1989 Edition

Climate

subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

Coastline

none — landlocked

Comparative area

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

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

Environment

hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; desertification

Flag

red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side of the flag

Land boundaries

7,243 km total; 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

Land use

2% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 25% meadows and pastures; 7% forest and woodland; 66% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Maritime claims

none — landlocked

Natural resources

gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium; bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited

Note

landlocked

Terrain

mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast

Total area

1,240,000 km2; land area: 1 ,220,000 km2

Total area

telephone 258 1

Birth rate

51 births/ 1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

21 deaths/ 1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

50% Mande (Bambara, Malinke, Sarakole), 17% Peul, 12% Voltaic, 6% Songhai, 5% Tuareg and Moor, 10% other

Infant mortality rate

116 deaths/ 1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

2,666,000 (1986 est.); 80% agriculture, 19% services, 1% industry and commerce (1981); 50% of population of working age (1985)

Language

French (official); Bambara spoken by about 80% of the population; numerous African languages

Life expectancy at birth

45 years male, 47 years female (1990)

Literacy

18%

Nationality

noun — Malian(s); adjective — Malian

Net migration rate

— 7 migrants/ 1 ,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

National Union of Malian Workers (UNTM) is umbrella organization for over 1 3 national unions

Population

8,142,373 (July 1990), growth rate 2.3% (1990)

Religion

90% Muslim, 9% indigenous beliefs, 1% Christian

Total fertility rate

7.1 children born/ woman (1990)

Administrative divisions

7 regions (regions, singular — region); Gao, Kayes, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou; note — there may be a new capital district of Bamako

Capital

Bamako

Communists

a few Communists and some sympathizers (no legal Communist party)

Constitution

2 June 1974, effective 19 June 1979; amended September 1981 and March 1985

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Alhousseyni TOURE; Chancery at 2130 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-2249 or 939-8950; US— Ambassador Robert M. PRINGLE; Embassy at Rue Testard and Rue Mohamed V., Bamako (mailing address is B. P. 34, Bamako); telephone 225834

Elections

President — last held on 9 June 1985 (next to be held June 1991); results — General Moussa Traore was reelected without opposition; National Assembly — last held on 26 June 1988 (next to be held June 1991); results — UDPM is the only party; seats — (82 total) UDPM 82

Executive branch

president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Flag

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Independence

22 September 1960 (from France; formerly French Sudan)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (C'our Supreme)

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government— President Gen. Moussa TRAORE (since 6 December 1968) Political parties and leaders: only party — Democratic Union of Malian People (UDPM)

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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (Assemble Nationale)

Long-form name

Republic of Mali

Member of

ACP, AfDB, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB— Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, NAM, Niger River Commision, OAU, QIC, OMVS (Organization for the Development of the Senegal River Valley), UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO,

National holiday

Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 22 September (1960)

Suffrage

universal at age 21

Type

republic; single-party constitutional government

Agriculture

accounts for almost 30% of GDP (including fishing); fishing more important than farming; limited production of coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; most staple foods must be imported

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, and goats

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $28 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $84 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $14 million

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $313 million; Western (nonUS) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.4 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $92 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $190 million

Budget

revenues $51 million; expenditures $50 million, including capital expenditures of $25 million (1988 est.)

revenues $338 million; expenditures $559 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987)

Currency

rufiyaa (plural — rufiyaa); I rufiyaa (Rf) = 100 laaris

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural — francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Electricity

5,000 kW capacity; 10 million kWh produced, 50 kWh per capita (1989)

92,000 kW capacity; 165 million kWh produced, 20 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

rufiyaa (Rf) per US$1 — 9.3043 (January 1990), 9.0408 (1989), 8.7846 (1988), 9.2230 (1987), 7.1507 (1986), 7.0981 (1985)

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 — 287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986),449.26(1985)

Exports

$47.0 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities — fish 57%, clothing 39%; partners — Thailand, Western Europe, Sri Lanka

$260 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities— livestock, peanuts, dried fish, cotton, skins; partners — mostly franc zone and Western Europe

External debt

$70 million (December 1988)

$2.1 billion (December 1988 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

calendar year

GDP

$136 million, per capita $670; real growth rate 9.2% (1988)

$1.94 billion, per capita $220; real growth rate -0.9% (1988 est.)

Imports

$90.0 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.); commodities — intermediate and capital goods 47%, consumer goods 42%, petroleum products 1 1 %; partners — Japan, Western Europe, Thailand

$493 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities— textiles, vehicles, petroleum products, machinery, sugar, cereals; partners— mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Industrial production

growth rate 3.9% (1988 est.)

growth rate NA%

Industries

fishing and fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, some coconut processing, garments, woven mats, coir (rope), handicrafts

small local consumer goods and processing, construction, phosphate, gold, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

14% (1988 est.)

NA% (1987)

Overview

The economy is based on fishing, tourism, and shipping. Agriculture is limited to the production of a few subsistence crops that provide only 10% of food requirements. Fishing is the largest industry, employing 80% of the work force and accounting for over 60% of exports; it is also an important source of government revenue. During the 1980s tourism has become one of the most important and highest growth sectors of the economy. In 1988 industry accounted for about 14% of GDP. Real GDP is officially estimated to have increased by about 10% annually during the period 1974-86, and GDP estimates for 1988 show a further growth of 9% on the strength of a record fish catch and an improved tourist season.

Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with about 80% 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 lives as nomads and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in agriculture and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities.

Unemployment rate

NA%

NA%

Airports

2 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m

37 total, 29 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 7 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Branches

no military force

Army, Air Force; paramilitary, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard

Civil air

I major transport aircraft

no major transport aircraft

Defense expenditures

$1.8 million (1984 est.) Boundary representation is not necessarily authoritative See rtflonil map VII

2.5% of GDP (1987)

Highways

Male has 9.6 km of coral highways within the city

about 15,700 km total; 1,670 km bituminous, 3,670 km gravel and improved earth, 10,360 km unimproved earth

Inland waterways

1,815 km navigable

Merchant marine

16 ships (1,000 CRT or over) totaling 70,066 GRT/1 12,480 DWT; includes 1 2 cargo, 1 container, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 2 bulk

Military manpower

males 15-49, 49,261; 27,519 fit for military service

males 15-49, 1,585,878; 913,000 fit for military service; no conscription

Ports

Male, Can

Railroads

642 km 1.000-meter gauge; linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes

Telecommunications

minimal domestic and international facilities; 2,325 telephones; stations — 2 AM, 1 FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station Defense Forces

domestic system poor but improving; provides only minimal service with radio relay, wire, and radio communications stations; expansion of radio relay in progress; 1 1 ,000 telephones; stations— 2 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV; satellite earth stations— 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT Defense Forces