81 Facts About Mali

Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. 

It has a total area of 1,240,192 square km. 

Bamako is its capital and largest city. 

French is its official language. 

Its official currency is West African CFA franc (XOF). 

Mali is bordered by Algeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast (or Côte d’Ivoire), Guinea, Senegal and Mauritania.

The Republic of Mali, a landlocked country, is the world's 24th largest.

Mali is Africa's eighth-largest country, roughly the size of South Africa and nearly twice the size of Texas in the United States.

The arid Saharan zone, the semiarid central Sahelian zone, and the southern cultivated Sudanese zone, where the majority of the country's population lives, are Mali's three natural land zones.

Mali is one of the world's hottest countries because the thermal equator runs through it. Rainfall is minimal, and droughts are common.

The majority of Mali's land is flat, rising to sand-covered rolling plains in the north. The vast majority of the country is located in the southern Sahara Desert.

Mali is divided into eight major regions and one district, the Capital District of Bamako. Kayes, Koulikoro, Sikasso, Ségow, Gao, Mopti, Kindal, and Tombouctou are the names of these regions (also known as Timbuktu).

The Senegal River is Mali's lowest geographical point. Mount Hombori Tondo is its highest point.

The Senegal and Niger Rivers make the south of Mali the most fertile region of the country.

Gao, Mali, is home to the prime meridian marker. You can literally stand on the border of two hemispheres at the same time.

Mali's climate ranges from subtropical to arid, with the hot, dry season lasting from February to June. From June to November, the weather is rainy, humid, and mild. The cool, dry season lasts from November to February.

Mali was historically a part of three different West African empires that dominated all trans-Saharan trade.

Its Ghana, Songhai, and Mali empires flourished in mathematics, literature, art, and astronomy as early as 50,000 B.C.

The Ghana Empire of Mali was West Africa's first black empire. The empire's wealth stemmed primarily from its location along the cross-Sahara trade routes.

Sundiata, Mali's Lion King (or Lion Prince), was the founder and first ruler of the Mali Empire, which gave rise to the country's name. From 1235 to 1260, his empire extended all the way to the western coast of Africa.

Mansa Musa, emperor of the Malian Empire in the 14th century, travelled to Mecca with over 70,000 people and up to 50 pounds of gold. Throughout his journey, he built a mosque every Friday.

During the late nineteenth century colonial period in Africa, France seized control of Mali, which became part of the French Sudan. After nearly a century of French rule, Mali joined forces with Senegal to achieve independence as the Mali Federation in 1960.

Senegal later left the Federation, and the country was renamed the Republic of Mali. Mali transitioned from a socialist to a democratic state in 1991, with the adoption of a new constitution.

Northern Mail Tuareg tribes have led multiple military and political rebellions against various incarnations of Mali's central government since the turn of the century.

In recent years, the Tuareg MNLA and the Islamic group Ansar Dine merged and declared northern Mali to be the new Islamic state of Azawad. They even established their own embassy in the Netherlands.

Since the deployment of UN peacekeepers in Mali in 2013, more than 100 people have been killed. It is regarded as one of the most dangerous United Nations missions.

Mali's president requested French assistance in 2013 as Islamist fighters took control of many of the country's major northern cities, including Timbuktu, and began destroying many ancient shrines.

The French troops stayed for several years and killed the rebels' top al-Qaeda commanders. In May of 2015, a new peace treaty was reached and signed.

In 2015, 29 people were killed in two separate hotel attacks in Mali. One was in August, and the other was in November. Several hotels across the country are closing until the problems are resolved.

In the last two years, a new Islamist group has emerged in central and southern Mali, recruiting by protecting local villages from bandits and government corruption.

Gold, phosphates, salt, limestone, kaolin, uranium, and granite are the most commonly exported natural resources from Mali. Mali's primary sources of income are agricultural exports and gold mining.

Mali's southern region produces the third most total gold production in Africa, trailing only South Africa and Ghana.

The stability of Mali's economy is affected by agricultural commodity and gold prices. Cotton, the country's annual harvest, and gold exports account for more than 80% of Mali's earnings.

Thirty-four percent of the land is used for agriculture, with arable land accounting for 5.6 percent and permanent pastureland accounting for 28.4 percent. Mali's forests cover 10% of the country.

The majority of Mali's economic activity takes place in the region of the country irrigated by the Niger River. The remaining 65% of the country is desert or semi-desert land.

Almost half of Mali's population lives in poverty, according to international standards. Mali is one of the world's 25 poorest countries. A Malian's annual salary is approximately $1,500 (US dollars).

Mali's environmental issues include deforestation, soil erosion, desertification, and a lack of potable water.

Natural environmental hazards/challenges include recurring droughts, infrequent Niger River flooding, and dust-laden hot haze during the dry seasons.

Mali's population is expected to more than double by 2035. Bamako, the Malian capital, is one of Africa's fastest-growing cities.

Mali has the world's third highest average birthrate of six children per woman. This ensures that population growth will remain rapid for the foreseeable future.

Due to a variety of factors, including poor health care and unattended births, Mali's infant, child, and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa.

During the annual dry season, many Malians from rural areas migrate for work. 10% of the population is naturally nomadic.

