MALI
GEOGRAPHY
Total area: 1,240,000 km2; land area: 1,220,000 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries: 7,243 km total; Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina 1,000
km, Guinea 858 km, Ivory Coast 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,
Senegal 419 km
Coastline: none--landlocked
Maritime claims: none--landlocked
Disputes: the disputed international boundary between Burkina and
Mali was submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in October
1983 and the ICJ issued its final ruling in December 1986, which both
sides agreed to accept; Burkina and Mali are proceeding with boundary
demarcation, including the tripoint with Niger
Climate: subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy,
humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February
Terrain: mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand;
savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast
Natural resources: gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone,
uranium; bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known
but not exploited
Land use: arable land 2%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and
pastures 25%; forest and woodland 7%; other 66%; includes irrigated NEGL%
Environment: hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry
seasons; desertification
Note: landlocked
PEOPLE
Population: 8,338,542 (July 1991), growth rate 2.4% (1991)
Birth rate: 51 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate: 21 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
Net migration rate: - 6 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
Infant mortality rate: 114 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Life expectancy at birth: 45 years male, 47 years female (1991)
Total fertility rate: 7.0 children born/woman (1991)
Nationality: noun--Malian(s); adjective--Malian
Ethnic divisions: Mande (Bambara, Malinke, Sarakole) 50%, Peul 17%,
Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 5%, other 10%
Religion: Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%
Language: French (official); Bambara spoken by about 80% of the
population; numerous African languages
Literacy: 32% (male 41%, female 24%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force: 2,666,000 (1986 est.); agriculture 80%, services 19%,
industry and commerce 1% (1981); 50% of population of working age (1985)
Organized labor: National Union of Malian Workers (UNTM) is
umbrella organization for over 13 national unions
GOVERNMENT
Long-form name: Republic of Mali
Type: republic; the single-party constitutional government
was overthrown on 26 March 1991; the new ruling National
Reconciliation Council has promised a multiparty democracy
Capital: Bamako
Administrative divisions: 7 regions (regions,
singular--region); Gao, Kayes, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso,
Tombouctou; note--there may be a new capital district of Bamako
Independence: 22 September 1960 (from France; formerly French
Sudan)
Constitution: 2 June 1974, effective 19 June 1979; amended
September 1981 and March 1985; suspended following the coup of
26 March 1991
Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law;
judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Section of Court of
State; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic,
22 September (1960)
Executive branch: National Conciliation Council led by the
military, following the coup of 26 March 1991
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Assemble
Nationale)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State--following the military coup of 26 March 1991
President Gen. Moussa TRAORE was deposed and the National
Reconciliation Council, led by Lt. Col. Amadou Toumani TOURE and Lt. Col.
Kafougouna KONE, was installed;
Head of Government--Interim Premier Soumana SACKO (since 2
April 1991)
Political parties and leaders: formerly the only party, the
Democratic Union of Malian People (UDPM), was disbanded after the coup of
26 March 1991, and the new regime legalized the formation of political
parties on 5 April 1991; new political parties are--Union of Democratic
Forces (UFD), Demba DIALLO;
Union for Democracy and Development (UDD), Moussa Bala COULIBALY;
Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally (US-RDA), Mamadou Madeira KEITA;
African Party for Solidarity and Justice (ADEMA), Alpha Oumar KONARE;
Party for Democracy and Progress (PDP), Idrissa TRAORE;
Democratic Party for Justice (PDJ), Abdul BA;
Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), Almany SYLLA;
Party for the Unity of Malian People (PUPM), Nock AGATTIA;
Hisboulah al Islamiya, Hamidou DRAMERA;
Union of Progressive Forces (UFP), Yacouba SIDIBE;
National Congress of Democratic Initiative (CNID), Mountaga TALL;
Assembly for Justice and Progress, Kady DRAME;
other parties forming
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections:
President--last held on 9 June 1985 (next to be held June 1991);
results--General Moussa TRAORE was reelected without opposition;
National Assembly--last held on 26 June 1988 (next to be held June
1991); results--UDPM is the only party; seats--(82 total) UDPM 82;
note--following the military coup of 26 March 1991 President TRAORE
was deposed and the UDPM was disbanded; the new ruling National
Reconciliation Council, formed of 17 soldiers, has promised to
institute a multiparty democracy and is expected to hold elections
by December 1991
Communists: a few Communists and some sympathizers (no legal
Communist party)
Member of: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC,
ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
WADB, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Mohamed Alhousseyni TOURE;
Chancery at 2130 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202)
332-2249 or 939-8950;
US--Ambassador Herbert D. GELBER; Embassy at Rue Rochester NY and
Rue Mohamed V., Bamako (mailing address is B. P. 34, Bamako); telephone
223 223712
Flag: three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and
red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
ECONOMY
Overview: Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with
about 70% 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 live as nomads and some 80% of the labor force is
engaged in agriculture and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated
on processing farm commodities.
GDP: $2.0 billion, per capita $250; real growth rate 9.9% (1989
est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA% (1987)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $329 million; expenditures $519 million, including
capital expenditures of $178 (1989 est.)
Exports: $285 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities--livestock, peanuts, dried fish, cotton, skins;
partners--mostly franc zone and Western Europe
Imports: $513 million (f.o.b., 1989 est.);
commodities--textiles, vehicles, petroleum products, machinery,
sugar, cereals;
partners--mostly franc zone and Western Europe
External debt: $2.2 billion (1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 19.9% (1989 est.); accounts
for 7% of GDP
Electricity: 253,000 kW capacity; 730 million kWh produced,
90 kWh per capita (1990)
Industries: small local consumer goods and processing,
construction, phosphate, gold, fishing
Agriculture: accounts for 50% of GDP; most production based on
small subsistence farms; cotton and livestock products account for over
70% of exports; other crops--millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts;
livestock--cattle, sheep, and goats
Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $349
million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-88), $2.65 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $92 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $190 million
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc
(plural--francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF)
per US$1--256.54 (January 1991), 272.26 (1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85
(1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
COMMUNICATIONS
Railroads: 642 km 1.000-meter gauge; linked to Senegal's rail
system through Kayes
Highways: about 15,700 km total; 1,670 km bituminous, 3,670 km
gravel and improved earth, 10,360 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways: 1,815 km navigable
Civil air: no major transport aircraft
Airports: 37 total, 29 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways;
none with runways over 3,659 m; 6 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 10 with
runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: domestic system poor but improving; provides
only minimal service with radio relay, wire, and radio communications
stations; expansion of radio relay in progress; 11,000 telephones;
stations--2 AM, 2 FM, 2 TV; satellite earth stations--1 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT
DEFENSE FORCES
Branches: Army, Air Force; paramilitary Gendarmerie,
Republican Guard, National Guard, National Police
Manpower availability: males 15-49, 1,631,445; 940,954 fit for
military service; no conscription
Defense expenditures: $45 million, 2.4% of GDP (1988)