Ethnic groups: 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:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 31%
male: 39.4%
female: 23.1% (1995 est.)
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
Data code: ML
Government type: republic
Capital: Bamako
Administrative divisions: 8 regions (regions, singular—region);
Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou