Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
1 (2022 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
179,000 (2022 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
national public TV broadcaster; 2 privately owned companies provide subscription services to foreign multi-channel TV packages; national public radio broadcaster supplemented by a large number of privately owned and community broadcast stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2019)
Communications: Internet country code
.ml
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
36.80% (2024 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
1 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
307,000 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
112 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
25.9 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
maize, rice, millet, sorghum, onions, okra, sugarcane, cotton, mangoes/guavas, sweet potatoes (2023)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$3.563 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$2.841 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
-$374.8 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
-$676.7 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
-$697.7 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$1.016 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
-$1.213 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
-$836.3 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
-$1.289 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
-$379.7 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
-$1.469 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
-$1.475 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
-$1.61 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2024
-$1.159 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2022
$6.234 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2023
$4.085 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
606.345 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
493.900 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
493.757 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
591.212 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
592.606 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
580.657 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
555.446 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
585.911 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
575.586 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
554.531 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
623.760 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
606.570 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
606.345 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
gold, cotton, oil seeds, fertilizers, gum resins (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$2.805 billion (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$3.241 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$3.152 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$3.292 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$3.461 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$4.196 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$4.449 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$5.204 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$5.381 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$5.855 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$6.13 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$6.046 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
22.5% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
13.1% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
71.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-28.4% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
21.6% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
-0.7% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
33.4% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
22.7% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
36.7% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$3,315 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$26.588 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$81.141 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018
36.0 (2018 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021
35.7 (2021 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%
28.3% (2021 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
3.2% (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, cement, cotton fabric, plastic products (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$3.763 billion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$5.197 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$5.685 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$5.600 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$6.131 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$6.608 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$6.396 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$7.596 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$7.942 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$8.066 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$7.323 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
-2.4% (2024 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
1.45% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
-1.80% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
1.76% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
0.30% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
-1.66% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
0.44% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
3.93% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
9.62% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
2.06% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
3.21% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
9.126 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Population below poverty line
45.50% (2021 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2016
36% of GDP (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$39.372 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$43.326 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$48.589 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$51.646 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$59.410 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$59.142 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$62.604 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$64.8 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$67.857 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$71.253 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
6.24% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
6.01% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
5.38% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
4.87% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
5.00% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-1.17% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
3.10% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
3.70% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
4.73% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
4.99% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$2,185 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$2,330 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$2,532 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$2,607 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$2,820 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$2,724 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$2,796 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$3,014 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$3,175 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$894.8 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$921.5 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$816.9 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$997.1 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
4.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
4.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
4.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2024
$1.069 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Taxes and other revenues
12% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
3.29% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
3.53% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
4.01% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
2.39% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
2.95% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
2.92% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
3.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
4% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
4% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
36 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - rural areas
18.3%
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
53% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - urban areas
99.7%
Energy: Electricity generation sources: biomass and waste
1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
57.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: hydroelectricity
37.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
3.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
4.261 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: exports
661.63 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: imports
880 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
1.222 million kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
320.616 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
4.307 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
46,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
83 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
6.858 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
6.858 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February)
Environment: Environmental issues
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; loss of pasture land; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
Nuclear Test Ban
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
35.5% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 6.8% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 28.4% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
8.8% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
55.8% (2023 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
48.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
120 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
5.075 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
107 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
4.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
46.2% of total population (2023)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
1.937 million tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
10.4% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Geography: Area: land
1,220,190 sq km
Geography: Area: water
20,002 sq km
Geography: Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Hombori Tondo 1,155 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Senegal River 23 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
343 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
17 00 N, 4 00 W
Geography: Geography - note
landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan
Geography: Irrigated land
3,780 sq km (2012)
Geography: Land boundaries: border countries
Algeria 1,359 km; Burkina Faso 1,325 km; Cote d'Ivoire 599 km; Guinea 1,062 km; Mauritania 2,236 km; Niger 838 km, Senegal 489 km
Geography: Land boundaries: total
7,908 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
35.5% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 6.8% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 28.4% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
8.8% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
55.8% (2023 est.)
