2024 Edition

Background

Present-day Mali is named after the Mali Empire that ruled the region between the 13th and 16th centuries. At its peak in the 14th century, it was the largest and wealthiest empire in West Africa and controlled an area about twice the size of modern-day France. Primarily a trading empire, Mali derived its wealth from gold and maintained several goldfields and trade routes in the Sahel. The empire also influenced West African culture through the spread of its language, laws, and customs, but by the 16th century, it had fragmented into mostly small chiefdoms. The Songhai Empire, previously a Mali dependency centered in Timbuktu, gained prominence in the 15th and 16th centuries. Under Songhai rule, Timbuktu became a large commercial center, well-known for its scholarship and religious teaching. Timbuktu remains a center of culture in West Africa today. In the late 16th century, the Songhai Empire fell to Moroccan invaders and disintegrated into independent sultanates and kingdoms. France, expanding from Senegal, seized control of the area in the 1890s and incorporated it into French West Africa as French Sudan. In 1960, French Sudan gained independence from France and became the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, the remaining area was renamed the Republic of Mali. Mali saw 31 years of dictatorship until 1991, when a military coup led by Amadou Toumani TOURE ousted the government, established a new constitution, and instituted a multi-party democracy. Alpha Oumar 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 Toumani TOURE, who won a second term in 2007. In 2012, rising ethnic tensions and an influx of fighters -- some linked to Al-Qa’ida -- from Libya led to a rebellion and military coup. Following the coup, rebels expelled the military from the country’s three northern regions, allowing terrorist organizations to develop strongholds in the area. With a 2013 French-led military intervention, the Malian government managed to retake most of the north. However, the government’s grasp in the region remains weak with local militias, terrorists, and insurgent groups competing for control. In 2015, the Malian Government and northern rebels signed an internationally mediated peace accord. Despite a 2017 target for implementation of the agreement, the signatories have made little progress. Terrorist groups were left out of the peace process, and terrorist attacks remain common.   Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA won the Malian presidential elections in 2013 and 2018. Aside from security and logistic shortfalls, international observers deemed these elections credible. Terrorism, banditry, ethnic-based violence, and extra-judicial military killings plagued the country during KEITA’s second term. In 2020, the military arrested KEITA, his prime minister, and other senior members of the government and established a military junta called the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP). The junta then established a transition government and appointed Bah N’DAW, a retired army officer and former defense minister, as interim president and Colonel Assimi GOITA, the coup leader and chairman of the CNSP, as interim vice president. The transition government’s charter allowed it to rule for up to 18 months before calling a general election.  In 2021, GOITA led a military takeover, arresting the interim president after a Cabinet shake-up removed GOITA’s key allies. GOITA was sworn in as transition president, and Choguel Kokalla MAIGA was sworn in as prime minister. In 2022, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed sanctions on the transition government, and member states closed their borders with Mali after the transition government presented a five-year extension to the electoral calendar. The transition government and ECOWAS agreed to a new two-year timeline, which would have included presidential elections in February 2024, but the transition government postponed the elections indefinitely in September 2023 and withdrew from ECOWAS in January 2024.

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

highest point

Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

lowest point

Senegal River 23 m

mean elevation

343 m

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

3,780 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Algeria 1,359 km; Burkina Faso 1,325 km; Cote d'Ivoire 599 km; Guinea 1,062 km; Mauritania 2,236 km; Niger 838 km, Senegal 489 km

total

7,908 km

Land use

agricultural land

34.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 5.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 28.4% (2018 est.)

forest

10.2% (2018 est.)

other

55.7% (2018 est.)

