NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Republic of Mali
Republique de Mali
former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a transitional government, and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic presidential election was held. After his reelection in 1997, President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political and economic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou TOURE. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Western Africa, southwest of Algeria |
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Geographic coordinates:
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17 00 N, 4 00 W |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total: 1.24 million sq km
water: 20,000 sq km land: 1.22 million sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly less than twice the size of Texas |
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Land boundaries:
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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 |
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February |
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Terrain:
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mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m |
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Natural resources:
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gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, hydropower
note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited |
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Land use:
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arable land: 3.77%
permanent crops: 0.04% other: 96.19% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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1,380 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding |
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Environment - current issues:
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deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban |
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Geography - note:
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landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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11,340,480 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 47.2% (male 2,687,998; female 2,658,605)
15-64 years: 49.8% (male 2,698,789; female 2,950,276) 65 years and over: 3% (male 160,604; female 184,208) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.97% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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48.37 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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18.32 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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119.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 47.39 years
female: 48.64 years (2002 est.) male: 46.18 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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6.73 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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1.7% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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140,000 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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9,900 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Malian(s)
adjective: Malian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5% |
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Religions:
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Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1% |
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Languages:
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French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 38% male: 45% female: 31% (1998 est.) |