Mali

republicIndependence 22 September 1960 (from France

Mali as the 1991 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

8.34 million July 1991 · 8.14m in 1990

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 children per woman 1991 · 7.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

114 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 116 in 1990

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

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

Land use

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

Environment

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

People

14 fields

Population

8,338,542

(July 1991), growth rate 2.4% (1991)

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth

51Death

Ethnic divisions

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

Religion

Muslim 90%indigenous beliefs 9%Christian 1%

Labor force

2,666,000

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

Literacy

32%

(male 41%, female 24%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

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;
the single-party constitutional government was overthrown on 26 March 1991;
the new ruling National Reconciliation Council has promised a multiparty democracy

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;
suspended following the coup of 26 March 1991

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

National Conciliation Council led by the military, following the coup of 26 March 1991

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Assemble Nationale)

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Chief of State--following the military coup of 26 March 1991 President Gen. Moussa TRAORE was deposed and the National Reconciliation Council, led by Lt. Col. Amadou Toumani TOURE and Lt. Col. Kafougouna KONE, was installed; Head of Government--Interim Premier Soumana SACKO (since 2 April 1991)

Political parties and leaders

formerly the only party, the Democratic Union of Malian People (UDPM), was disbanded after the coup of 26 March 1991, and the new regime legalized the formation of political parties on 5 April 1991;
new political parties are--Union of Democratic Forces (UFD), Demba DIALLO;
Union for Democracy and Development (UDD), Moussa Bala COULIBALY;
Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally (US-RDA), Mamadou Madeira KEITA;
African Party for Solidarity and Justice (ADEMA), Alpha Oumar KONARE;
Party for Democracy and Progress (PDP), Idrissa TRAORE;
Democratic Party for Justice (PDJ), Abdul BA;
Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), Almany SYLLA;
Party for the Unity of Malian People (PUPM), Nock AGATTIA;
Hisboulah al Islamiya, Hamidou DRAMERA;
Union of Progressive Forces (UFP), Yacouba SIDIBE;
National Congress of Democratic Initiative (CNID), Mountaga TALL;
Assembly for Justice and Progress, Kady DRAME;
other parties forming

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;
note--following the military coup of 26 March 1991 President TRAORE was deposed and the UDPM was disbanded;
the new ruling National Reconciliation Council, formed of 17 soldiers, has promised to institute a multiparty democracy and is expected to hold elections by December 1991

Communists

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

Member of

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Mohamed Alhousseyni TOURE;
Chancery at 2130 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 332-2249 or 939-8950;
US--Ambassador Herbert D. GELBER;
Embassy at Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V., Bamako (mailing address is B. P. 34, Bamako);
telephone [223] 223712

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 70% of its land area desert or semidesert.

16 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$2.0billion

per capita $250; real growth rate 9.9% (1989 est.)

External debt

$2.2billion

(1989 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$329 millionExpenditures

$519 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $178 (1989 est.)

Overview

Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with about 70% 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 live 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

$285 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities--livestock, peanuts, dried fish, cotton, skins;
partners--mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Imports

$513 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities--textiles, vehicles, petroleum products, machinery, sugar, cereals;
partners--mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Industrial production

growth rate 19.9% (1989 est.); accounts for 7% of GDP

Electricity

253,000 kW capacity; 730 million kWh produced, 90 kWh per capita (1990)

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

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $349 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $2.65 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $92 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $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--256.54 (January 1991), 272.26 (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

6runways 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