Mali

Mali

Introduction

Background

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 – led by the current president Amadou TOURE – enabling Mali’s emergence as one of the strongest democracies on the continent. President Alpha KONARE won Mali’s first democratic presidential election in 1992 and was reelected in 1997. In keeping with Mali’s two-term constitutional limit, KONARE stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE, who was subsequently elected to a second term in 2007. The elections were widely judged to be free and fair.

Geography

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

17 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references

Africa

Area

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

Area – comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land 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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

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

Elevation extremes

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

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

Land use

arable land: 3.76%
permanent crops:0.03%
other:96.21% (2005)

Irrigated land

2,360 sq km (2008)

Total renewable water resources

100 cu km (2001)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 6.55cu km/yr (9%/1%/90%)
per capita:484cu 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

Nationality

noun: Malian(s)
adjective:Malian

Ethnic groups

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

Languages

French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Religions

Muslim 90%, Christian 1%, indigenous beliefs 9%

Population

14,159,904 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67

Age structure

0-14 years: 47.3% (male 3,372,717/female 3,325,188)
15-64 years:49.7% (male 3,438,687/female 3,605,143)
65 years and over:3% (male 199,862/female 218,307) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 16.3 years
male:15.9 years
female:16.7 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

2.61% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25

Birth rate

45.62 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3

Death rate

14.29 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14

Net migration rate

-5.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 194

Urbanization

urban population: 36% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:4.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

BAMAKO (capital) 1.628 million (2009)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over:0.92 male(s)/female
total population:0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Maternal mortality rate

830 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 10

Infant mortality rate

total: 111.35 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 4 male:118.15 deaths/1,000 live births
female:104.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 52.61 years
country comparison to the world: 205 male:51.01 years
female:54.26 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.44 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 3

Health expenditures

7.5% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 65

Physicians density

0.049 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 178

Hospital bed density

0.57 beds/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 167

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 81% of population
rural: 44% of population
total: 56% of population
unimproved:
urban: 19% of population
rural: 56% of population
total: 44% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 54% of population
rural: 32% of population
total: 36% of population
unimproved:
urban: 46% of population
rural: 68% of population
total: 54% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

1% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

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

HIV/AIDS – deaths

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

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases:bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease:malaria
water contact disease:schistosomiasis
respiratory disease:meningococcal meningitis (2009)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

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

Education expenditures

4.4% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 86

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:46.4%
male:53.5%
female:39.6% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 8 years
male:9 years
female:7 years (2009)

Government

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

Government type

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)

Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Independence

22 September 1960 (from France)

National holiday

Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Constitution

adopted 12 January 1992

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

Suffrage

18 years of age

universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002)
head of government:Prime Minister CISSE Mariam Kaidama Sidibe (since 3 April 2011)
cabinet:Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections:president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term)

election last held on 29 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2012)

prime minister appointed by the president
election results:Amadou Toumani TOURE reelected president

percent of vote – Amadou Toumani TOURE 71.2%, Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA 19.2%, other 9.6%

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 (next to be held in July 2012)
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

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

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]

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

rebels in the northern region

state-run cotton company CMDT

tuaregs

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Mamadou TRAORE
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 Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC
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] 270-2300
FAX:[223] 270-2479

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

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 some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. The government has continued an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that has helped the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali is developing its cotton and iron ore extraction industries to diversify its revenue sources because gold production has started to fall. Mali has invested in tourism but security issues are hurting the industry. Mali’s adherence to economic reform and the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic growth to a 5% average in 1996-2010. Worker remittances and external trade routes for the landlocked country have been jeopardized by continued unrest in neighboring Cote d’Ivoire. However, Mali is building a road network that will connect it to all adjacent countries and it has a railway line to Senegal. In 2010, Mali experienced a regional drought that hurt livestock and livelihoods.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$16.77 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134 $16.06 billion (2009 est.)
$15.37 billion (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate)

$9.268 billion (2010 est.)

GDP – real growth rate

4.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84 4.5% (2009 est.)
5% (2008 est.)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$1,200 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207 $1,200 (2009 est.)
$1,200 (2008 est.)
note:data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 38.9%
industry:21.5%
services:39.6% (2010 est.)

Labor force

3.241 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99

Labor force – by occupation

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

Unemployment rate

30% (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177

Population below poverty line

36.1% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%:30.5% (2006)

Distribution of family income – Gini index

40.1 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 62 50.5 (1994)

Investment (gross fixed)

25.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55

Budget

revenues: $1.898 billion
expenditures:$2.143 billion (2010 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

20.5% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.6% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89

Public debt

30.5% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90 24.3% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.1% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28 2.2% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate

16% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83 4.25% (31 December 2009 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

9.2% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111 9.5% (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$1.783 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124 $1.758 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$2.522 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141 $2.514 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$1.181 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149 $994.9 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Agriculture – products

cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts

cattle, sheep, goats

Industries

food processing

construction

phosphate and gold mining

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Electricity – production

490 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160

Electricity – consumption

455.7 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166

Electricity – exports

0 kWh
note:Mali may be providing electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199

Oil – consumption

6,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162

Oil – exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191

Oil – imports

4,507 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163

Oil – proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165

Natural gas – production

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99

Natural gas – consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151

Natural gas – proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167

Current account balance

-$704.6 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122 -$645.4 million (2009 est.)

Exports

$2.071 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132 $1.889 billion (2009 est.)

Exports – commodities

cotton, gold, livestock

Exports – partners

China 27.2%, Indonesia 8.2%, Thailand 5.3%, Burkina Faso 5.2%, Morocco 5%, South Korea 4.9% (2010)

Imports

$2.38 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150 $2.082 billion (2009 est.)

Imports – commodities

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

Imports – partners

Senegal 13.6%, France 11%, Cote dIvoire 10%, China 6.8%, South Korea 5.2% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.292 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129 $1.605 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt – external

$3.024 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129 $2.667 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
495.28 (2010)
472.19 (2009)
493.51 (2007)
522.59 (2006)

Transportation

Airports

20 (2010)
country comparison to the world:136

Airports – with paved runways

total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m:4
1,524 to 2,437 m:3
914 to 1,523 m:1 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m:4
914 to 1,523 m:5
under 914 m:3 (2010)

Railways

total: 593 km
country comparison to the world: 109 narrow gauge:593 km 1.000-m gauge (2010)

Roadways

total: 18,912 km
country comparison to the world: 114 paved:3,597 km
unpaved:15,315 km (2005)

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) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 45

Ports and terminals

Koulikoro

Military

Military branches

Malian Armed Forces: Army, Republic of Mali Air Force (Force Aerienne de la Republique du Mali, FARM), National Guard (2008)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service

conscript service obligation – 2 years (2011)

Manpower available for military service

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

Manpower fit for military service

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

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

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

Military expenditures

1.9% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 75

Transnational Issues

Disputes – international

demarcation is currently underway with Burkina Faso

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 6,300 (Mauritania) (2007)

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

within Mali, 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

boys from Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Niger, and other countries are forced into begging and exploited for labor

adult 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 rooted in hereditary master-slave relationships, and this involuntary servitude reportedly has extended to their children
tier rating:Tier 2 Watch List – the government acknowledged that human trafficking is a problem in Mali, but it did not demonstrate significant efforts to prosecute and convict trafficking offenders

although the government identified at least 198 trafficking victims during the year – 152 of whom were Malian children in prostitution – it prosecuted only three trafficking cases and convicted two trafficking offenders (2011)