:Maldives Defense Forces
Branches:
National Security Service (paramilitary police force)
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 52,195; 29,162 fit for military service
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $1.8 million, NA% of GDP (1984 est.)
:Mali Geography
Total area:
1,240,000 km2
Land area:
1,220,000 km2
Comparative area:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
7,243 km; Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Ivory Coast 532
km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km
Coastline:
none - landlocked
Maritime claims:
none - landlocked
Disputes:
the disputed international boundary between Burkina and Mali was submitted
to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in October 1983 and the ICJ
issued its final ruling in December 1986, which both sides agreed to accept;
Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the
tripoint with Niger
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
Natural resources:
gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium; bauxite, iron ore,
manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited
Land use:
arable land 2%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 25%; forest and
woodland 7%; other 66%; includes irrigated NEGL%
Environment:
hot, dust-laden harmattan; haze common during dry seasons; desertification
Note:
landlocked
:Mali People
Population:
8,641,178 (July 1992), growth rate 2.5% (1992)
Birth rate:
52 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
21 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-5 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
110 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
43 years male, 47 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
7.3 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Malian(s); adjective - Malian
Ethnic divisions:
Mande (Bambara, Malinke, Sarakole) 50%, Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%,
Tuareg and Moor 5%, other 10%
Religions:
Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%
Languages:
French (official); Bambara spoken by about 80% of the population; numerous
African languages
Literacy:
32% (male 41%, female 24%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
2,666,000 (1986 est.); agriculture 80%, services 19%, industry and commerce
1% (1981); 50% of population of working age (1985)
Organized labor:
National Union of Malian Workers (UNTM) is umbrella organization for over 13
national unions
:Mali Government
Long-form name:
Republic of Mali
Type:
republic; an interim government appointed by the national reform conference
has organized a series of democratic elections and is scheduled to hand over
power to an elected government on 26 March 1992
Capital:
Bamako
Administrative divisions:
8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti,
Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou
Independence:
22 September 1960 (from France; formerly French Sudan)
Constitution:
2 June 1974, effective 19 June 1979; amended September 1981 and March 1985;
new constitution presented during national reform conference in August 1991;
a constitutional referendum is scheduled for 16 January 1992
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of
legislative acts in Constitutional Section of Court of State; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 22 September (1960)
Executive branch:
Transition Committee for the Salvation of the People (CTSP) composed of 25
members, predominantly civilian
Legislative branch:
Transition Committee for the Salvation of the People (CTSP)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State:
Lt. Col. Amadou Toumani TOURE
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Soumana SAKO (since 2 April 1991)
Political parties and leaders:
formerly the only party, the Democratic Union of Malian People (UDPM), was
disbanded after the coup of 26 March 1991, and the new regime legalized the
formation of political parties on 5 April 1991; new political parties are
Union of Democratic Forces (UFD), Demba DIALLO; Union for Democracy and
Development (UDD), Moussa Bala COULIBALY; Sudanese Union/African Democratic
Rally (US-RDA), Mamadou Madeira KEITA; African Party for Solidarity and
Justice (ADEMA), Alpha Oumar KONARE; Party for Democracy and Progress (PDP),
Idrissa TRAORE; Democratic Party for Justice (PDJ), Abdul BA; Rally for
Democracy and Progress (RDP), Almany SYLLA; Party for the Unity of Malian
People (PUPM), Nock AGATTIA; Hisboulah al Islamiya, Hamidou DRAMERA; Union
of Progressive Forces (UFP), Yacouba SIDIBE; National Congress of Democratic
Initiative (CNID), Mountaga TALL; Assembly for Justice and Progress, Kady
DRAME; Sudanese Progressive Party (PPS), Sekene Mody SISSOKO; numerous small
parties formed in 1991; 46 total parties
Suffrage:
universal at age 21
Elections:
President:
last held on 9 June 1985 (next to be held March 1992); results - Gen. Moussa
TRAORE was reelected without opposition
:Mali Government
National Assembly:
last held on 26 June 1988 (next to be held NA 1992); results - UDPM was the
only party; seats - (82 total) UDPM 82; note - following the military coup
of 26 March 1991, President TRAORE was deposed and the UDPM was disbanded;
the 25-member CTSP has instituted a multiparty system, and presidential
elections are to be held on 26 March 1992 and legislative elections on 9
February 1992 (new National Assembly to have 116 seats)
Member of:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM,
OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Mohamed Alhousseyni TOURE; Chancery at 2130 R Street NW,
Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-2249 or 939-8950
US:
Ambassador Herbert D. GELBER; Embassy at Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed
V., Bamako (mailing address is B. P. 34, Bamako); telephone [223] 225470;
FAX [233] 22-80-59
Flag:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the
popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia