Geography
Area: 1,240,278 sq. km. (474,764 sq. mi.); about the size of Texas
and California combined.
Cities: Capital--Bamako (pop. 1 million). Other cities--Segou
(200,000), Sikasso (120,000), Mopti (90,000), Gao (65,000), Kayes
(65,000), Timbuktu (38,000).
Terrain: Savannah and desert.
Climate: Semitropical in the south; arid in the north.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Malian(s).
Population (2002 est.): 10.5 million.
Annual growth rate: 2.2%.
Ethnic groups: Manding (Bambara or Bamana, Malinke) 52%, Fulani 11%,
Saracolé 7%, Mianka 4%, Songhai 7%, Tuareg and Maur 5%, other 14%.
Religions: Islam 90%, indigenous 6%, Christian 4%.
Languages: French (official) and Bambara (spoken by about 80% of the
population).
Education: Attendance--64.3% (primary). Literacy--31%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--121/1,000. Life expectancy--47
yrs.
Work force (4 million): Agriculture--70%; services--15%;
industry and commerce--15%.
Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: September 22, 1960.
Constitution: Approved by referendum January 12, 1992.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state and commander
in chief of the armed forces), prime minister (head of government).
Legislative--National Assembly is the sole legislative arm of
the government; currently consisting of 147 members. Judicial--Supreme
Court with both judicial and administrative powers.
Political parties: Mali is a multiparty democracy. Sixteen political
parties are represented in the National Assembly; others are active
in local government.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Administrative subdivisions: Eight regions and capital district.
Central government budget (2003): Revenues--$1.144 billion;
expenditures--$1.285 billion; $141 million deficit.
Economy
GDP (2003): $4.79 billion.
Avg. annual growth rate (2003-04): 5.4%.
Per capita income (2003): $250.
Annual skilled worker's salary: $1,560.
Avg. inflation rate (2003): -1.3%.
Natural resources: Gold, phosphate, kaolin, salt, and limestone
currently mined; deposits of bauxite, iron ore, manganese, lithium,
and uranium are known or suspected.
Agriculture, livestock, and fishery (36% of GDP): Products--millet,
sorghum, corn, rice, livestock, sugar, cotton, groundnuts (peanuts),
and tobacco.
Industry (22% of GDP): Types--food processing, textiles,
cigarettes, fish processing, metalworking, light manufacturing,
plastics, and beverage bottling.
Trade (2003): Exports--$1.06 billion: gold, cotton and cotton
products, animals, fish, tannery products, groundnuts, and diamonds.
Major markets--France, Switzerland, Italy, Thailand, Cote
d'Ivoire, and Algeria. Imports--$951 million: food, machinery
and spare parts, vehicles, petroleum products, chemicals and
pharmaceuticals, textiles. Major suppliers--France, Cote
d'Ivoire, Belgium, Luxembourg, U.S. ($31.5 million), Germany, and
Japan.
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