Mali
Top Sights & Landmarks
Background
Present-day Mali is named after the Mali Empire that ruled the region between the 13th and 16th centuries. At its peak in the 14th century, it was the largest and wealthiest empire in West Africa and controlled an area about twice the size of modern-day France. Primarily a trading empire, Mali derived its wealth from gold and maintained several goldfields and trade routes in the Sahel. The empire also influenced West African culture through the spread of its language, laws, and customs, but by the 16th century, it had fragmented into mostly small chiefdoms. The Songhai Empire, previously a Mali dependency centered in Timbuktu, gained prominence in the 15th and 16th centuries. Under Songhai rule, Timbuktu became a large commercial center, well-known for its scholarship and religious teaching. Timbuktu remains a center of culture in West Africa today. In the late 16th century, the Songhai Empire fell to Moroccan invaders and disintegrated into independent sultanates and kingdoms. France, expanding from Senegal, seized control of the area in the 1890s and incorporated it into French West Africa as French Sudan. In 1960, French Sudan gained independence from France and became the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, the remaining area was renamed the Republic of Mali. Mali saw 31 years of dictatorship until 1991, when a military coup led by Amadou Toumani TOURE ousted the government, established a new constitution, and instituted a multi-party democracy. Alpha Oumar KONARE won Mali's first two democratic presidential elections in 1992 and 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou Toumani TOURE, who won a second term in 2007. In 2012, rising ethnic tensions and an influx of fighters -- some linked to Al-Qa’ida -- from Libya led to a rebellion and military coup. Following the coup, rebels expelled the military from the country’s three northern regions, allowing terrorist organizations to develop strongholds in the area. With a 2013 French-led military intervention, the Malian government managed to retake most of the north. However, the government’s grasp in the region remains weak with local militias, terrorists, and insurgent groups competing for control. In 2015, the Malian Government and northern rebels signed an internationally mediated peace accord. Despite a 2017 target for implementation of the agreement, the signatories have made little progress. Terrorist groups were left out of the peace process, and terrorist attacks remain common. Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA won the Malian presidential elections in 2013 and 2018. Aside from security and logistic shortfalls, international observers deemed these elections credible. Terrorism, banditry, ethnic-based violence, and extra-judicial military killings plagued the country during KEITA’s second term. In 2020, the military arrested KEITA, his prime minister, and other senior members of the government and established a military junta called the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP). The junta then established a transition government and appointed Bah N’DAW, a retired army officer and former defense minister, as interim president and Colonel Assimi GOITA, the coup leader and chairman of the CNSP, as interim vice president. The transition government’s charter allowed it to rule for up to 18 months before calling a general election. In 2021, GOITA led a military takeover, arresting the interim president after a Cabinet shake-up removed GOITA’s key allies. GOITA was sworn in as transition president, and Choguel Kokalla MAIGA was sworn in as prime minister. In 2022, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed sanctions on the transition government, and member states closed their borders with Mali after the transition government presented a five-year extension to the electoral calendar. The transition government and ECOWAS agreed to a new two-year timeline, which would have included presidential elections in February 2024, but the transition government postponed the elections indefinitely in September 2023 and withdrew from ECOWAS in January 2024.
Location
interior Western Africa, southwest of Algeria, north of Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, west of Niger
Area
Elevation
Detailed Geography Information
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Geography - note
landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan
Irrigated land
3,780 sq km (2012)
Land boundaries
Major aquifers
Lullemeden-Irhazer Basin, Taodeni-Tanezrouft Basin
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Lac Faguibine - 590 sq km note - the Niger River is the only source of water for the lake; in recent years the lake is dry
Major rivers (by length in km)
Niger (shared with Guinea [s], Niger, and Nigeria [m]) - 4,200 km; Senegal (shared with Guinea [s], Senegal, and Mauritania [m]) - 1,641 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding
Natural resources
Terrain
mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast
Population & Growth
Age Distribution
Demographic Longevity
Vital Dynamics
Detailed People & Society Information
Alcohol consumption per capita
0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
15% (2024 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
79.2% (2018 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 98.5 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 92.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.2 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 16.2 (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
4.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 17.8% national budget (2024 est.)
