Mali
Republic of Mali conventional short form: Mali local long form: Republique de Mali local short form: Mali former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic
republicIndependence 22 September 1960 (from France)
Mali as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 112 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a transitional government, and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic presidential election was held. Since his reelection in 1997, President KONARE has continued to push through political and economic reforms and to fight corruption. In 1999 he indicated he would not run for a third term.
Geography
Western Africa, southwest of Algeria
18 fieldsLand boundaries
total: 7,243 km 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, hydropower note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited
Land use
arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 6% other: 67% (1993 est.)
Environment - current issues
- deforestation;
- soil erosion;
- desertification;
- inadequate supplies of potable water;
- poaching
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban
People
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 47.2% (male 2,612,215; female 2,583,370) 15-64 years: 49.73% (male 2,610,142; female 2,864,127) 65 years and over: 3.07% (male 158,486; female 180,178) (2001 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 47.02 years male: 45.84 years female: 48.24 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 31% male: 39.4% female: 23.1% (1995 est.)
Government
Republic
20 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale, 147 seatsone dot, one seat
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 and Sudanese Republic
Administrative divisions
8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou
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 Mande SIDIBE (since September 2000) 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 NA May 2002);
- prime minister appointed by the president election results: Alpha Oumar KONARE reelected president;
- percent of vote - Alpha Oumar KONARE 95.9%, Mamadou DIABY 4.1%
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 [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA, party chairman];
- Block of Alternative for the Renewal of Africa or BARA [Yoro DIAKITE];
- Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou Bakary SANGARE, chairman];
- Movement for the Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA [Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO];
- National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman];
- Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE];
- Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME, secretary general];
- Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali GNANGADO];
- Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA, chairman];
- Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE, secretary general];
- Union of Democratic Forces for Progress or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary general];
- Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]
Political pressure groups and leaders
Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA
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, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, 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
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RANNEBERGER embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako telephone: [223] 22 54 70
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.
32 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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 have pushed up economic growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2000. Growth should remain around 5% in 2001-02, and inflation should stay less than 2%.
Budget
revenues: $730 million expenditures: $770 million, including capital expenditures of $320 million (1997 est.)
Industries
- minor local consumer goods production and food processing;
- construction;
- phosphate and gold mining
Imports - commodities
machinery and equipment, construction materials, petroleum, foodstuffs, textiles
Currency
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Exchange rates
- Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996);
- note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- 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)
Transportation
7 fieldsNetworkskm
Railways
total: 729 km (linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes) narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge
Airports - with paved runways
total: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 9 (2000 est.)
Military
Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard, National Police (Surete Nationale)
5 fieldsMilitary branches
Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard, National Police (Surete Nationale)
Transnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Mali.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/mali/2001.