MALI

MALIPOPULATION: 13,443,225



BackgroundThe 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 emerce 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.
Terms of UseGeographyLandlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid SaharanLoion:Western Africa, southwest of AeriaGeographic coordinates:17 00 N, 4 00 WAr:total: 1,240,192 sq km land: 1,220,190 sq km water: 20,002 sq km

Size comparison:slightly less than twice the size of TexasLand Boundaries:total: 7,243 km border countries: Aeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guin 858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 kmCoastline: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 northstElevation extremes:lowest point: Senegal River 23 m highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 mNatural resources:gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum, granite, hydropower note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not edLand use:arable land: 3.76% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 96.21% (2005)Irrigated land:2,360 sq km (2003)Natural hazards:hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry ssons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River floodingCurrent Environment Issues:deforestation; soil erosion; desertifiion; inadequate supplies of potable water; poachingInternational Environment Agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertifiion, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the S, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
PeoplePopulation:13,443,225 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68Age structure:0-14 yrs: 48.3% (male 3,089,406/female 3,023,341) 15-64 yrs: 48.7% (male 3,065,167/female 3,101,914) 65 yrs and over: 3.1% (male 151,718/female 235,441) (2009 est.)Median age:total: 15.8 yrs male: 15.5 yrs female: 16.2 yrs (2009 est.)Population growth rate:2.594% (2009 est.)Birth rate:46.44 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)Dth rate:14.96 dths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)Net migration rate:-5.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)Sex ratio:at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 yrs: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 yrs: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 yrs and over: 0.64 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)Infant mortality rate:total: 115.86 dths/1,000 live births male: 122.75 dths/1,000 live births female: 108.77 dths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)Life expectancy at birth:total population: 51.78 yrs male: 50.21 yrs female: 53.4 yrs (2009 est.)Total fertility rate:6.62 children born/woman (2009 est.)HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:1.5% (2007 est.)HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:100,000 (2007 est.)HIV/AIDS - dths:5,800 (2007 est.)Nationality:noun: Malian(s) adjective: MalianEthnic groups:Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%Religions:Muslim 90%, Christian 1%, indious beliefs 9%Languages:French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languagesLiteracy:definition: age 15 and over can rd and write total population: 46.4% male: 53.5% female: 39.6% (2003 est.)
GovernmentCountry 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 RepublicGovernment type:republicCapital:name: Bamako geographic coordinates: 12 39 N, 8 00 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahd of Washington, DC during Standard Time)Administrative divisions:8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, TombouctouIndependence:22 September 1960 (from France)National holiday:Independence Day, 22 September (1960)Constitution:adopted 12 January 1992Legal system:based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdictionSuffrage:18 yrs of age; universalExecutive branch:chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002) hd of government: Prime Minister Modibo SIDIBE (since 28 September 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-yr 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 sts; members elected by popular vote to serve five-yr 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; sts by party - ADP coalition 113 (including ADEMA 51, URD 34, MPR 8, CNID 7, UDD 3, and other 10), FDR coalition 15 (including RPM 11, PARENA 4), SADI 4, independent 15Judicial branch:Supreme Court or Cour SupremePolitical parties and lders:Alliance for Democratic Change (political group comprised mainly of Tuareg from Mali's northern region); African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI [Oumar MARIKO, secretary eral]; 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 Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE]; Converce 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 lders:other: the army; Islamic authorities; rebels in the northern region; state-run cotton company CMDT; tuaregsInternational organization participation:ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTODiplomatic representation in the US:chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Mohamed Ouzouna MAIGA chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603Diplomatic representation from the US:chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC embassy: loed 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
EconomyMali is among the 25 poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its land ar desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine ar irrigated by the Niger. 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. Mali is hvily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices for gold and cotton, its main exports. The government has continued its successful implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali has invested in tourism and a tractor assembly factory. 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 1996-2008. 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.GDP (purchasing power parity):GDP (purchasing power parity): $15.38 billion (2009 est.) $14.93 billion (2008 est.) $14.2 billion (2007 est.) note: data are in 2009 US dollarsGDP (official exchange rate):GDP (official exchange rate): $8.757 billion (2009 est.)GDP - rl growth rate:3% (2009 est.) 5.1% (2008 est.) 2.8% (2007 est.)GDP - per capita (PPP):GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,100 (2009 est.) $1,100 (2008 est.) $1,100 (2007 est.) note: data are in 2009 US dollarsGDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 45% industry: 17% services: 38% (2001 est.)Labor force:3.241 million (2007 est.)Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: 80% industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)Unemployment rate:30% (2004 est.)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) 50.5 (1994)Inflation rate (consumer prices):Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.5% (2007 est.)Budget:revenues: $1.5 billion expenditures: $1.8 billion (2006 est.)Agriculture - products:cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, pnuts; tle, sheep, goatsIndustries:food processing; construction; phosphate and gold miningIndustrial production growth rate:NA%Electricity - production:515 million kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - consumption:479 million kWh (2007 est.)Electricity - exports:0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2008 est.)Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2008 est.)Oil - production:0 bbl/day (2008 est.)Oil - consumption:5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)Oil - exports:0 bbl/day (2007 est.)Oil - imports:4,402 bbl/day (2007 est.)Oil - proved reserves:0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)Natural gas - production:0 cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - consumption:0 cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - exports:0 cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2008 est.)Natural gas - proved reserves:0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)Current account balance:$-446 million (2007 est.)Exports:$294 million (2006 est.)Exports - commodities:cotton, gold, livestockExports - partners:China 26.7%, Thailand 10.7%, Denmark 6.4%, Pakistan 5.2%, Morocco 5% (2008)Imports:$2.358 billion (2006 est.)Imports - commodities:petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, textilesImports - partners:Senegal 13.1%, France 11.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 11.2%, China 5.9% (2008)Debt - external:$2.8 billion (2002 est.)Market value of publicly traded shares:$NAExchange rates:Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 481.35 (2009), 447.81 (2008), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005) note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro; West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa, even though the two currencies trade at par
CommuniionsTele in use:82,800 (2008) country comparison to the world: 148Cellular in use:3.267 million (2008)Telephone system:eral assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving; provides only minimal service domestic: fixed-line subscribership remains less than 1 per 100 persons; incrsing use of local radio loops to extend network coverage to remote ars; mobile-cellular subscribership has incrsed sharply to about 25 per 100 persons international: country - 223; satellite rth stations - 2 sat (1 Atlantic Ocn, 1 Indian Ocn) (2008)Radio broadcast stations:AM 1, FM 230 (27 regional and government stations, and 203 private stations), shortwave 1 (2001)Television broadcast stations:2 (plus repters) (2007)Internet country :.mlInternet hosts:519 (2009)Internet users:200,000 (2008)
TransportationAirports:22 (2009) country comparison to the world: 134Airports (paved runways):total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)Airports (unpaved runways):total: 14 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2009)Railways:total: 593 km narrow gauge: 593 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)Roadways:total: 18,709 km paved: 3,368 km unpaved: 15,341 km (2004)Waterways:1,800 km (2008)Ports and terminals:Koulikoro
MilitaryMilitary 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 yrs of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 yrs (2008)Manpower available for military service:males age 16-49: 2,603,700 females age 16-49: 2,441,776 (2008 est.)Manpower fit for military service:males age 16-49: 1,649,772 females age 16-49: 1,579,601 (2009 est.)