Mali

Republic of MaliRepublique de Mali

republicIndependence 22 September 1960 (from France)

Mali as the 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 95 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
Position17 00 N, 4 00 W
Area1.24 million sq km
LocationWestern Africa, southwest of Algeria
Populationas each edition published it
10.11 million July 1998 est. · 8.14m in 1990
Population growth% a year
3.24% 1998 est. · 2.66% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 16.3 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
47.03 years 1998 est. · 45.45 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
7.02 children per woman 1998 est. · 7.1 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
121.72 deaths per 1,000 live births 1998 est. · 116 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$600 1997 est. · $265 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
6% 1997 est. · -0.2% in 1993

Geography

Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

18 fields

Land use(1993 est.)

arable land 2%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 25%forests and woodland 6%other 67% (1993 est.)irrigated 780 sq km (1993 est.)
Area
1.24million sq km
land: 1.22 million sq kmwater: 20,000 sq kmslightly less than twice the size of Texas
Coastline
0km
(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Highest point
1,155m
Hombori Tondolowest point: Senegal River 23 m
Land boundaries
7,243km
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

Location

Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Geographic coordinates

17 00 N, 4 00 W

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

Natural hazards

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

Environment-current issues

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

Environment-international agreements

party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Nuclear Test Ban

Geography-note

landlocked

People

15 fields
Population
10,108,569
(July 1998 est.)growth rate: 3.24% (1998 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1998 est.)

Birth
49.88Death
19.04Net migration
1.57

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1998 est.)47.03
45.67 · 48.43
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)31%
39.4% · 23.1%
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

Religions

Muslim 90%indigenous beliefs 9%Christian 1%

Age structure

0-14 years:
47% (male 2,405,624; female 2,383,728)
15-64 years:
49% (male 2,367,538; female 2,628,399)
65 years and over:
4% (male 152,999; female 170,281) (July 1998 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.89 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate

121.72 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

7.02 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Malian(s)
adjective:
Malian

Languages

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

Government

Republic; President Alpha Oumar KONARE (since 8 June 1992); Prime Minister Ibrahima Boubacar KEITA (since March 1994)

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

85.15%
Alpha Oumar KONARE 85.15%Mamadou DIABY 4.09%other 10.76%election last held 11 May 1997 (next to be held May 2002)

Legislature, 147 seats, elected 20 July and 3 August 1997one dot, one seat

ADEMA 130PARENA 8CDS 4UDD 3PDP 2

Country name

conventional long form:
Republic of Mali
conventional short form:
Mali
local long form:
Republique de Mali
local short form:
Mali
former:
French Sudan

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

22 September 1960 (from France)

National holiday

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

Constitution

adopted 12 January 1992

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Alpha Oumar KONARE (since 8 June 1992)
head of government:
Prime Minister Ibrahima Boubacar KEITA (since March 1994)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections:
  • president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  • election last held 11 May 1997 (next to be held May 2002);
  • prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
Alpha Oumar KONARE reelected president; percent of vote-Alpha Oumar KONARE 85.15%, Mamadou DIABY 4.09%, other 10.76%

Legislative branch

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

elections:
last held 20 July and 3 August 1997 (next to be held in two rounds in 2002); note-much of the opposition boycotted the election
election results:
percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-ADEMA 130, PARENA 8, CDS 4, UDD 3, PDP 2

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders

  • Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Ibrahim N'DIAYE, secretary-general];
  • Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME, secretary-general];
  • Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou Bakary SANGARE, chairman];
  • Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY, leader];
  • Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE, leader];
  • National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman];
  • Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE, secretary-general];
  • Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA, chairman];
  • Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali GNANGADO, leader];
  • Union of Democratic Forces for Progress or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary-general];
  • Movement for the Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA [Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO, leaders]

Political pressure groups and leaders

United Movement and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA; Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Kaye or MPGK

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Cheick Oumar DIARRAH
chancery:
2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950

FAX

[1] (202) 332-6603

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador David P. RAWSON
embassy:
Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako
mailing address:
B. P. 34, Bamako
telephone:
[223] 22 54 70

FAX

[223] 22 37 12

Flag description

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 65% of its land area desert or semidesert.

28 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
-$6billion
purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
-$600
purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)
Real growth rate
6%
(1997 est.)industrial production growth: 0.6% (1995 est.)

GDP-composition by sector(1995)

agriculture 49%industry 17%services 34% (1995)

Budget

Revenues
$730 millionExpenditures
$770 million (1997 est.)
expenditures including capital expenditures of $320 million
Fixed lines
11,000
(1982 est.)

Economy-overview

Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% 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 is nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing.

Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export. In 1997, the government continued its successful implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment.

Mali's adherence to economic reform, and the 50% devaluation of the African franc in January 1994, has pushed up economic growth. Several multinational corporations increased gold mining operations in 1996 and the government anticipates that Mali will become a major Sub-Saharan gold exporter in the next few years.

Labor force

total:
NA
by occupation:
agriculture 80%, services 19%, industry and commerce 1% (1981)

Industries

  • minor local consumer goods production and food processing;
  • construction;
  • phosphate and gold mining

Electricity-capacity

87,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production

290 million kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products

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

Exports

total value:
$473 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities:
cotton, livestock, gold
partners:
mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Imports

total value:
$797 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, construction materials, petroleum, textiles
partners:
mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Debt-external

$2.8 billion (1995)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1-608.36 (January 1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

Telephone system

domestic system poor but improving; provides only minimal service

domestic:
network consists of microwave radio relay, open wire, and radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio relay in progress
international:
satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1

Radios

430,000 (1992 est.)

Televisions

11,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m
10
total: 22 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 8

Networkskm

Highways
15,100Railways
641Waterways
1,815
Highways: paved: 1,827 km · unpaved: 13,273 km (1996 est.) · Railways: ; (linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes) · narrow gauge: 641 km 1.000-m gauge (1995)

Railways

total:
641 km; (linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes)
narrow gauge:
641 km 1.000-m gauge (1995)

Highways

total:
15,100 km
paved:
1,827 km
unpaved:
13,273 km (1996 est.)

Airports

28 (1997 est.)

Airports-with paved runways

total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Military

Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, | National Guard, National Police (Surete Nationale)

5 fields

Military branches

Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard, National Police (Surete Nationale)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 2,051,976 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-fit for military service

males: 1,174,078 (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

1 field

Cite this entry

Central Intelligence Agency. “Mali.” The World Factbook 1998. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/mali/1998.