1998 Edition

Area

total: 1.24 million sq km land: 1.22 million sq km water: 20,000 sq km

Area-comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Senegal River 23 m highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Environment-current issues

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching

Environment-international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geographic coordinates

17 00 N, 4 00 W

Geography-note

landlocked

Irrigated land

780 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 7,243 km border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km

Land use

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 6% other: 67% (1993 est.)

Location

Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 47% (male 2,405,624; female 2,383,728) 15-64 years: 49% (male 2,367,538; female 2,628,399) 65 years and over: 4% (male 152,999; female 170,281) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

49.88 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

19.04 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

121.72 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 47.03 years male: 45.67 years female: 48.43 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 31% male: 39.4% female: 23.1% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Malian(s) adjective: Malian

Net migration rate

1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

10,108,569 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

3.24% (1998 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

7.02 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

8 regions (regions, singular-region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Constitution

adopted 12 January 1992

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

Executive branch

chief of state: President Alpha Oumar KONARE (since 8 June 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Ibrahima Boubacar KEITA (since March 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 11 May 1997 (next to be held May 2002); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Alpha Oumar KONARE reelected president; percent of vote-Alpha Oumar KONARE 85.15%, Mamadou DIABY 4.09%, other 10.76%

FAX

[1] (202) 332-6603 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David P. RAWSON embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako telephone: [223] 22 54 70

[223] 22 37 12

Flag description

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

Government type

republic

Independence

22 September 1960 (from France)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cheick Oumar DIARRAH chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Ibrahim N'DIAYE, secretary-general]; Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME, secretary-general]; Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou Bakary SANGARE, chairman]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY, leader]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE, leader]; National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE, secretary-general]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA, chairman]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali GNANGADO, leader]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary-general]; Movement for the Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA [Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO, leaders] Political pressure groups and leaders: United Movement and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA; Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Kaye or MPGK

Legal system

based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was formally established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 July and 3 August 1997 (next to be held in two rounds in 2002); note-much of the opposition boycotted the election election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-ADEMA 130, PARENA 8, CDS 4, UDD 3, PDP 2

National capital

Bamako

National holiday

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

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats

Budget

revenues: $730 million expenditures: $770 million, including capital expenditures of $320 million (1997 est.)

Currency

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Debt-external

$2.8 billion (1995)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy-overview

Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% 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 is nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export. In 1997, the government continued its successful implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform, and the 50% devaluation of the African franc in January 1994, has pushed up economic growth. Several multinational corporations increased gold mining operations in 1996 and the government anticipates that Mali will become a major Sub-Saharan gold exporter in the next few years.

Electricity-capacity

87,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

31 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

290 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1-608.36 (January 1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Exports

total value: $473 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: cotton, livestock, gold partners: mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$6 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 49% industry: 17% services: 34% (1995)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$600 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

6% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $797 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, construction materials, petroleum, textiles partners: mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Industrial production growth rate

0.6% (1995 est.)

Industries

minor local consumer goods production and food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Inflation rate-consumer price index

3% (1997 est.)

Labor force

total: NA by occupation: agriculture 80%, services 19%, industry and commerce 1% (1981)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1

Radios

430,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

domestic system poor but improving; provides only minimal service domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open wire, and radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio relay in progress international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Telephones

11,000 (1982 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1987 est.)

Televisions

11,000 (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Airports

28 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 22 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 10 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 15,100 km paved: 1,827 km unpaved: 13,273 km (1996 est.)

Railways

total: 641 km; (linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes) narrow gauge: 641 km 1.000-m gauge (1995)

Waterways

1,815 km navigable Ports and harbors: Koulikoro

Military branches

Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard, National Police (Surete Nationale)

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$66 million (1994)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

2.2% (1994)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 2,051,976 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 1,174,078 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

none