Unemployment, internal conflicts, food insecurity, and droughts have all contributed to Mali's long history of seasonal migration and emigration.

Mali's role as a transit country for regional migration flows has grown since the early 1990s, and it now funnels illegal migration as far as Europe.

Human smugglers and traffickers use the same migration routes to transport their goods. Mali is seeing an increase in human trafficking.

Mali has a thirty percent unemployment rate. Agriculture employs 80% of the workforce, while the remaining 20% work in services and industries.

Mali is made up of more than ten ethnic groups, including the Bambara (34%), Fulani (15%), Sarakole (11%), and Senufo (9%).

Mali's official language is French, but Bambara is the most widely spoken language. A dozen other national languages exist.

The geographic and ethnic diversity of Mali is reflected in its daily culture. Malians frequently wear brightly coloured boubous (flowing robes). Bogalanfini cloth is only made in this region of Africa. Mud is used to dye this handcrafted cloth. Women wear head covers that match.

Malians regularly attend traditional ceremonies, dances, and festivals. The country is known for its distinct musical traditions.

Dance is very important in Mali. Traditional mask dances are performed at ceremonial events. More than 75 different ritual masks are used by the Dogon people of central Mali.

Mali's literary tradition is primarily passed down through word of mouth, despite its history as a vibrant African intellectual centre. "Jalises" memorise community stories or histories.

Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Mali, and the most popular teams are based in the country's capital. The game "wari" is also a popular pastime.

Mali's women's basketball team competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Primary school enrollment is at 61 percent, and secondary school enrollment is at 15 percent. Literacy rates in Mali range from 27 to 46 percent, with men being more literate than women.

Women do all of the household chores, but they are held in high regard. Women are always consulted, especially when it comes to community decisions, because they represent harmony and peace.

Millet and rice are staples of Malian cuisine, with couscous added in the north. Sauces made from edible plants like baoboas, spinach, and peanuts are included.

Mali's cuisine varies according to region. Street food sold from carts and small shops is both tasty and inexpensive. Fried rice, meatballs, beef kebabs, fish, potatoes, and various fried dough treats are among the menu options.

Fresh fruits are plentiful, but should be washed in bleach water before peeling. Papaya, guava, mangoes, watermelons, oranges, and bananas are among them.

There are some "western" restaurants in the larger cities, and the capital city of Bamako has Vietnamese, Lebanese, Chinese, and Italian cuisines, among others.

Mali's legal drinking age is 18. However, because it is a predominantly Muslim country, locals discourage drinking alcohol, even though it is not illegal. There have been reports of arrests and beatings of both locals and foreigners.

Djablani is a popular local beverage. It is made from hibiscus or baobab tree juice combined with ginger. This juice, which is frequently sold in polythene bags, is said to be very refreshing.

Mali's 146 mammal species include two critically endangered, three endangered, ten vulnerable, and three near-threatened species.

Among these threatened species are the addax, dame gazelle, chimp, rhim gazelle, and African wild dog.

Mali lions can now only be found near the Faleme River. Because of their threatened status and protection laws, manatees in the Niger River are no longer hunted for their meat.

The Mali Fire finch, Mali Screeching Frog, Bata Marsh Toad, and freshwater elephant fish are all endemic to Mali.

Only one species of legume in the Fabacear family can be found in Mali. Cram cram and other grasses can be found all over Mali.

Mali has approximately 200 fish species, making fishing an important food industry. The most widely used is capitaine.

Heron species abound in the Niger River's Inner Delta. Mali has seventeen Important Bird Areas (IBAs), ten of which include wetlands (nine of which are in the Inner Delta).

Termites and their "clay castles" can be found in a variety of uncharted areas. The termite populations housed in these are known as alates or flying white ants.

Because of the ongoing conflicts between Islamic factions and the government, many hotels across the country have temporarily closed (including the high end ones).

There are numerous options for lodging, including hotels, room rentals, auberges, and homestays.

Mali, Djenne, West African mosques made entirely of clay.

Mali has two UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Great Mosque of Djinné, for example, was built entirely of mud in 1906. This adobe structure, which has three towers and five stories, is unfortunately not open to the public.

The other is Timbuktu, a historic town with three great mosques and centuries of history. Even today, it is an important stop for salt caravans.

Bamako, the capital on the Niger River, had wonderful local markets to explore. Mopti's harbour town offers river adventures in a pinasse (locally built watercraft).

The Bouche du Baoulé National Park, located northeast of Bamako, is Mali's largest national park and reserve. Monkeys are the only animals left in a place where giraffes, lions, chimps, and gazelles once roamed. Poaching and human encroachment have wiped out the rest.

The Reserve de Ansongo Menaka is located in the southeast, near the Nigerian border. The Reserve de Douantze has the most interesting remaining wildlife.

Wongo and Kouroufring National Parks are also noteworthy, as they are home to desert elephants that migrate with the seasons. The Bafing Chimpanzee Sanctuary is located within the Bafing Biosphere Reserve.

The Bandiagara Cliffs are a stunning hiking destination. The Dogon people of this region have an intriguing culture.

Visit Gao to see the Mausoleum of Askia the Great, a strange 16th-century structure that resembles a step pyramid.