Location

interior Western Africa, southwest of Algeria, north of Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, west of Niger

Major aquifers

Lullemeden-Irhazer Basin, Taodeni-Tanezrouft Basin

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lac Faguibine - 590 sq kmnote - the Niger River is the only source of water for the lake; in recent years the lake is dry

Major rivers (by length in km)

Niger (shared with Guinea [s], Niger, and Nigeria [m]) - 4,200 km; Senegal (shared with Guinea [s], Senegal, and Mauritania [m]) - 1,641 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)

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

note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited

Population distribution

the overwhelming majority of the population lives in the southern half of the country, with greater density along the border with Burkina Faso as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

46.8% (male 5,175,714/female 5,114,128)

15-64 years

50.1% (male 5,178,742/female 5,842,456)

65 years and over

3.1% (2024 est.) (male 334,299/female 345,268)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.49 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

40 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

2.1% (2018 est.)

women married by age 15

15.9%

women married by age 18

53.7%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

18.5% (2022)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

17.2% (2018)

Current health expenditure

4.3% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

77.9% (2023 est.)

Death rate

8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Demographic profile

Mali’s total population is expected to double by 2035; its capital Bamako is one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa. A young age structure, a declining mortality rate, and a sustained high total fertility rate of 5.5 children per woman – the fourth highest in the world, as of 2022 – ensure continued rapid population growth for the foreseeable future. Significant outmigration only marginally tempers this growth. Despite decreases, Mali’s infant, child, and maternal mortality rates remain among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa because of limited access to and adoption of family planning, early childbearing, short birth intervals, the prevalence of female genital cutting, infrequent use of skilled birth attendants, and a lack of emergency obstetrical and neonatal care. Mali’s high total fertility rate has been virtually unchanged for decades, as a result of the ongoing preference for large families, early childbearing, the lack of female education and empowerment, poverty, and extremely low contraceptive use. Slowing Mali’s population growth by lowering its birth rate will be essential for poverty reduction, improving food security, and developing human capital and the economy. Mali has a long history of seasonal migration and emigration driven by poverty, conflict, demographic pressure, unemployment, food insecurity, and droughts. Many Malians from rural areas migrate during the dry period to nearby villages and towns to do odd jobs or to adjoining countries to work in agriculture or mining. Pastoralists and nomads move seasonally to southern Mali or nearby coastal states. Others migrate long term to Mali’s urban areas, Cote d’Ivoire, other neighboring countries, and in smaller numbers to France, Mali’s former colonial ruler. Since the early 1990s, Mali’s role has grown as a transit country for regional migration flows and illegal migration to Europe. Human smugglers and traffickers exploit the same regional routes used for moving contraband drugs, arms, and cigarettes. Between early 2012 and 2013, renewed fighting in northern Mali between government forces and Tuareg secessionists and their Islamist allies, a French-led international military intervention, as well as chronic food shortages, caused the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Malians. Most of those displaced domestically sought shelter in urban areas of southern Mali, except for pastoralist and nomadic groups, who abandoned their traditional routes, gave away or sold their livestock, and dispersed into the deserts of northern Mali or crossed into neighboring countries. Almost all Malians who took refuge abroad (mostly Tuareg and Maure pastoralists) stayed in the region, largely in Mauritania, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

4.9

potential support ratio

20.6 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

99.3

youth dependency ratio

94.5

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 75.9% of population

improved: total

total: 86.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.9% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 24.1% of population

unimproved: total

total: 13.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.1% of population

Education expenditures

4.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

Bambara 33.3%, Fulani (Peuhl) 13.3%, Sarakole/Soninke/Marka 9.8%, Senufo/Manianka 9.6%, Malinke 8.8%, Dogon 8.7%, Sonrai 5.9%, Bobo 2.1%, Tuareg/Bella 1.7%, other Malian 6%, from members of Economic Community of West Africa 0.4%, other 0.3% (2018 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

2.64 (2024 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.1 beds/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate

female

52 deaths/1,000 live births

male

62.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total

57.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Bambara (official), French 17.2%, Peuhl/Foulfoulbe/Fulani 9.4%, Dogon 7.2%, Maraka/Soninke 6.4%, Malinke 5.6%, Sonrhai/Djerma 5.6%, Minianka 4.3%, Tamacheq 3.5%, Senoufo 2.6%, Bobo 2.1%, other 6.3%, unspecified 0.7% (2009 est.)

