2000 Edition

Background

The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a transitional government, and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic presidential election was held. Since his reelection in 1997, President KONARE has continued to push through political and economic reforms and to fight corruption. In 1999 he indicated he would not run for a third term.

Area

land

1.22 million sq km

total

1.24 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

highest point

Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

lowest point

Senegal River 23 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

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

total

7,243 km

Land use

arable land

2%

forests and woodland

6%

other

67% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

0%

permanent pastures

25%

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, hydropower

note

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 2,537,586; female 2,508,782) 15-64 years: 50% (male 2,524,969; female 2,781,762) 65 years and over: 3% (male 156,447; female 176,402) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

49.23 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

19.1 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

123.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

47.85 years (2000 est.)

male

45.5 years

total population

46.66 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

23.1% (1995 est.)

male

39.4%

total population

31%

Nationality

adjective

Malian

noun

Malian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

10,685,948 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

2.98% (2000 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: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.89 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

former

French Sudan and Sudanese Republic

local long form

Republique de Mali

local short form

Mali

Data code

ML

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Michael RANNEBERGER

embassy

Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako

mailing address

B. P. 34, Bamako

telephone

22 54 70

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Cheick Oumar DIARRAH

telephone

(202) 332-2249, 939-8950

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

chief of state

President Alpha Oumar KONARE (since 8 June 1992)

election results

Alpha Oumar KONARE reelected president; percent of vote - Alpha Oumar KONARE 95.9%, Mamadou DIABY 4.1%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 11 May 1997 (next to be held NA May 2002); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (since March 1994)

FAX

(202) 332-6603

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, IOM, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

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)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ADEMA 130, PARENA 8, CDS 4, UDD 3, PDP 2

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

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA ; Block of Alternative for the Renewal of Africa or BARA ; Democratic and Social Convention or CDS ; Movement for the Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA [Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO]; National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID ; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP ; Party for National Renewal or PARENA ; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT ; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP ; Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE, secretary general]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress or UFDP ; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD

Political pressure groups and leaders

Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

$730 million

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 should remain in the 5-6% range in 2000-01, and inflation should drop under 3%.

Electricity - consumption

288 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

310 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

38.71%

hydro

61.29%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1 - 647.25 (January 2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995)

note

since 1 January 1999, the CFAF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro

Exports

$640 million (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

cotton 50%, gold, livestock (1998 est.)

Exports - partners

Thailand 20%, Italy 20%, China 9%, Brazil 5%, Franc Zone (1997)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $8.5 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

46%

industry

21%

services

33% (1998)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $820 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$650 million (f.o.b., 1999 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)

3% (1999 est.)

Labor force

NA

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture and fishing 80% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 7 (1998)

Radios

570,000 (1997)

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 - main lines in use

17,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

45,000 (1997)

Airports

28 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1999 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 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

1,827 km

total

15,100 km

unpaved

13,273 km (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors

Koulikoro

Railways

narrow gauge

729 km 1.000-m gauge

total

729 km (linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes)

Waterways

1,815 km navigable

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$49 million (FY96)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2% (FY96)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 2,202,950 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,262,242 (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

none

MALTA