Mali

republicIndependence 22 September 1960 (from France

Mali as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 68 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBamako

Area1,240,000 km2

Populationas each edition published it

8.14 million July 1990 · 22.63m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.66% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 45.45 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

7.1 children per woman 1990 · 5.26 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

116 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 55.8 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $265 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -0.2% in 1993

Geography

12 fields

Land useshare of 1,240,000 km2

arable land 2%meadows and pastures 25%forest and woodland 7%other 66%NEGL% permanent crops; includes NEGL% irrigated

Total area

1,240,000km2

land area: 1,220,000 km2Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries

7,243km total

Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Ivory Coast 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km

Disputes

the disputed international boundary between Burkina and Mali was submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in October 1983 and the ICJ issued its final ruling in December 1986, which both sides agreed to accept;
Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger

Climate

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

Terrain

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

Natural resources

gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium; bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited

Environment

hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; desertification

People

14 fields

Population

8,142,373

(July 1990), growth rate 2.3% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

51Death

Ethnic divisions

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

Religion

Muslim 90%indigenous beliefs 9%Christian 1%

Labor force

2,666,000

(1986 est.); 80% agriculture, 19% services, 1% industry and commerce (1981); 50% of population of working age (1985)

Literacy

18%

Language

French (official);
Bambara spoken by about 80% of the population;
numerous African languages

Organized labor

National Union of Malian Workers (UNTM) is umbrella organization for over 13 national unions

Government

Republic

17 fields

National Assembly, 82 seats, elected 26 June 1988one dot, one seat

UDPM 82

Type

republic; single-party constitutional government

Administrative divisions

7 regions (regions, singular--region);
Gao, Kayes, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou;
note--there may be a new capital district of Bamako

Independence

22 September 1960 (from France; formerly French Sudan)

Constitution

2 June 1974, effective 19 June 1979; amended September 1981 and March 1985

Legal system

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

National holiday

Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 22 September (1960)

Executive branch

president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Assemble Nationale)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Chief of State and Head of Government--President Gen. Moussa TRAORE (since 6 December 1968)

Political parties and leaders

only party--Democratic Union of Malian People (UDPM)

Suffrage

universal at age 21 President--last held on 9 June 1985 (next to be held June 1991);
results--General Moussa Traore was reelected without opposition;
National Assembly--last held on 26 June 1988 (next to be held June 1991);
results--UDPM is the only party;
seats--(82 total) UDPM 82

Communists

a few Communists and some sympathizers (no legal Communist party)

ACP, AfDB, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, NAM, Niger River Commission, OAU, OIC, OMVS (Organization for the Development of the Senegal River Valley), UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO,

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Alhousseyni TOURE;
Chancery at 2130 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 332-2249 or 939-8950;
US--Ambassador Robert M. PRINGLE;
Embassy at Rue Testard and Rue Mohamed V., Bamako (mailing address is B. P. 34, Bamako);
telephone 225834

Flag

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy

Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with about 80% of its land area desert or semidesert.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$1.94billion

per capita $220; real growth rate - 0.9% (1988 est.)

External debt

$2.1billion

(December 1988 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$338 millionExpenditures

$559 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987)

Overview

Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with about 80% of its land area desert or semidesert. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population lives as nomads and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in agriculture and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities.

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA% (1987)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$260 million (f.o.b., 1987);
commodities--livestock, peanuts, dried fish, cotton, skins;
partners--mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Imports

$493 million (f.o.b., 1987);
commodities--textiles, vehicles, petroleum products, machinery, sugar, cereals;
partners--mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Electricity

92,000 kW capacity; 165 million kWh produced, 20 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

small local consumer goods and processing, construction, phosphate, gold, fishing

Agriculture

accounts for 50% of GDP;
most production based on small subsistence farms;
cotton and livestock products account for over 70% of exports;
other crops--millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts;
livestock--cattle, sheep, and goats

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $313 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.4 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $92 million;
Communist countries (1970-88), $190 million

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural--francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Airports, 37 total, 29 usable

permanent-surface runways

8runways over 3,659 m

nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m

7runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Railroads

642Inland waterways

1,815

Railroads: ; linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes

domestic system poor but improving;
provides only minimal service with radio relay, wire, and radio communications stations;
expansion of radio relay in progress;
11,000 telephones;
stations--2 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV;
satellite earth stations--1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT