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 6 and over can read and write (1988)
total population: 19%
male: 27%
female: 12%

Labor force: 2.666 million (1986 est.) by occupation: agriculture 80%, services 19%, industry and commerce 1% (1981)

@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