Ethnic groups
Gross reproduction rate
2.59 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
4.5% of GDP (2021) 5.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
Hospital bed density
0.2 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 55.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 62.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 52 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
Literacy
total population: 35.5% (2018 est.) male: 46.2% (2018 est.) female: 25.7% (2018 est.)
Major urban areas - population
2.929 million BAMAKO (capital) (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
367 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
19.2 years (2018 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49
Nationality
noun: Malian(s) adjective: Malian
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
8.6% (2016)
Physician density
0.19 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Population distribution
the overwhelming majority of the population lives in the southern half of the country, with greater density along the border with Burkina Faso, as shown in this population distribution map
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Religions
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 7 years (2017 est.) male: 8 years (2017 est.) female: 6 years (2017 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
total: 6.9% (2025 est.) male: 13.1% (2025 est.) female: 0.6% (2025 est.)
Climate & Issues
subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February)
Land Cover
Air & Carbon Emissions
Water Resources & Use
Detailed Environmental Information
International environmental agreements
Urbanization
urban population: 46.2% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 4.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 1.937 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 10.4% (2022 est.)
Capital & State Profile
Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
National Identity & Symbols
three equal vertical bands of green (left side), yellow, and red
Detailed Government Information
Administrative divisions
19 regions (régions, singular - région), 1 district*; Bamako*, Bandiagara, Bougouni, Dioila, Douentza, Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Kita, Koulikoro, Koutiala, Menaka, Mopti, Nara, Nioro, San, Segou, Sikasso, Taoudenni, Tombouctou (Timbuktu)
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Mali dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Constitution
history: several previous; latest drafted 13 October 2022 and submitted to Transition President Assimi GOITA; final draft completed 1 March 2023; approved by referendum 18 June 2023; validated by Constitutional Court 22 July 2023
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Mali conventional short form: Mali local long form: République de Mali local short form: Mali former: French Sudan, Sudanese Republic, Mali Federation etymology: name derives from the Mali Empire of the 13th to 16th centuries A.D.; the Mali name may come from a local ethnic group, the Malinke, whose name is derived from the words ma, meaning "mother," and dink, meaning "child" -- a reference to the matrilinear descent of Malinke families
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International organization participation
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (consists of 19 judges organized into judicial, administrative, and accounting sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the Ministry of Justice to serve 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges selected - 3 each by the president, the National Assembly, and the Supreme Council of the Magistracy; members serve single renewable 7-year terms subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; High Court of Justice (jurisdiction limited to cases of high treason or criminal offenses by the president or ministers while in office); administrative courts (first instance and appeal); commercial courts; magistrate courts; labor courts; juvenile courts; special court of state security
Legal system
civil law system based on the French civil law model and influenced by customary law; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 mixed) selected World Heritage Site locales: Old Towns of Djenné (c); Timbuktu (c); Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) (m); Tomb of Askia (c)
Political parties
African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP-Maliba Alliance for Democracy in Mali-Pan-African Party for Liberty, Solidarity, and Justice or ADEMA-PASJ Alliance for the Solidarity of Mali-Convergence of Patriotic Forces or ASMA-CFP Convergence for the Development of Mali or CODEM Democratic Alliance for Peace or ADP-Maliba Movement for Mali or MPM Party for National Renewal (also Rebirth or Renaissance or PARENA) Rally for Mali or RPM Social Democratic Convention or CDS Union for Democracy and Development or UDD Union for Republic and Democracy or URD Yéléma note 1: only parties with 2 or more seats in the last National Assembly parliamentary elections (30 March and 19 April 2020) included note 2: the National Assembly was dissolved on 18 August 2020 following a military coup and replaced with a National Transition Council; currently 121 members, party affiliations unknown
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economic Overview
low-income Saharan economy; recession due to COVID-19 and political instability; extreme poverty; environmentally fragile; high public debt; agricultural and gold exporter; terrorism and warfare are common
Size & Performance
GDP Sector Breakdown
Trade Balance
Budget Balance
Export Profile
Top Export Partners
Major Export Commodities
Import Profile
Top Import Partners
Major Import Commodities
Labor & Employment
Income Inequality
Family Income / Consumption Share
Detailed Economic Data
Agricultural products
Current account balance
-$1.61 billion (2023 est.) -$1.475 billion (2022 est.) -$1.469 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Debt - external
$4.085 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 606.345 (2024 est.) 606.57 (2023 est.) 623.76 (2022 est.) 554.531 (2021 est.) 575.586 (2020 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
Industrial production growth rate
-2.4% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.2% (2024 est.) 2.1% (2023 est.) 9.6% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Remittances
4.2% of GDP (2023 est.) 4.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 4.9% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Taxes and other revenues
12% (of GDP) (2020 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Grid Infrastructure
Generation Mix
Fossil Fuels Production
Intensity & Nuclear
Digital Access
Active internet users as a percentage of the total population.