note

note: Mali has 13 national languages in addition to its official language

Life expectancy at birth

female

65.6 years

male

60.9 years

total population

63.2 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

25.7% (2018)

male

46.2%

total population

35.5%

Major urban areas - population

2.929 million BAMAKO (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

440 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

17.1 years

male

15.7 years

total

16.4 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.2 years (2018 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

Nationality

adjective

Malian

noun

Malian(s)

Net migration rate

-2.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.6% (2016)

Physician density

0.13 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

female

11,301,852 (2024 est.)

male

10,688,755

total

21,990,607

Population distribution

the overwhelming majority of the population lives in the southern half of the country, with greater density along the border with Burkina Faso as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

2.9% (2024 est.)

Religions

Muslim 93.9%, Christian 2.8%, animist 0.7%, none 2.5% (2018 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 44.7% of population

improved: total

total: 62.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 85.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 55.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 37.3% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 14.3% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

7 years (2017)

male

8 years

total

7 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.89 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.97 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

1% (2020 est.)

male

15.6% (2020 est.)

total

8.3% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.35 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

46.2% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

10 regions (regions, singular - region), 1 district*; District de Bamako*, Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Menaka, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Taoudenni, Tombouctou (Timbuktu); note - Menaka and Taoudenni were legislated in 2016, but implementation has not been confirmed by the US Board on Geographic Names

Capital

etymology

the name in the Bambara language can mean either "crocodile tail" or "crocodile river" and three crocodiles appear on the city seal

geographic coordinates

12 39 N, 8 00 W

name

Bamako

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Mali

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

procedure for amending the 2023 constitution NA

history

several previous; latest drafted 13 October 2022 and submitted to Transition President Assimi GOITA; final draft completed 1 March 2023; approved by referendum 18 June 2023; validated by Constitutional Court 22 July 2023; note - the new constitution includes provisions for expansion of presidential and military powers and creation of a "senate"

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Mali

conventional short form

Mali

etymology

name derives from the West African Mali Empire of the 13th to 16th centuries A.D.

former

French Sudan, Sudanese Republic, Mali Federation

local long form

République de Mali

local short form

Mali

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Rachna KORHONEN (since 16 March 2023)

email address and website

ACSBamako@state.govhttps://ml.usembassy.gov/

embassy

ACI 2000, Rue 243, (located off the Roi Bin Fahad Aziz Bridge west of the Bamako central district), Porte 297, Bamako

FAX

[223] 20-70-24-79

mailing address

2050 Bamako Place, Washington DC  20521-2050

telephone

[223] 20-70-23-00

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Sékou BERTHE (since 16 September 2022)

email address and website

administration@maliembassy.ushttps://www.maliembassy.us/

FAX

[1] (202) 332-6603

telephone

[1] (202) 332-2249

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

chief of state

Transition President Assimi GOITA (since 7 June 2021)

election results

2018: Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (RPM) 41.7%, Soumaila CISSE (URD) 17.8%, other 40.5%; percent of vote in second round - Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA 67.2%, Soumaila CISSE 32.8%2013: Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (RPM) 39.8%, Soumaila CISSE (URD) 19.7%, other 40.5%; percent of vote in second round - Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (RPM) 77.6%, Soumaila CISSE (URD) 22.4%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 July 2018 with runoff on 12 August 2018; prime minister appointed by the president; note - on 21 February 2022, the transition government adopted a charter allowing transition authorities to rule for up to 5 years, but a referendum pushed through by the junta in June 2023 consolidated power in the presidency and would allow junta leaders to serve in a new government, creating the potential for transition President GOITA to maintain his hold on power indefinitely

head of government

Transition Prime Minister Choguel MAIGA (since 7 June 2021)

note

note: an August 2020 coup d'état deposed President Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA; on 21 September 2020, a group of 17 electors chosen by the Malian military junta, known as the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) and led by Colonel Assimi GOITA, selected Bah NDAW as transition president; GOITA served as vice president of the transition government which was inaugurated on 25 September 2020; Vice President GOITA seized power on 25 May 2021; NDAW resigned on 26 May 2021; on 6 June 2022, GOITA's government announced a transition period of 24 months with a planned return to civilian rule by March 2024

