Airports [time series]

37 total, 29 usable; 8 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 7 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

no major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

about 15,700 km total; 1,670 km bituminous, 3,670 km gravel and improved earth, 10,360 km unimproved earth

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

1,815 km navigable

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

642 km 1.000-meter gauge; linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

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

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Air Force; paramilitary, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

2.5% of GDP (1987)

Military manpower [time series]

males 15-49, 1,585,878; 913,000 fit for military service; no conscription

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $313 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $2.4 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $92 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $190 million

Budget [time series]

revenues $338 million; expenditures $559 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural--francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Electricity [time series]

92,000 kW capacity; 165 million kWh produced, 20 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--287.99 (January 1990), 319.01 (1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)

Exports [time series]

$260 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities--livestock, peanuts, dried fish, cotton, skins; partners--mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$2.1 billion (December 1988 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

$1.94 billion, per capita $220; real growth rate - 0.9% (1988 est.)

Imports [time series]

$493 million (f.o.b., 1987); commodities--textiles, vehicles, petroleum products, machinery, sugar, cereals; partners--mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%

Industries [time series]

small local consumer goods and processing, construction, phosphate, gold, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

NA% (1987)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with about 80% 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 lives as nomads and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in agriculture and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities.

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Climate [time series]

subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

Coastline [time series]

none--landlocked

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; desertification

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

2% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 25% meadows and pastures; 7% forest and woodland; 66% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Maritime claims [time series]

none--landlocked

Natural resources [time series]

gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium; bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited

Note [time series]

landlocked

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast

Area (Total area) [time series]

1,240,000 km2; land area: 1,220,000 km2

Administrative divisions [time series]

7 regions (regions, singular--region); Gao, Kayes, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou; note--there may be a new capital district of Bamako

Capital [time series]

Bamako

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

a few Communists and some sympathizers (no legal Communist party)

Constitution [time series]

2 June 1974, effective 19 June 1979; amended September 1981 and March 1985

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Alhousseyni TOURE; Chancery at 2130 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-2249 or 939-8950; US--Ambassador Robert M. PRINGLE; Embassy at Rue Testard and Rue Mohamed V., Bamako (mailing address is B. P. 34, Bamako); telephone 225834

Executive branch [time series]

president, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Flag [time series]

three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Independence [time series]

22 September 1960 (from France; formerly French Sudan)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Chief of State and Head of Government--President Gen. Moussa TRAORE (since 6 December 1968)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly (Assemble Nationale)

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of Mali

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ACP, AfDB, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, NAM, Niger River Commission, OAU, OIC, OMVS (Organization for the Development of the Senegal River Valley), UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO,

National holiday [time series]

Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 22 September (1960)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

only party--Democratic Union of Malian People (UDPM)

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 21 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

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic; single-party constitutional government

Birth rate [time series]

51 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

21 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

50% Mande (Bambara, Malinke, Sarakole), 17% Peul, 12% Voltaic, 6% Songhai, 5% Tuareg and Moor, 10% other

Infant mortality rate [time series]

116 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

2,666,000 (1986 est.); 80% agriculture, 19% services, 1% industry and commerce (1981); 50% of population of working age (1985)

Languages (Language) [time series]

French (official); Bambara spoken by about 80% of the population; numerous African languages

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

45 years male, 47 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

18%

Nationality [time series]

noun--Malian(s); adjective--Malian

Net migration rate [time series]

- 7 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

National Union of Malian Workers (UNTM) is umbrella organization for over 13 national unions

Population [time series]

8,142,373 (July 1990), growth rate 2.3% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

90% Muslim, 9% indigenous beliefs, 1% Christian

Total fertility rate [time series]

7.1 children born/woman (1990)