Mali

Republic of MaliRepublique de Mali

republicIndependence 22 September 1960 (from France)

Mali as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 102 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

10.43 million July 1999 est. · 8.14m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.01% 1999 est. · 2.66% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16.3 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

47.5 years 1999 est. · 45.45 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.96 children per woman 1999 est. · 7.1 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

119.44 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 116 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$790 1998 est. · $265 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.6% 1998 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

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:: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban

People

15 fields

Population

10,429,124

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 3.01% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

49.5Death

18.56Net migration

-0.87

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)47.5

46.09 · 48.96

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 2,482,301; female 2,460,894)
15-64 years:: 49% (male 2,447,712; female 2,708,978)
65 years and over:: 4% (male 155,178; female 174,061) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

119.44 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 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 Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (since March 1994)

19 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

National holiday

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

Legal system

based on French civil law system and customary law;
judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was formally established on 9 March 1994);
has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Alpha Oumar KONARE (since 8 June 1992)
head of government:: Prime Minister Ibrahim 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

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA TRAORE]; National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID Movement for the Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa

Political pressure groups and leaders

United Movement and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA; Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye 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, MINURCA, MIPONUH, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMSIL, 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

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

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.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$790

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

4.6%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 0.6% (1995 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

(1998 est.)

Debt--external

$3.1billion

(1998)

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

Electricity

fossil fuel 21.88%hydro 78.12%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

288 million (1996)Electricity consumption

288 million (1996)

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 1996-98, and the government anticipates that Mali will become a major Sub-Saharan gold exporter in the next few years. Annual growth thus may fall in the 5% range in 1999-2000, and inflation held to 5% or less.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$8 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture and fishing 80% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

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

Agriculture--products

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

Exports

$590 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports--commodities

cotton 50%, gold, livestock (1998 est.)

Exports--partners

Thailand 20%, Italy 20%, China 9%, Brazil, franc zone (1997)

Imports

$600 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Imports--commodities

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

Imports--partners

Cote d'Ivoire 19%, France 17%, other franc zone and EU countries (1997)

Economic aid--recipient

$596.4 million (1995)

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--567.81 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

11,000

(1982 est.)

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.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (in addition, there are two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

11,000 (1992 est.)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

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)