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Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]

cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats

Budget [time series]

revenues: $730 million expenditures: $770 million, including capital expenditures of $320 million (1997 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]

$2.8 billion (1995)

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economic overview (Economy-overview) [time series]

Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% 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 is nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export. In 1997, the government continued its successful implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform, and the 50% devaluation of the African franc in January 1994, has pushed up economic growth. Several multinational corporations increased gold mining operations in 1996 and the government anticipates that Mali will become a major Sub-Saharan gold exporter in the next few years.

Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]

87,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]

31 kWh (1995)

Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]

290 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

CFA francs (CFAF) per US$1-608.36 (January 1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996), 499.15 (1995), 555.20 (1994), 283.16 (1993) note: beginning 12 January 1994, the CFA franc was devalued to CFAF 100 per French franc from CFAF 50 at which it had been fixed since 1948

Exports [time series]

total value: $473 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: cotton, livestock, gold partners: mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year Communications

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

purchasing power parity-$6 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 49% industry: 17% services: 34% (1995)

Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$600 (1997 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]

6% (1997 est.)

Imports [time series]

total value: $797 million (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, construction materials, petroleum, textiles partners: mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

0.6% (1995 est.)

Industries [time series]

minor local consumer goods production and food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]

3% (1997 est.)

Labor force [time series]

total: NA by occupation: agriculture 80%, services 19%, industry and commerce 1% (1981)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 2, shortwave 1

Radios [time series]

430,000 (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic system poor but improving; provides only minimal service domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open wire, and radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio relay in progress international: satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

11,000 (1982 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (1987 est.)

Televisions [time series]

11,000 (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 1.24 million sq km land: 1.22 million sq km water: 20,000 sq km

Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

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]

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Senegal River 23 m highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching

International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Geographic coordinates [time series]

17 00 N, 4 00 W

Geography - note (Geography-note) [time series]

landlocked

Irrigated land [time series]

780 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 7,243 km border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 6% other: 67% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

8 regions (regions, singular-region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Constitution [time series]

adopted 12 January 1992

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Mali conventional short form: Mali local long form: Republique de Mali local short form: Mali former: French Sudan

Data code [time series]

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador David P. RAWSON embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako telephone: [223] 22 54 70

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Cheick Oumar DIARRAH chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Alpha Oumar KONARE (since 8 June 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Ibrahima Boubacar KEITA (since March 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 11 May 1997 (next to be held May 2002); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Alpha Oumar KONARE reelected president; percent of vote-Alpha Oumar KONARE 85.15%, Mamadou DIABY 4.09%, other 10.76%

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

[1] (202) 332-6603

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

[223] 22 37 12

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

22 September 1960 (from France)

International organization participation [time series]

ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Legal system [time series]

based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was formally established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 20 July and 3 August 1997 (next to be held in two rounds in 2002); note-much of the opposition boycotted the election election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-ADEMA 130, PARENA 8, CDS 4, UDD 3, PDP 2

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Bamako

National holiday [time series]

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

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

Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Ibrahim N'DIAYE, secretary-general]; Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME, secretary-general]; Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou Bakary SANGARE, chairman]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY, leader]; Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE, leader]; National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE, secretary-general]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA, chairman]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali GNANGADO, leader]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary-general]; Movement for the Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA [Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO, leaders]

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

United Movement and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA; Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Kaye or MPGK

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Army, Air Force, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Guard, National Police (Surete Nationale)

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]

$66 million (1994)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]

2.2% (1994)

Military manpower - availability (Military manpower-availability) [time series]

males age 15-49: 2,051,976 (1998 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service (Military manpower-fit for military service) [time series]

males: 1,174,078 (1998 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 47% (male 2,405,624; female 2,383,728) 15-64 years: 49% (male 2,367,538; female 2,628,399) 65 years and over: 4% (male 152,999; female 170,281) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

49.88 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate [time series]

19.04 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

121.72 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages [time series]

French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 47.03 years male: 45.67 years female: 48.43 years (1998 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 31% male: 39.4% female: 23.1% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Malian(s) adjective: Malian

Net migration rate [time series]

1.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population [time series]

10,108,569 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.24% (1998 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

7.02 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]

none MALTA

Transportation

Airports [time series]

28 (1997 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]

total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1997 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 22 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 10 (1997 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 15,100 km paved: 1,827 km unpaved: 13,273 km (1996 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Koulikoro

Railways [time series]

total: 641 km; (linked to Senegal's rail system through Kayes) narrow gauge: 641 km 1.000-m gauge (1995)

Waterways [time series]

1,815 km navigable