Flag description

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red

note

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

semi-presidential republic

Independence

22 September 1960 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), CD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOPS, UN Women, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, World Bank Group, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 19 judges organized into judicial, administrative, and accounting sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges appointed by the Ministry of Justice to serve 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges selected - 3 each by the president, the National Assembly, and the Supreme Council of the Magistracy; members serve single renewable 7-year terms

subordinate courts

Court of Appeal; High Court of Justice (jurisdiction limited to cases of high treason or criminal offenses by the president or ministers while in office); administrative courts (first instance and appeal); commercial courts; magistrate courts; labor courts; juvenile courts; special court of state security

Legal system

civil law system based on the French civil law model and influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Constitutional Court

Legislative branch

description

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members directly elected in single and multi-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed; 13 seats reserved for citizens living abroad; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA

elections

last held on 30 March and 19 April 2020

note

note 1: the National Assembly was dissolved on 18 August 2020 after a military coup; the transitional government created a Transitional National Council (CNT) that acts as the transitional government's legislative body; a new constitution was ratified in July 2023 that expanded the military junta's powers, and no plans for legislative elections have been announcednote 2: coup leaders appointed a president and vice president; the president then apportioned CNT seats to various groups and political parties

National anthem

lyrics/music

Seydou Badian KOUYATE/Banzoumana SISSOKO

name

"Le Mali" (Mali)

note

note: adopted 1962; 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)

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Old Towns of Djenné (c); Timbuktu (c); Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) (m); Tomb of Askia (c)

total World Heritage Sites

4 (3 cultural, 1 mixed)

National holiday

Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

National symbol(s)

Great Mosque of Djenne; national colors: green, yellow, red

Political parties

African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADIAlliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP-MalibaAlliance for Democracy in Mali-Pan-African Party for Liberty, Solidarity, and Justice or ADEMA-PASJAlliance for the Solidarity of Mali-Convergence of Patriotic Forces or ASMA-CFPConvergence for the Development of Mali or CODEM Democratic Alliance for Peace or ADP-MalibaMovement for Mali or MPMParty for National Renewal (also Rebirth or Renaissance or PARENA)Rally for Mali or RPM Social Democratic Convention or CDSUnion for Democracy and Development or UDDUnion for Republic and Democracy or URDYéléma

note

note 1:  only parties with 2 or more seats in the last National Assembly parliamentary elections (30 March and 19 April 2020) includednote 2:  the National Assembly was dissolved on 18 August 2020 following a military coup and replaced with a National Transition Council; currently 121 members, party affiliations unknown

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

maize, rice, millet, sorghum, okra, sugarcane, mangoes/guavas, onions, cotton, bananas (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$2.533 billion (2020 est.)

note

note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$2.841 billion (2020 est.)

Credit ratings

Moody's rating

Caa1 (2020)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Current account balance

Current account balance 2020

-$379.683 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$1.469 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$1.475 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$3.923 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

low-income Saharan economy; recession due to COVID-19 and political instability; extreme poverty; environmentally fragile; high public debt; agricultural and gold exporter; terrorism and warfare are common

Exchange rates

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

585.911 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

575.586 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

554.531 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

623.76 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

606.57 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2020

$5.196 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$5.381 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$5.855 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

gold, cotton, oil seeds, wood, fertilizers (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

UAE 74%, Switzerland 17%, Australia 5%, China 1%, Turkey 1% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

28.2% (2023 est.)

government consumption

17.1% (2023 est.)

household consumption

74.3% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-37.8% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20.1% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-1.9% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

36.8% (2023 est.)

industry

19.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

36.1% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$20.905 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