Geography: Major aquifers
Lullemeden-Irhazer Basin, Taodeni-Tanezrouft Basin
Geography: 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
Geography: 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
Geography: Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage
Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)
Geography: Map references
Africa
Geography: Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Geography: Natural hazards
hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding
Geography: 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
Geography: Terrain
mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast
Government: 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)
Government: Capital: etymology
the origin of the name is unclear, but it comes from the Bambara language and can refer either to a crocodile or to a person's name
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
12 39 N, 8 00 W
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Mali
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
yes
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Government: 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
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Mali
Government: Country name: 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
Government: Country name: former
French Sudan, Sudanese Republic, Mali Federation
Government: Country name: local long form
République de Mali
Government: Country name: local short form
Mali
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Rachna KORHONEN (since 16 March 2023)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
ACSBamako@state.gov https://ml.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
ACI 2000, Rue 243, (located off the Roi Bin Fahad Aziz Bridge west of the Bamako central district), Porte 297, Bamako
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: FAX
[223] 20-70-24-79
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
2050 Bamako Place, Washington DC 20521-2050
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[223] 20-70-23-00
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Sékou BERTHE (since 16 September 2022)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
administration@maliembassy.us https://www.maliembassy.us/
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 332-6603
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 332-2249
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
Transition President Assimi GOITA (since 7 June 2021)
Government: Executive branch: election results
2018 : Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (RPM) 41.7%, Soumaila CISSE (URD) 17.8%, other 40.5%; percent of vote in second round - Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA 67.2%, Soumaila CISSE 32.8%
Government: Executive branch: election/appointment process
president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president
Government: Executive branch: head of government
Transition Prime Minister Abdoulaye MAIGA (since 22 November 2024)
Government: Executive branch: most recent election date
29 July 2018, with runoff on 12 August 2018
Government: Flag
description: three equal vertical bands of green (left side), yellow, and red history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement
Government: International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Government: International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), CD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOPS, UN Women, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, World Bank Group, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Government: 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)
Government: Judicial branch: 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
Government: Judicial branch: 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
Government: Legal system
civil law system based on the French civil law model and influenced by customary law; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts
Government: Legislative branch: chamber name
Transitional National Council (Conseil national de transition)
Government: Legislative branch: electoral system
plurality/majority
Government: Legislative branch: expected date of next election
December 2030
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
unicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
Transitional National Council (Conseil national de transition)
Government: Legislative branch: most recent election date
12/5/2020
Government: Legislative branch: number of seats
147 (all appointed)
Government: Legislative branch: percentage of women in chamber
30.1%
Government: Legislative branch: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: National anthem(s): history
adopted 1962
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Seydou Badian KOUYATE/Banzoumana SISSOKO
Government: National color(s)
green, yellow, red
Government: National heritage: selected World Heritage Site locales
Old Towns of Djenné (c); Timbuktu (c); Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) (m); Tomb of Askia (c)
Government: National heritage: total World Heritage Sites
4 (3 cultural, 1 mixed)
Government: National holiday
Independence Day, 22 September (1960)
Government: National symbol(s)
Great Mosque of Djenne
Government: 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
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Introduction: 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.
Military and Security: Military - note
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)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
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)
Military and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; estimated 35-40,000 active FAMa, Gendarmerie, and National Guard (2025)
Military and Security: Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
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)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
2.36% (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
2.59% (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
3.03% (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
2.82% (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
2.75% (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
3.40% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
3.38% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2022
3.09% (2022 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023
3.77% (2023 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024
4.20% (2024 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for men and women for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; 24-month compulsory service obligation (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
46.8% (male 5,175,714/female 5,114,128)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
50.1% (male 5,178,742/female 5,842,456)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
3.1% (2024 est.) (male 334,299/female 345,268)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
0.49 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
39.44 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Child marriage: men married by age 18
2.1% (2018)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 15
15.9% (2018)
People and Society: Child marriage: women married by age 18
53.7% (2018)
People and Society: Children under the age of 5 years underweight
15% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
3.81% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
79.2% (2018 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
7.87 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
6.2 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
16.2 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
98.5 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
92.3 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 74.4% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 83.6% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 94.7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 25.6% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 16.4% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 5.3% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
4.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
17.8% national budget (2024 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
4.18% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
Bambara 33.3%, Fulani (Peuhl) 13.3%, Sarakole/Soninke/Marka 9.8%, Senufo/Manianka 9.6%, Malinke 8.8%, Dogon 8.7%, Sonrai 5.9%, Bobo 2.1%, Tuareg/Bella 1.7%, other Malian 6%, from members of Economic Community of West Africa 0.4%, other 0.3% (2018 est.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
2.59 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
4.5% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
5.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.80% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
0.2 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
52 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
62.6 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
47.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
62.1 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
59.3 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: female
25.7% (2018 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: male
46.2% (2018 est.)
People and Society: Literacy: total population
35.63% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
2.929 million BAMAKO (capital) (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
367 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
17.1 years
People and Society: Median age: male
15.7 years
People and Society: Mother's mean age at first birth
19.2 years (2018 est.)
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Malian
People and Society: Net migration rate
-2.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
8.6% (2016)
People and Society: Physician density
0.19 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
People and Society: Population
24,478,595 (2024 est.)
People and Society: 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
People and Society: Population growth rate
2.94% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
11,635,092
People and Society: Population: male
10,999,331
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: rural
rural: 49.3% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 67.2% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 88.6% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 50.7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 32.8% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 11.4% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): female
6 years (2017 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male
8 years (2017 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total
7 years (2017 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.01 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
0.89 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.97 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: female
0.6% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: male
13.1% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Tobacco use: total
6.9% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
5.51 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
4.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
46.2% of total population (2023)
Terrorism: Terrorist group(s)
Ansar al-Dine; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS); Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs
378,363 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
135,827 (2024 est.)
Transportation: Airports
30 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
TZ, TT
Transportation: Heliports
4 (2025)
Transportation: Railways: narrow gauge
593 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge
Transportation: Railways: total
593 km (2014)
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.