%, Cote d'Ivoire 10.05%, China 5.89% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.5% (2007 est.)

Labor force

3.241 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

80%

industry and services

20% (2005 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

6,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

4,402 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

36.1% (2005 est.)

Stock of broad money

$2.514 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $2.12 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$994.9 million (31 December 2009) $1.095 billion (31 December 2008)

Stock of narrow money

$1.758 billion (31 December 2009) $1.559 billion (31 December 2008)

Unemployment rate

30% (2004 est.)

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

Internet hosts

524 (2010)

Internet users

249,800 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

fixed-line subscribership remains less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has increased sharply to nearly 30 per 100 persons

general assessment

domestic system unreliable but improving; increasing use of local radio loops to extend network coverage to remote areas

international

country code - 223; satellite communications center and fiber-optic links to neighboring countries; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Indian Ocean) (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

81,000 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

3.742 million (2009)

Airports

20 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Koulikoro

Railways

narrow gauge

593 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

total

593 km

Roadways

paved

3,368 km

total

18,709 km

unpaved

15,341 km (2004)

Waterways

1,800 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) (2010)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 2,759,648 females age 16-49: 2,894,776 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,760,901 females age 16-49: 1,900,025 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

154,762 (2010 est.)

male

153,198

Military branches

Malian Armed Forces

Army, Republic of Mali Air Force (Force Aerienne de la Republique du Mali, FARM), National Guard (2008)

Military expenditures

1.9% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2010)

Disputes - international

none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

6,300 (Mauritania) (2007) page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================