*Mali, Geography
Location:
Western Africa, between Mauritania and Niger
Map references:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
1.24 million km2
land area:
1.22 million km2
comparative area:
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries:
total 7,243 km, Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina 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
International 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:
0%
meadows and pastures:
25%
forest and woodland:
7%
other:
66%
Irrigated land:
50 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
hot, dust-laden harmattan; haze common during dry seasons; desertification
Note:
landlocked
*Mali, People
Population:
8,868,617 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.66% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
51.73 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
20.81 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
-4.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
108 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
45.45 years
male:
43.89 years
female:
47.06 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
7.33 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Malian(s)
adjective:
Malian
Ethnic divisions:
Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Sarakole), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%,
Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%
Religions: Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%
Languages:
French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
32%
male:
41%
female:
24%
Labor force:
2.666 million (1986 est.)
by occupation:
agriculture 80%, services 19%, industry and commerce 1% (1981)
note:
50% of population of working age (1985)
*Mali, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Mali
conventional short form:
Mali
local long form:
Republique de Mali
local short form:
Mali
former:
French Sudan
Digraph:
ML
Type:
republic
Capital:
Bamako
Administrative divisions:
8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti,
Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou
Independence:
22 September 1960 (from France)
Constitution:
new constitution adopted in constitutional referendum in 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:
Anniverary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 22 September (1960)
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy (Adema), Alpha Oumar KONARE; National Committee for
Democratic Initiative (CNID), Mountaga TALL; Sudanese Union/African
Democratic Rally (US/RAD), Baba Hakib HAIDARA and Treoule Mamadon KONATE;
Popular Movement for the Development of the Republic of West Africa; Rally
for Democracy and Progress (RDP), Almamy SYLLA; Union for Democracy and
Development (UDD), Moussa Balla COULIBALY; Rally for Democracy and Labor
(RDT); Union of Democratic Forces for Progress (UFDP), Col. Youssouf TRAORE;
Party for Democracy and Progress (PDP), Idrissa TRAORE; Malian Union for
Democracy and Development (UMDD)
Suffrage:
21 years of age; universal
Elections:
President:
last held in April 1992; Alpha KONARE was elected in runoff race against
Montaga TALL
National Assembly:
last held on 8 March 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by
party NA; seats - (total 116) Adema 76, CNID 9, US/RAD 8, Popular Movement
for the Development of the Republic of West Africa 6, RDP 4, UDD 4, RDT 3,
UFDP 3, PDP 2, UMDD 1
Executive branch:
Transition Committee for the Salvation of the People (CTSP) composed of 25
members, predominantly civilian
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
*Mali, Government
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Alpha Oumar KONARE (since 8 June 1992)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister Younoussi TOURE (since 8 June 1992)
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 in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Siragatou Ibrahim CISSE
chancery:
2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 332-2249 or 939-8950
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Herbert Donald GELBER
embassy:
Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V., Bamako
mailing address:
B. P. 34, Bamako
telephone:
[223] 225470
FAX:
[233] 228059
Flag:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the
popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
*Mali, Economy
Overview:
Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with about 70% of its land
area desert or semidesert. Economic activity is largely confined to the
riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population live as
nomads and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in agriculture and
fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities.
In consultation with international lending agencies, the government has
adopted a structural adjustment program for 1992-95, aiming at GDP annual
growth of 4.6%, inflation of no more than 2.5% on average, and a substantial
reduction in the external current account deficit.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2.3 billion (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
-0.2% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
$265 (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.4% (1991 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues $329 million; expenditures $519 million, including capital
expenditures of $178 (1989 est.)
Exports:
$320 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
livestock, peanuts, dried fish, cotton, skins
partners:
mostly franc zone and Western Europe
Imports:
$390 million (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
textiles, vehicles, petroleum products, machinery, sugar, cereals
partners:
mostly franc zone and Western Europe
External debt:
$2.6 billion (1991 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 15.0% (1990 est.); accounts for 10.0% of GDP
Electricity:
260,000 kW capacity; 750 million kWh produced, 90 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
small local consumer goods and processing, construction, phosphate, gold,
fishing
Agriculture:
accounts for 50% of GDP; most production based on small subsistence farms;
cotton and livestock products account for over 70% of exports; other crops -
millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; livestock - cattle, sheep, goats
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $349 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $3,020 million; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $92 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $190
million
Currency:
1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 274.06 (January
1993), 264.69 (1992), 282.11 (1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85
(1988)