Mali
Republic of MaliRepublique de Mali
republicIndependence 22 September 1960 (from France)
Mali as the 2013 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 164 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, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a military coup that ushered in a period of democratic rule. President Alpha KONARE won Mali's first two democratic presidential elections in 1992 and 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE, who was elected to a second term in 2007 elections that were widely judged to be free and fair.
Malian returnees from Libya in 2011 exacerbated tensions in northern Mali, and Tuareg ethnic militias started a rebellion in January 2012. Low- and mid-level soldiers, frustrated with the poor handling of the rebellion overthrew TOURE on 22 March. Intensive mediation efforts led by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) returned power to a civilian administration in April with the appointment of interim President Dioncounda TRAORE. The post-coup chaos led to rebels expelling the Malian military from the three northern regions of the country and allowed Islamic militants to set up strongholds.
Hundreds of thousands of northern Malians fled the violence to southern Mali and neighboring countries, exacerbating regional food insecurity in host communities. A military intervention to retake the three northern regions began in January 2013 and within a month most of the north had been retaken. In a democratic presidential election conducted in July and August of 2013, Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA was elected president.
Geography
Interior Western Africa, southwest of Algeria, north of Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, west of Niger
20 fieldsLand useshare of 1,240,192 sq km
Location
interior Western Africa, southwest of Algeria, north of Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, west of 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, gypsum, granite, hydropower note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)
- total:
- 6.55 cu km/yr (9%/1%/90%)
- per capita:
- 545.4 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards
- hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons;
- recurring droughts;
- occasional Niger River flooding
Environment - current issues
- deforestation;
- soil erosion;
- desertification;
- inadequate supplies of potable water;
- poaching
Environment - international agreements
- party to:
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
- signed, but not ratified:
- none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
- landlocked;
- divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese;
- the central, semiarid Sahelian;
- and the northern, arid Saharan
People and Society
36 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2013 est.)
Per 1,000 population(2013 est.)
Male · female
Languages
French (official), Bambara 46.3%, Peul/foulfoulbe 9.4%, Dogon 7.2%, Maraka/soninke 6.4%, Malinke 5.6%, Sonrhai/djerma 5.6%, Minianka 4.3%, Tamacheq 3.5%, Senoufo 2.6%, unspecified 0.6%, other 8.5%
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 0.91 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 0.88 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 0.95 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- very high
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne diseases:
- malaria and dengue fever
- water contact disease:
- schistosomiasis
- respiratory disease:
- meningococcal meningitis
- animal contact disease:
- rabies (2013)
Government
Republic; President Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (since 4 September 2013); Prime Minister Oumar Tatum LY (since 5 September 2013)
20 fieldsNational Assembly or Assemblee Nationale, 147 seats, elected 1 and 22 July 2007one 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
Capital
- name:
- Bamako
- geographic coordinates:
- 12 39 N, 8 00 W
- time difference:
- UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
8 regions (regions, singular - region), 1 district*; District de Bamako*, Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou (Timbuktu)
Constitution
- several previous;
- latest drafted August 1991, approved by referendum 12 January 1992, effective 25 February 1992;
- amended 1999;
- note - suspended briefly in 2012 (2011)
Legal system
civil law system based on the French civil law model and influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (since 4 September 2013)
- head of government:
- Prime Minister Oumar Tatum LY (since 5 September 2013)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)
- elections:
- president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term);
- the election scheduled for 29 April 2012 and delayed following the March 2012 coup took place 28 July 2013 and a runoff election was held on 11 August 2013;
- prime minister appointed by the president
- election results:
- Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA elected president in a runoff election; percent of vote Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA 77.6%, Soumaila CISSE 22.4%
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
- elections:
- last held on 1 and 22 July 2007 (July 2012 election delayed following the military coup and now scheduled for 24 November 2013)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ADP coalition 113 (ADEMA 51, URD 34, MPR 8, CNID 7, UDD 3, and other 10), FDR coalition 15 (RPM 11, PARENA 4), SADI 4, independent 15
Judicial branch
- highest court(s):
- Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 19 members organized into 3 civil chambers and a criminal chamber); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Supreme Court members appointed by the Ministry of Justice to serve 5-year terms;
- Constitutional Court members selected - 3 each by the president, the National Assembly, and the Supreme Council of the Magistracy;
- members serve single renewable 7-year terms
- subordinate courts:
- High Court of Justice (jurisdiction limited to cases of high treason or criminal offenses by the president or ministers while in office)
Political parties and leaders
- African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI [Oumar MARIKO, secretary general]
- Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE]
- Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP (a coalition of political parties including ADEMA and URD formed in December 2006 to support the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE)
- Alliance for Democratic Change (political group comprised mainly of Tuareg from Mali's northern region)
- Convergence 2007 [Soumeylou Boubeye MAIGA]
- Convergence for the development of Mali or CODEM [Housseyni GUINDO]
- Front for Democracy and the Republic or FDR (a coalition of political parties including RPM and PARENA formed to oppose the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE)
- National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL]
- Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Mady KONATE]
- Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile DRAME]
- Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR [Choguel MAIGA]
- Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Amadou Ali NIANGADOU]
- Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA]
- Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Basir GOLOGO]
- Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]
- Union for Republic and Democracy or URD [Soumaila CISSE]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- other:
- the army;
- Islamic authorities;
- state-run cotton company CMDT
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Al Maamoun Baba Lamine KEITA (since 8 January 2013)
- 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 Mary Beth LEONARD (since 7 November 2011)
- embassy:
- located just off the Roi Bin Fahad Aziz Bridge just west of the Bamako central district
- mailing address:
- ACI 2000, Rue 243, Porte 297, Bamako
- telephone:
- [223] 2070-2300
- FAX:
- [223] 2070-2479
Flag description
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red
note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the colors from left to right are the same as those of neighboring Senegal (which has an additional green central star) and the reverse of those on the flag of neighboring Guinea
National anthem
- name:
- "Le Mali" (Mali)
- lyrics/music:
- Seydou Badian KOUYATE/Banzoumana SISSOKO
note: adopted 1962; the anthem is also known as "Pour L'Afrique et pour toi, Mali" (For Africa and for You, Mali) and "A ton appel Mali" (At Your Call, Mali)
Economy
Among the 25 poorest countries in the world, Mali is a landlocked country highly dependent on gold mining and agricultural exports for revenue.