Fixed Broadband
Mobile Cellular
Broadcast Media
Aviation
Railways
Military Expenditures
Active Duty Strengths
information varies; estimated 35-40,000 active FAMa, Gendarmerie, and National Guard (2025)
Service & Defense Details
Malian Armed Forces (Forces Armées Maliennes or FAMa): Army (l’Armée de Terre), Air Force (l’Armée de l’Air); National Guard (la Garde Nationale du Mali); National Gendarmerie of Mali (Gendarmerie Nationale du Mali) (2025) note 1: the Gendarmerie and the National Guard are under the authority of the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs (Ministere De La Defense Et Des Anciens Combattants, MDAC), but operational control is shared with the Ministry of Internal Security and Civil Protection which also controls the National Police; the National Police has responsibility for law enforcement and maintenance of order in urban areas and supports the FAMa in internal military operations note 2: the Gendarmerie's primary mission is internal security and public order; its duties also include territorial defense, humanitarian operations, intelligence gathering, and protecting private property, mainly in rural areas; it also has a specialized border security unit note 3: the National Guard is a military force responsible for providing security to government facilities and institutions, prison service, public order, humanitarian operations, some border security, and intelligence gathering; its forces include a camel corps for patrolling the deserts and borders of northern Mali note 4: there are also pro-government militias operating in Mali, such as the Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies (GATIA); the leader of GATIA is also a general in the national army
the FAMa's inventory includes mostly Soviet-era weapons and equipment along with smaller quantities of more modern material from a variety of suppliers, including France, Russia, South Africa, Türkiye, and the UAE (2025)
the FAMa is responsible for the defense of the country’s sovereignty and territory, but also has some domestic security duties, including the maintenance of public order and support to law enforcement; it also participates in socio-economic development projects; the military has traditionally played a large role in Mali’s politics; prior to the coup in August 2020 and military takeover in May 2021, it had intervened in the political arena at least five times since the country gained independence in 1960 (1968, 1976, 1978, 1991, 2012) the FAMa and other security forces are actively engaged in combat operations against several insurgent/terrorist groups affiliated with al-Qa'ida and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS), as well as other armed rebel organizations, communal militias, and criminal bands spread across the central, northern, and southern regions of the country; a large portion of the country--up to 50% by some estimates--is outside of government control the FAMa and the remainder of the security forces collapsed in 2012 during the fighting against Tuareg rebels and Islamic militants and were rebuilt beginning in 2013 with external assistance from the EU and the UN; the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and the EU Training Mission in Mali (EUTM) ended their missions in 2023 and 2024, respectively; France intervened militarily in Mali in 2013 to assist with regaining the northern half of the country from rebel and Islamic militant groups; French troops withdrew in 2022; since 2021, Mali has increased security ties with Russia, which has provided equipment, training, and other forms of military support (2025)
18 years of age for men and women for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; 24-month compulsory service obligation (2025)