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.

interior Western Africa, southwest of Algeria, north of Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, west of Niger

17 00 N, 4 00 W

Africa

total: 1,240,192 sq km
country comparison to the world: 24
land: 1,220,190 sq km
water: 20,002 sq km

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

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

0 km (landlocked)

none (landlocked)

subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February)

mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast

lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum, granite, hydropower
note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited

arable land: 5.53%
permanent crops: 0.1%
other: 94.37% (2011)

2,358 sq km (2003)

100 cu km (2011)

total: 6.55 cu km/yr (9%/1%/90%)
per capita: 545.4 cu m/yr (2000)

hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

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

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

landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan

noun: Malian(s)
adjective: Malian

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

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%

Muslim 94.8%, Christian 2.4%, Animist 2%, none 0.5%, unspecified 0.3% (2009 Census)

15,968,882 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67

0-14 years: 47.7% (male 3,824,877/female 3,794,196)
15-24 years: 19% (male 1,439,032/female 1,587,072)
25-54 years: 26.6% (male 1,980,766/female 2,270,676)
55-64 years: 3.7% (male 297,365/female 295,495)
65 years and over: 3% (male 240,681/female 238,722) (2013 est.)

total dependency ratio: 100.7 %
youth dependency ratio: 95.1 %
elderly dependency ratio: 5.6 %
potential support ratio: 17.9 (2013)

total: 16 years
male: 15.4 years
female: 16.6 years (2013 est.)

3.01% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10

46.06 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2

13.55 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16

-2.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170

urban population: 34.9% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 4.77% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

BAMAKO (capital) 1.628 million (2009)

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.)

18.6 (2006 est.)

540 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 17

total: 106.49 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 2
male: 113.23 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 99.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)

total population: 54.55 years
country comparison to the world: 204
male: 52.75 years
female: 56.41 years (2013 est.)

6.25 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2

8.2% (2006)

6.8% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 88

0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2010)

0.1 beds/1,000 population (2010)

1% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46

76,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47

4,400 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41

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)

4.3% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 166

27.9% (2006)
country comparison to the world: 22

4.8% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 82

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 33.4%
male: 43.1%
female: 24.6% (2011 est.)

total: 8 years
male: 8 years
female: 7 years (2011)

total number: 1,485,027
percentage: 36 % (2010 est.)

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

republic

name: Bamako
geographic coordinates: 12 39 N, 8 00 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

8 regions (regions, singular - region), 1 district*; District de Bamako*, Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou (Timbuktu)

22 September 1960 (from France)

Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

several previous; latest drafted August 1991, approved by referendum 12 January 1992, effective 25 February 1992; amended 1999; note - suspended briefly in 2012 (2011)

civil law system based on the French civil law model and influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

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

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%

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held in two rounds on 24 November 2013 and on 15 December 2013 (next to be held in 2017); note the scheduled July 2012 election was cancelled due to a coup d'etat and the Tuareg Rebellion
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FDR coalition 64 (RPM 61, PARENA 3), ADP coalition 42 (ADEMA 20, URD 18, CNID 4), FARE 5, CODEM 5, SADI 4, ASMA-CFP 4, Yelema 2, independents 16

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)

African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI [Oumar MARIKO, secretary general]

other: the army; Islamic authorities; state-run cotton company CMDT

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

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

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

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

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)

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.

$17.79 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
note: data are in 2012 US dollars

$10.18 billion (2012 est.)

-1.2% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 200

$1,100 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214
note: data are in 2012 US dollars

21.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64

household consumption: 66.3%
government consumption: 12.6%
investment in fixed capital: 27.8%
investment in inventories: 0.6%
exports of goods and services: 26.5%
imports of goods and services: -33.8%

agriculture: 38.7%
industry: 23.9%
services: 37.4% (2012 est.)

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

food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

NA%

3.241 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102

agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)

30% (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181

36.1% (2005 est.)

lowest 10%: 3.5%
highest 10%: 25.8% (2010 est.)

40.1 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 59

revenues: $1.821 billion
expenditures: $1.948 billion (2012 est.)

17.9% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178

-1.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68

27.5% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120

calendar year

5.4% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153

16% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83

9.3% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100

$2.583 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120

$3.401 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141

$2.102 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132

$NA

$-737.5 million (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111

$2.756 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132

cotton, gold, livestock

China 52.9%, Malaysia 11%, Indonesia 5.3%, India 4.1% (2012)

$2.794 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147

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

France 11.2%, Senegal 9.9%, Cote dIvoire 8.7%, China 8.6% (2012)

$3.041 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136

$2.545 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95

$848.2 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -

520 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163

483.6 million kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170

0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101

0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213

304,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149

48.4% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137

51.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92

0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 163

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 205

4,994 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196

4,698 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157

0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166

0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171

0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146

0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96

0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 170

742,300 Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173

112,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 142

14.613 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 59

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)

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)

.ml

437 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 186

249,800 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 135

25 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 129

total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)

total: 17
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m:

2 (2013)

total: 593 km
country comparison to the world: 109
narrow gauge: 593 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

total: 22,474 km
country comparison to the world: 102
paved: 5,522 km
unpaved: 16,952 km (2009)

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

river port(s): Koulikoro (Niger)

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)

18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2012)

males age 16-49: 2,848,412
females age 16-49: 2,981,106 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49: 1,825,779
females age 16-49: 1,968,563 (2010 est.)

male: 158,031
female: 159,733 (2010 est.)

1.44% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 189

demarcation is underway with Burkina Faso

refugees (country of origin): 12,904 (Mauritania) (2012)
IDPs: 218,000 (Tuareg rebellion since 2012) (2014)