40 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2012 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP
Economy - overview
Among the 25 poorest countries in the world, Mali is a landlocked country highly dependent on gold mining and agricultural exports for revenue. The country's fiscal status fluctuates with gold and agricultural commodity prices and the harvest. Mali remains dependent on foreign aid.
Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger River and about 65% of its land area is desert or semidesert. About 10% of the population is nomadic and about 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities.
The government in 2011 completed an IMF extended credit facility program that has helped the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali is developing its cotton and iron ore extraction industries to diversify foreign exchange revenue away from gold. Mali has invested in tourism but security issues are hurting the industry.
Mali experienced economic growth of about 5% per year between 1996-2010, but the global recession and a military coup caused a decline in output in 2012. The interim government slashed public spending in the context of a declining state of security and declining international aid.
Gross national saving
21.6% of GDP (2012 est.) · 12.1% of GDP (2011 est.) · 8.5% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 64
Distribution of family income - Gini index
40.1 (2001) · 50.5 (1994) country comparison to the world: 59
Central bank discount rate
16% (31 December 2010 est.) · 4.25% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
Commercial bank prime lending rate
9.3% (31 December 2012 est.) · 9% (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 100
Stock of narrow money
$2.583 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $2.156 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 120
Stock of broad money
$3.401 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $2.929 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Stock of domestic credit
$2.102 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $1.669 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Current account balance
$-737.5 million (2012 est.); $-1.122 billion (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 111
Imports - commodities
petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, textiles
Debt - external
$3.041 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $2.931 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 136
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$2.545 billion (31 December 2012 est.) · $2.34 billion (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 95
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$848.2 million (31 December 2012 est.) · $503 million (31 December 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 80
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 510.53 (2012 est.) · 471.87 (2011 est.) · 495.28 (2010 est.) · 472.19 (2009) · 447.81 (2008)
Energy
23 fieldsInstalled generating capacity, 304,000 kW(2010 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
742,300 Mt (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 173
Communications
7 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- domestic system unreliable but improving; increasing use of local radio loops to extend network coverage to remote areas
- domestic:
- fixed-line subscribership remains less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has increased sharply to about 70 per 100 persons
- international:
- country code - 223;
- satellite communications center and fiber-optic links to neighboring countries;
- satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Indian Ocean) (2010)
Broadcast media
- national public TV broadcaster;
- 2 privately owned companies provide subscription services to foreign multi-channel TV packages;
- national public radio broadcaster supplemented by a large number of privately owned and community broadcast stations;
- transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)
Transportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthunpaved only
Networkskm
Waterways
1,800 km (downstream of Koulikoro; low water levels on the River Niger cause problems in dry years; in the months before the rainy season the river is not navigable by commercial vessels) (2011) country comparison to the world: 44
Military
Malian Armed Forces: Army (Armee de Terre), Republic of Mali Air Force (Force Aerienne de la Republique du Mali, FARM), National Guard (Garde National du Mali) (2013)
6 fieldsMilitary branches
Malian Armed Forces: Army (Armee de Terre), Republic of Mali Air Force (Force Aerienne de la Republique du Mali, FARM), National Guard (Garde National du Mali) (2013)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2012)
Manpower available for military service
- males age 16-49:
- 2,848,412
- females age 16-49:
- 2,981,106 (2010 est.)
Transnational Issues
3 fieldsRefugees and internally displaced persons
- refugees (country of origin):
- 12,904 (Mauritania) (2012)
- IDPs:
- 283,726 (Tuareg rebellion since 2012) (2013)
Trafficking in persons
- current situation:
- Mali is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking;
- women and girls are forced into domestic servitude, agricultural labor, and support roles in gold mines, as well as subjected to sex trafficking;
- Malian boys are found in conditions of forced labor in agricultural settings, gold mines, and the informal commercial sector, as well as forced begging both within Mali and neighboring countries;
- Malians and other Africans who travel through Mali to Mauritania, Algeria, or Libya in hopes of reaching Europe are particularly at risk of becoming victims of human trafficking;
- men and boys, primarily of Songhai ethnicity, are subjected to the longstanding practice of debt bondage in the salt mines of Taoudenni in northern Mali;
- some members of Mali's black Tamachek community are subjected to traditional slavery-related practices, and this involuntary servitude reportedly has extended to their children;
- reports indicate that non-governmental armed groups operating in northern Mali recruited children as combatants, cooks, porters, guards, spies, and sex slaves
- tier rating:
- Tier 2 Watch List - Mali does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking;
- however, it is making significant efforts to do so;
- although the government enacted a comprehensive anti-trafficking law in 2012, it did not demonstrate evidence of overall increasing efforts to address human trafficking over the previous year;
- the government has failed to prosecute or convict any trafficking offenders, has not provided any direct services to victims, and has not made any tangible prevention efforts;
- the government continues to cite a lack of personnel and resources as reasons for its inability to adequately identify and rescue child victims of forced labor in the mining industry (2013)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Mali.” The World Factbook 2013. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/mali/2013.