2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 47.2% (male 2,759,802; female 2,727,226) 15-64 years: 49.8% (male 2,771,532; female 3,017,348) 65 years and over: 3% (male 161,983; female 188,328) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

26 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total

7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m

8 (2002) Military Mali

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

Background

The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, what formerly made up 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. After his reelection in 1997, President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political and economic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE. Geography Mali

Birth rate

47.79 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$828 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)

revenues

$764 million

Capital

Bamako

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)

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

Currency

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code

XOF

Death rate

19.21 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$3.3 billion (2000)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Vicki HUDDLESTONE

embassy

Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako

mailing address

B. P. 34, Bamako

telephone

[223] (2) 223-833

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP

Disputes - international

armed bandits based in Mali attack southern Algerian towns This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Distribution of family income - Gini index

50.5 (1994)

Economic aid - recipient

$596.4 million (2001)

Economy - overview

Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal distribution of income. 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, along with gold. The government has 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 have pushed up economic growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2002. Worker remittances and external trade routes have been jeopardized by continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire.

Electricity - consumption

446.6 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

480.2 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

41.7%

hydro

58.3%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

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, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.7 (1999), 589.95 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister

chief of state

President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002)

election results

Amadou Toumani TOURE elected president; percent of vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 64.4%, Soumaila CISSE 35.6%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (two-term limit); election last held 12 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister Ahmed Mohamed Ag HAMANI (since 9 June 2002)

Exports

$680 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

cotton, gold, livestock

Exports - partners

Thailand 13.9%, Italy 9.8%, India 7.7%, Brazil 5.5%, Germany 5%, Spain 4.9%, Portugal 4.3%, Taiwan 4.3% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 332-6603

[223] (2) 223-712

chancery

2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Mali

Flag description

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

GDP

purchasing power parity - $9.775 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

45%

industry

17%

services

38% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $900 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.5% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

17 00 N, 4 00 W

Geography - note

landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan People Mali

Government type

republic

Highways

paved

1,827 km

total

15,100 km

unpaved

13,273 km (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

11,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

110,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

40.4% (1994)

lowest 10%

1.8%

Imports

$630 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners

Cote d'Ivoire 17.1%, France 13.5%, Senegal 6.5%, Germany 4% (2002)

Independence

22 September 1960 (from France)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Infant mortality rate

female

112.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

125.72 deaths/1,000 live births

total

119.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.5% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Internet country code

.ml

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

13 (2001)

Internet users

30,000 (2002) Transportation Mali

Irrigated land

1,380 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Labor force

3.93 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture and fishing 80% (2001 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

3.77%

other

96.19% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0.04%

Languages

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

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 - Hope 2002 coalition 66, ADEMA 51, other 30

elections

last held 14 July and 28 July 2002 (next to be held NA July 2007)

Life expectancy at birth

female

46.19 years (2003 est.)

male

44.7 years

total population

45.43 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

39.6% (2003 est.) Government Mali

male

53.5%

total population

46.4%

Location

Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

16.9 years (2002)

male

15.7 years

total

16.3 years

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$419.7 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

15% (FY02) Transnational Issues Mali

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49

2,441,769 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49

1,400,711 (2003 est.)

National holiday

Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Nationality

adjective

Malian

noun

Malian(s)

Natural hazards

hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Natural resources

gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, hydropower

note

bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited

Net migration rate

-0.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda Traore KEITA, party chairman]; Block of Alternative for the Renewal of Africa or BARA [Yoro DIAKITE]; Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou Bakary SANGARE, chairman]; Hope 2002 [leader NA]; Movement for the Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA [Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO]; National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME, secretary general]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali GNANGADO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA, chairman]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Bonbasor KEITA, chairman]; Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE, secretary general]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary general]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]

Political pressure groups and leaders

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

Population

11,626,219 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

64% average; 30% of the total population living in urban areas; 70% of the total population living in rural areas) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate

2.82% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Koulikoro

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 28, shortwave 1

note

the shortwave station in Bamako has seven frequencies and five transmitters and relays broadcasts for China Radio International (2001)

Radios

570,000 (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

729 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

total

729 km

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio relay in progress

general assessment

domestic system unreliable but improving; provides only minimal service

international

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

45,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular

40,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations

1 (plus repeaters) (2001)

Televisions

45,000 (1997)

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

6.66 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

14.6% urban areas; 5.3% rural areas (2001 est.)

Waterways

1,815 km