35.7 (2021 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

28.3% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

3.2% (2021 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2020

$6.339 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$7.596 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$7.942 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cotton fabric, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine, gold (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Cote d'Ivoire 24%, Senegal 19%, China 10%, France 6%, Burkina Faso 5% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-0.82% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

3.93% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

9.62% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

2.06% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

8.277 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

44.6% (2021 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

Public debt 2017

35.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$52.56 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$54.387 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$57.235 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

3.05% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3.47% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

5.24% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$2,400 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$2,400 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$2,500 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

5.86% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

5.89% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

5.52% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$395.7 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$647.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14.16% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

2.29% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

3.09% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.01% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

4.2% (2023 est.)

male

4.1% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

4.1% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

6.868 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

6.868 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

exports

(2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton

imports

100 metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

consumption

3.5 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

600 million kWh (2022 est.)

imports

775.87 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

1.145 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

433.773 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

18.3%

electrification - total population

53% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

99.7%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

60.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

37.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

0.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

4.476 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

46,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2020 est.)

total

243,806 (2020 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 (2019)

Internet country code

.ml

Internet users

percent of population

34% (2021 est.)

total

7.48 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line subscribership is 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has increased sharply to 100 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Mali’s telecom systems are challenged by recent conflict, geography, areas of low population, poverty, security issues, and high illiteracy; telecom infrastructure is barely adequate in urban areas and not available in most of the country with underinvestment in fixed-line networks; high mobile penetration and potential for mobile broadband service; local plans for IXP; dependent on neighboring countries for international bandwidth and access to submarine cables (2022)

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) (2020)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

307,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

114 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

25.869 million (2022 est.)

Airports

30 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

TZ, TT

Heliports

3 (2024)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers

0 (2020)

Railways

narrow gauge

593 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

total

593 km (2014)

Roadways

total

139,107 km (2014)

Waterways

1,800 km (2011) (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)

Military - note

the FAMa is responsible for defense of the country’s sovereignty and territory, but also has some domestic security duties, including the maintenance of public order and support to law enforcement if required, as well as counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations; it also participates in socio-economic development projects; the military has traditionally played a large role in Mali’s politics; prior to the coup in August 2020 and military takeover in May 2021, it had intervened in the political arena at least five times since the country gained independence in 1960 (1968, 1976, 1978, 1991, 2012)the FAMa and other security forces are actively engaged in operations against several insurgent/terrorist groups affiliated with al-Qa'ida and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS), as well as other rebel organizations, communal militias, and criminal bands spread across the central, northern, and southern regions of the country; the government is reportedly in control of only an estimated 10-20% of the country's central and northern territories, and attacks have increased in the more heavily populated south, including around the capital Bamako; the Macina Liberation Front (FLM), part of the Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) coalition of al-Qa'ida-linked terror groups, has played a large role in a surge in violence in Mali’s central and southern regions; in the north, ISIS in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS) has regained strength in recent yearsthe FAMa and the remainder of the security forces collapsed in 2012 during the fighting against Tuareg rebels and Islamic militants and have since been rebuilt with considerable external assistance, including the EU, France, and the UN; for example, the EU Training Mission in Mali (EUTM) from 2013-2022 trained as many as 15,000 Malian soldiers and eight combined arms battalions/battlegroups (Groupement Tactique InterArmes, GTIA), each of which was structured to be self-sufficient with its own motorized/mechanized infantry, light armor, commandos, artillery, engineers, and other support forces; the EUTM and the French military ended their missions in 2022 citing issues with the ruling military government, including human rights abuses and the presence of Russian private military contractors; the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) operated in the country from 2013-2023 with the mission of providing security, rebuilding Malian security forces, protecting civilians, supporting national political dialogue, and assisting in the reestablishment of Malian government authority; MINUSMA had more than 15,000 personnel at its peak strength and lost over 300 peacekeepers during the course of the mission, which was concluded at the end of 2023 after the ruling junta demanded the withdrawal of foreign forcesthe military government has increased security ties with Russia; Russia has provided military equipment, and in December 2021, Mali contracted with a Russian private military company to provide training and other support for local armed forces, as well as security for senior Malian officials (2024)

