1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
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: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 47% (male 2,482,301; female 2,460,894) 15-64 years: 49% (male 2,447,712; female 2,708,978) 65 years and over: 4% (male 155,178; female 174,061) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
49.5 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
18.56 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Sarakole), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%
Infant mortality rate
119.44 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 47.5 years male: 46.09 years female: 48.96 years (1999 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
-0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
10,429,124 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
3.01% (1999 est.)
Religions
Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
6.96 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
8 regions (regions, singular--region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou
Capital
Bamako
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 Ibrahim 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%
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, MINURCA, MIPONUH, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMSIL, 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 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
Judicial branch
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA TRAORE]; National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID Movement for the Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa Political pressure groups and leaders: United Movement and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA; Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye 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 holiday
Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 22 September (1960)
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal
Economy
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
$3.1 billion (1998)
Economic aid--recipient
$596.4 million (1995)
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 1996-98, and the government anticipates that Mali will become a major Sub-Saharan gold exporter in the next few years. Annual growth thus may fall in the 5% range in 1999-2000, and inflation held to 5% or less.
Electricity--consumption
288 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
288 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 21.88% hydro: 78.12% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--567.81 (January 1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994)
Exports
$590 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Exports--commodities
cotton 50%, gold, livestock (1998 est.)
Exports--partners
Thailand 20%, Italy 20%, China 9%, Brazil, franc zone (1997)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$8 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 49% industry: 17% services: 34% (1995)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$790 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
4.6% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$600 million (f.o.b., 1998 est.)
Imports--commodities
machinery and equipment, construction materials, petroleum, foodstuffs, textiles
Imports--partners
Cote d'Ivoire 19%, France 17%, other franc zone and EU countries (1997)
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 prices)
5% (1998 est.)
Labor force
NA
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture and fishing 80% (1998 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
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
1 (in addition, there are two repeaters) (1997)
Televisions
11,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Airports
28 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 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 (1998 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 and Security
Military branches
Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard, National Police (Surete Nationale)
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$49 million (1996)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
2% (1996)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 2,128,375 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 1,218,732 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
none