Mali is a West African country located in the Sahel region. It has an area of 1,240,192 square kilometers and a population of approximately 19 million people. The ethnic composition of Mali is mainly Mande, with other minority groups including Bambara, Fulani, Songhai and Tuareg. The majority of the population are Muslim, with around 95% following Sunni Islam and the rest being either Shia or other religions. Education is compulsory for children up to the age of 16 and the literacy rate is estimated to be around 36%. The official language is French but Bambara and other African languages are widely spoken throughout the country. The capital city Bamako has an estimated population of over 1 million people making it the largest city in Mali. Check hyperrestaurant to learn more about Mali in 2009.
Social conditions
In terms of GDP per capita, Mali is one of the world’s poorest countries. Visit AbbreviationFinder to see the definitions of MLI and acronym for Mali. About 3/4 of the population lives in poverty (under US $ 2 per day). Only half of the population has access to clean water.
The social welfare system in Mali is not very well developed and includes only people with formal employment. For others, social issues are expected to be handled within the family or large family circle. In 2009, 9% of total government expenditure was allocated to health care. Access to care is very poor; there are six hospital beds and fewer than one doctor per 10,000 residents (2008). Qualified personnel are available for half of the deliveries. Most deaths are caused by diseases such as pneumonia, influenza and diarrhea. Malaria and tuberculosis are also common. In 2009, 1% of the population aged 15-49 were estimated to be affected by HIV/AIDS. Check to see Mali population.
Women’s rights are severely limited. In 2009, a law was passed by Parliament that would mean greater gender equality, but after strong protests from Muslim groups, President Touré chose not to sign the proposal.
A new bill was approved in 2012. The law states, among other things. that the woman must obey the man, who is the head of the family. Polygamy is common, as is violence against women. Genital mutilation (female circumcision) is not prohibited and the vast majority of Malian women have been subjected to the procedure. The proportion of girls who attend school is less than the proportion of boys. This is especially true of the secondary school, but also the primary school. Only about 1/3 of the women are professionals. Of the country’s MPs, 10% are women.
Country data
Area: 1,240,192 km2 (world rank: 23)
Population: 18,542,000
Population density: 15 per km2 (as of 2017, world rank: 62)
Capital: Bamako
Official languages: French
Gross domestic product: 15.3 billion US $; Real growth: 5.3%
Gross national product (GNP, per resident and year): 770 US$
Currency: CFA franc
Embassy
Kurfürstendamm 72, 10709 Berlin
Telephone 030 3199883,
Fax 030 31998848 http://ambassademali.de
Government
Head of State: Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, Head of Government: Soumeylou Boubèye Maïga, Outside: Tiéman Coulibaly
National holiday: 22.9.
Administrative structure
8 regions and capital district
State and form of government
Constitution of 1992
Presidential Republic
Parliament: National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) with 147 members, including 13 representatives from Malians abroad, election every 5 years
Direct election of the head of state every 5 years (one-time re-election)
Right to vote from 18 J.
Population of: Malians, last census 2009: 14,528,662 residents
37% Bambara, 14% Fulbe (Peul), 9% Senufo, 9% Soninké, 8% Dogon, 7% Songhai, 7% Malinké, 3% Diola, 2% Bobo and Oulé, 2% Tuareg and other
Cities (with population): (As of 2009) Bamako 1,810,366 inh., Sikasso 226,618, Koutiala 141,444, Ségou 133,501, Kayes 126,319, Mopti 120,786, Kalabancoro 96,173, Gao 86,353, Kati 84,500
Religions: 95% Muslims (mainly Sunnis), 2-5% Christians; Followers of indigenous religions (as of 2006)
Languages: 40% Bambara, 10% French; Songhai-Djerma, Manding, Soninké, Arabic, Ful
Employees by economic sector: no information
Unemployment (in% of all economically active persons)
no information
Inflation rate (in%): 2017: 1.8%
Foreign trade: Import: 4.7 billion US $ (2017); Export: 2.8 billion US $ (2017)
The country, whose surface is 1,240,142 km 2, has been divided into eight administrative regions since 1991 (to the seven indicated in the table, the Kidal region was added starting from 15 May 1991 to meet the pressing needs of the population. tuareg) as well as the urban district of Bamako, the state capital. At the 1987 census, Mali counted 7,620,225 residents, which rose to 8,156,000 according to a 1990 estimate (6.6 residents / km 2). Human settlement is contrasted by the large presence of desert areas, the Sahelian climate, geographic isolation and the poverty of natural resources. In the urban district of Bamako is located the greatest demographic concentration of the Mali: on 267 km 2650,000 residents are housed; the second largest city in the country (Ségou) just over 100,000 residents. Other important centers are Mopti, Sikasso and Kayes.
An articulated ethnic composition with a prevalence of Bambara (32%) over Fulbe and Senufo (respectively 14% and 12%), Songhai (7%), Mossi and Sarakole, is contrasted by a compact religious structure: 90% of the population is Muslim, 9% are animists, the remaining 1% profess the Catholic religion. Still very high is the level of illiteracy that affects over four fifths of the population.
The country’s economy is stagnating in heavy backwardness and is still strongly conditioned by the trend of climatic events. The recurrent droughts that have occurred throughout the Sahelian region over the last twenty years have hit Mali hard, contributing to compromising its modest development prospects. Dramatic consequences also derive from political instability (coup d’etat in 1991, uprising of the Tuareg in the northern regions): the country is garrisoned by the army which, in the eastern and northern regions, has considerable difficulties in controlling the territory. In this context, economic estimates have little meaning. According to the World Bank, however, the gross domestic product per capita it is still below $ 300; life expectancy at birth is less than 50 years and 7 out of 10 adults are illiterate. On the other hand, the country’s external debt is around 2.5 billion dollars. Among the most damaging effects connected with the dramatic trend of internal political events, the progressive loosening of international cooperation, especially in the regions affected by the Tuareg insurrection, and the removal from the country of even minimal, but important from the point of view currency, international tourism flows.