Military and security forces

Malian Armed Forces (Forces Armées Maliennes or FAMa): Land Forces (l’Armée de Terre), Air Force (l’Armée de l’Air); National Guard (la Garde Nationale du Mali or GNM); General Directorate of the National Gendarmerie (la Direction Générale de la Gendarmerie Nationale or DGGN) (2024)

note

note 1: the Gendarmerie and the National Guard are under the authority of the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs (Ministere De La Defense Et Des Anciens Combattants, MDAC), but operational control is shared with the Ministry of Internal Security and Civil Protection which also controls the National Police; the National Police has responsibility for law enforcement and maintenance of order in urban areas and supports the FAMa in internal military operationsnote 2: the Gendarmerie's primary mission is internal security and public order; its duties also include territorial defense, humanitarian operations, intelligence gathering, and protecting private property, mainly in rural areas; it also has a specialized border security unitnote 3: the National Guard is a military force responsible for providing security to government facilities and institutions, prison service, public order, humanitarian operations, some border security, and intelligence gathering; its forces include a camel corps for patrolling the deserts and borders of northern Malinote 4: there are also pro-government militias operating in Mali, such as the Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies (GATIA); the leader of GATIA is also a general in the national army

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; estimated 35-40,000 total active military and paramilitary personnel, including approximately 20-25,000 FAMa (up to 2,000 Air Force), 5-7,000 Gendarmerie, and 10,000 National Guard (2023)

Military deployments

note: until announcing its withdrawal in May of 2022, Mali was part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania, and Niger; Mali had committed 1,100 troops and 200 gendarmes to the force

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FAMa's inventory includes a large amount of Soviet-era weapons and equipment along with smaller quantities of secondhand and some more modern material from a variety of other countries, including China, Czechia, France, Russia, Turkey, and the UAE (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

3.1% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

3.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

3.5% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

3.5% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for men and women for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; 24-month compulsory service obligation (2023)

Illicit drugs

a transit point for illicit drugs trafficked to Europe; trafficking controlled by armed groups, criminal organizations, terrorist groups and government officials that facilitate, protect and profit from the activity

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

375,539 (Tuareg rebellion since 2012) (2023)

refugees (country of origin)

29,138 (Burkina Faso) (refugees and asylum seekers), 20,617 (Niger) (refugees and asylum seekers), 14,956 (Mauritania) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2023)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch list — Mali did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period and was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/mali/

Terrorist group(s)

Ansar al-Dine; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS); Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

3.18 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

19.16 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

38.55 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

Environment - current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; loss of pasture land; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

Nuclear Test Ban

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity

due to civil insecurity and high food prices - according to the latest analysis, about 1.26 million people are projected to face acute food insecurity during the June to August 2023 lean season period; in total however, the number of food insecure is lower in 2023 compared to 2022; food insecurity conditions are primarily underpinned by the impact of the conflict in central and northern areas, which has caused the displacement of over 375,000 people, as of April 2023; persistent high food prices affect vulnerable households across the country, but limit in particular the food access of people in conflict-affected areas due to market disruptions and limited access to sources of income and humanitarian assistance (2023)

Land use

agricultural land

34.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 5.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 28.4% (2018 est.)

forest

10.2% (2018 est.)

other

55.7% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Lullemeden-Irhazer Basin, Taodeni-Tanezrouft Basin

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lac Faguibine - 590 sq kmnote - the Niger River is the only source of water for the lake; in recent years the lake is dry

Major rivers (by length in km)

Niger (shared with Guinea [s], Niger, and Nigeria [m]) - 4,200 km; Senegal (shared with Guinea [s], Senegal, and Mauritania [m]) - 1,641 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

2.02% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

120 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

5.08 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

4 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

110 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

46.2% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

1,937,354 tons (2012 est.)