Mali Guide
Mali – country information
Country name | Mali |
Official name | Republic of Mali |
Capital | Bamako |
continent | Africa |
Area | 1,240,190 km |
Population | 15 302 000 (2013) |
Foundation of a state | 22. 9. 1960 |
The highest mountains | Hombori Tondo 1155 m |
Longest rivers | Niger 4,160 km (v. 1,600 km) |
State system | a republic with a unicameral parliament |
The biggest cities | Bamako (capital) 790,000, Ségou 125,000 |
Official language | French |
Ethnicity/National Composition | Bambara 31.9%, Fulba 13.9%, Senuf 12%, Soninka 8.8%, Tuareg 7.3%, Songhai 7.2%, Malinka 6.6%, Dogon 4%, Dyul 2.9%, Bobs 2.4%, Arabs 1.2%, others 1.8% |
Religious affiliation | Sunni Muslims 90%, traditional faiths 9%, Christians 1% |
Currency | 1 CFA franc (XOF) = 100 centimes |
gross domestic product (GDP) | US$1,088 (2012) |
Average life expectancy of the population | 49.00 let (2006) |
Structure of GDP | agriculture and fishing 45%, mining 1.5%, industry 8.5%, construction 4%, services 41% |
Mali – Neighboring States
State | Capital | Area | Populace |
Algeria | Algiers | 2,381,740 km | 38 700 000 |
Burkina | Ouagadougou | 274,000 km | 17 322 796 |
Guinea | Conakry | 245,857 km | 10 824 200 |
Mauritania | Nouakchott | 1,025,520 km | 3 461 041 |
Niger | Niamey | 1,267,000 km | 17 129 076 |
Ivory Coast | Yamoussoukro | 322,463 km2 | 23 202 000 |
Senegal | Dakar | 196,722 km | 13 567 338 |
Country overview
The landlocked Republic of Mali is located in the Sahel region of northwest Africa on the edge of the Sahara.
According to Abbreviationfinder, Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa. Common borders with Senegal in the west, with Mauritania, Algeria in the north, with Niger in the east, with Burkina Faso in the southeast, with Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea in the south.
Capital of Bamako. Currency – CFA Franc BCEAO. The official language is French. Religion – Islam.
Mali is located in the tropical and subequatorial belts, in the zones of deserts, semi-deserts, savannahs and light forests. 90% of the country is flat.
The climate is tropical desert and subequatorial. The average temperature all year is +28*С.
Rest is what every person needs, especially those who are engaged in creative work. Holidays in Mali will fill your inner world with new impressions that will excite your imagination for a long time, popping up in your memory with bright colorful pictures.
Resorts and attractions in Mali
In tourist guides, this country is called the jewel in the crown of West Africa, but for most of us, Mali is a real mystery!
Mali is a country for those who like exotic but friendly countries. Incredible and grandiose monuments of antiquity, evidence of a once powerful empire. All this can be seen in Mali.
Interesting facts
The territory of modern Mali was inhabited by peoples several millennia ago.
Over the past 40 years, there have been 4 coups d’état in the country.
Country data
Location: West Africa
Time zone: CET – 1 (during summer time: CET – 2)
Total area: 1,240,192 km²
Land area: 1,220,190 km²
Water area: 20,002 km²
Length of the state border: 7,243 km
Bordering countries:
Algeria: 1,376 km
Burkina Faso: 1,000 km
Ivory Coast / Côte d’Ivoire: 532 km
Guinea: 858 km
Mauritania: 2,237 km
Niger: 821 km
Senegal: 419 km
Coastline: 0 km
Capital: Bamako
Regions: 9
District de Bamako, Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou
Electric current: 220 V / 50 Hz
Telephone code: 00 223 (Source: Allcitycodes)
Highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m
Population
Population: approx. 16.5 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)
Population growth: 3% per year
Population density (residents per km²): 13
Life expectancy: 53 (male), 57 (female)
Official language: French
Religions:
- 94% Muslim
- 2% Christians
- 4% other
Climate
The climate in Malawi is divided into three climatic periods:
- Cold dry season: October – February
- Hot dry season: March – May
- Rainy season: May – October
Currency / finance
Currency unit: CFA franc (CFA francs)
ATMs: not available
International credit cards: These are only accepted by very large hotels or shops in the capital.
Regulations: There is no limit to the amount of foreign currencies that can be imported. However, the import must be declared. The export is limited to the amount of the declared import.
The import and export of the local currency is limited to 25,000 CFA Francs. However, exchanges in other currencies are not possible outside of the countries in the CFA franc zone.
Customs regulations
The following may be carried duty-free:
- 1,000 cigarettes or 250 cigars or 2,000 g tobacco
- 2 liters of alcoholic beverages
- small amounts of perfume
(Information applies to people aged 18 and over)
Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.
All valuable items, even small electronic devices (razors, hair dryers) should be declared upon entry, otherwise problems often arise when leaving the country.
Travel advice
You are warned against traveling to the whole area north of the 14th parallel.
Although the general situation in Mali is good, raids on tourists are frequent throughout the northern region of the country. Since the perpetrators are almost always heavily armed, the region should be avoided widely.
In the Sikasso region, the border area with the Ivory Coast / Côte d’Ivoire, special caution is required due to its location.
There is also an increased security risk in the regions on the border with Algeria.
Behavioral advice
It is forbidden to take photographs of military installations and people and of the Markala Dam.
You shouldn’t go for walks after dark.
Economy
Agriculture is Mali’s only notable branch of the economy, although only around 2% of the country’s area is usable.
The cultivation of millet and maize, as well as cattle breeding is carried out for the self-sufficiency of the population.
Industries: mining, agriculture, food production
Natural resources: gold, phosphates, salt, uranium, hydropower
Land use:
- Usable land: 2%
- Grain cultivation: 0%
- Pasture area: 25%
- Forests: 6%
- other: 67%
Plants
Almost all of the country’s flora and fauna are concentrated in the south of the country.
Here the great Niger River with its tributaries provides the basis that plants and animals need to live.
Animals
Antelopes, hyenas, lions, jackals and many different small animals typical of Africa live in the specially established national park.