Capital

Mali

name: Bamako

geographic coordinates: 12 39 N, 8 00 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: the name in the Bambara language can mean either "crocodile tail" or "crocodile river" and three crocodiles appear on the city seal

Citizenship

Mali

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

Legal system

Mali

civil law system based on the French civil law model and influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Constitutional Court

Suffrage

Mali

18 years of age; universal

Area

Mali

total: 1,240,192 sq km

land: 1,220,190 sq km

water: 20,002 sq km

Land use

Mali

agricultural land: 34.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 5.6% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 28.4% (2018 est.)

forest: 10.2% (2018 est.)

other: 55.7% (2018 est.)

Location

Mali

interior Western Africa, southwest of Algeria, north of Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, west of Niger

Age structure

Mali

0-14 years: 47.05% (male 5,054,927/female 4,995,605)

15-64 years: 49.88% (male 5,006,470/female 5,647,289)

65 years and over: 3.07% (2023 est.) (male 323,170/female 332,261)

Birth rate

Mali

40.5 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Mali

8.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Mali

Bambara (official), French 17.2%, Peuhl/Foulfoulbe/Fulani 9.4%, Dogon 7.2%, Maraka/Soninke 6.4%, Malinke 5.6%, Sonrhai/Djerma 5.6%, Minianka 4.3%, Tamacheq 3.5%, Senoufo 2.6%, Bobo 2.1%, other 6.3%, unspecified 0.7% (2009 est.)

note: Mali has 13 national languages in addition to its official language

Life expectancy at birth

Mali

total population: 62.8 years (2023 est.)

male: 60.6 years

female: 65.1 years

Major urban areas - population

Mali

2.929 million BAMAKO (capital) (2023)

Median age

Mali

total: 16.3 years (2023 est.)

male: 15.6 years

female: 17 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Mali

19.2 years (2018 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

Net migration rate

Mali

-3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Mali

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

Population growth rate

Mali

2.93% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Mali

5.45 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Mali

urban population: 46.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 4.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Mali

4.4% of GDP (2021 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Mali

total: 7 years

male: 8 years

female: 7 years (2017)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Mali

-2.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Mali

1.01% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Mali

7.9 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Mali

42.1% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate

Mali

7.72% (2021 est.)

7.7% (2020 est.)

7.44% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Mali

35.4% of GDP (2017 est.)

36% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Mali

3.93% (2021 est.)

0.44% (2020 est.)

-1.66% (2019 est.)

Exports

Mali

$5.196 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$4.442 billion (2019 est.)

$4.186 billion (2018 est.)

Exports - partners

Mali

United Arab Emirates 66%, Switzerland 26% (2019)

Imports

Mali

$6.339 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$6.559 billion (2019 est.)

$6.081 billion (2018 est.)

Imports - partners

Mali

Senegal 23%, Cote d'Ivoire 15%, China 11%, France 9% (2019)

Airports

Mali

25 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Mali

total: 243,806 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Mali

total: 7.48 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 34% (2021 est.)

Railways

Mali

total: 593 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 593 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

Roadways

Mali

total: 139,107 km (2018)

Telephones - fixed lines

Mali

total subscriptions: 301,055 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Mali

total subscriptions: 21,882,251 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 100 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Mali

1,800 km (2011) (downstream of Koulikoro; low water levels on the River Niger cause problems in dry years; in the months before the rainy season the river is not navigable by commercial vessels)

Disputes - international

Mali

Mali-Burkina Faso: demarcation is underway with Burkina Faso