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Africa :: Mali

- ## Introduction :: MALI

- Background:
  The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a military coup that ushered in a period of democratic rule. President Alpha KONARE won Mali's first two democratic presidential elections in 1992 and 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou Toumani TOURE, who was elected to a second term in a 2007 election that was widely judged to be free and fair. Malian returnees from Libya in 2011 exacerbated tensions in northern Mali, and Tuareg ethnic militias rebelled in January 2012. Low- and mid-level soldiers, frustrated with the poor handling of the rebellion, overthrew TOURE on 22 March. Intensive mediation efforts led by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) returned power to a civilian administration in April with the appointment of Interim President Dioncounda TRAORE. The post-coup chaos led to rebels expelling the Malian military from the country's three northern regions and allowed Islamic militants to set up strongholds. Hundreds of thousands of northern Malians fled the violence to southern Mali and neighboring countries, exacerbating regional food shortages in host communities. An international military intervention to retake the three northern regions began in January 2013 and within a month most of the north had been retaken. In a democratic presidential election conducted in July and August of 2013, Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA was elected president.

- ## Geography :: MALI

- Location:
  interior Western Africa, southwest of Algeria, north of Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, west of Niger
  Geographic coordinates:
  17 00 N, 4 00 W
  Map references:
  Africa
  Area:
  total: 1,240,192 sq km
  land: 1,220,190 sq km
  water: 20,002 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 24
  Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas
  Land boundaries:
  total: 7,908 km
  border countries (7): Algeria 1,359 km, Burkina Faso 1,325 km, Cote d'Ivoire 599 km, Guinea 1,062 km, Mauritania 2,236 km, Niger 838 km, Senegal 489 km
  Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)
  Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)
  Climate:
  subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February)
  Terrain:
  mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast
  Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
  highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m
  Natural resources:
  gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum, granite, hydropower
  note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 34.1%
  arable land 5.6%; permanent crops 0.1%; permanent pasture 28.4%
  forest: 10.2%
  other: 55.7% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  2,358 sq km (2003)
  Total renewable water resources:
  100 cu km (2011)
  Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
  total: 6.55 cu km/yr (9%/1%/90%)
  per capita: 545.4 cu m/yr (2000)
  Natural hazards:
  hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding
  Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching
  Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
  Geography - note:
  landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan

- ## People and Society :: MALI

- Nationality:
  noun: Malian(s)
  adjective: Malian
  Ethnic groups:
  Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%
  Languages:
  French (official), Bambara 46.3%, Peul/foulfoulbe 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%, unspecified 0.6%, other 8.5%
  note: Mali has 13 national languages in addition to its official language
  Religions:
  Muslim 94.8%, Christian 2.4%, Animist 2%, none 0.5%, unspecified 0.3% (2009 Census)
  Population:
  16,955,536 (July 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 67
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 47.44% (male 4,038,801/female 4,005,256)
  15-24 years: 19.09% (male 1,543,751/female 1,693,410)
  25-54 years: 26.75% (male 2,106,889/female 2,428,643)
  55-64 years: 3.75% (male 317,513/female 317,957)
  65 years and over: 2.97% (male 251,693/female 251,623) (2015 est.)
  population pyramid:
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 100.2%
  youth dependency ratio: 95.1%
  elderly dependency ratio: 5%
  potential support ratio: 19.8% (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 16.1 years
  male: 15.5 years
  female: 16.8 years (2015 est.)
  Population growth rate:
  2.98% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 8
  Birth rate:
  44.99 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 2
  Death rate:
  12.89 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 19
  Net migration rate:
  -2.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 172
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 39.9% of total population (2015)
  rate of urbanization: 5.08% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  BAMAKO (capital) 2.515 million (2015)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-24 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  25-54 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
  55-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 102.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 108.88 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 95.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 2
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 55.34 years
  male: 53.48 years
  female: 57.25 years (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 208
  Total fertility rate:
  6.06 children born/woman (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 3
  Contraceptive prevalence rate:
  10.3% (2012/13)
  Health expenditures:
  7.1% of GDP (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 119
  Physicians density:
  0.08 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
  Hospital bed density:
  0.1 beds/1,000 population (2010)
  Drinking water source:
  improved:
  urban: 96.5% of population
  rural: 64.1% of population
  total: 77% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 3.5% of population
  rural: 35.9% of population
  total: 23% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved:
  urban: 37.5% of population
  rural: 16.1% of population
  total: 24.7% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 62.5% of population
  rural: 83.9% of population
  total: 75.3% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.42% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 35
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  133,400 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 35
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  5,300 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 29
  Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2013)
  Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
  5.7% (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 166
  Children under the age of 5 years underweight:
  27.9% (2006)
  country comparison to the world: 20
  Education expenditures:
  4.8% of GDP (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 83
  Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 38.7%
  male: 48.2%
  female: 29.2% (2015 est.)
  School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
  total: 8 years
  male: 9 years
  female: 7 years (2011)
  Child labor - children ages 5-14:
  total number: 1,485,027
  percentage: 36% (2010 est.)

- ## Government :: MALI

- Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Mali
  conventional short form: Mali
  local long form: Republique de Mali
  local short form: Mali
  former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic
  Government type:
  republic
  Capital:
  name: Bamako
  geographic coordinates: 12 39 N, 8 00 W
  time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  Administrative divisions:
  8 regions (regions, singular - region), 1 district*; District de Bamako*, Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou (Timbuktu)
  Independence:
  22 September 1960 (from France)
  National holiday:
  Independence Day, 22 September (1960)
  Constitution:
  several previous; latest drafted August 1991, approved by referendum 12 January 1992, effective 25 February 1992; amended 1999; note - suspended briefly in 2012 (2012)
  Legal system:
  civil law system based on the French civil law model and influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court
  International law organization participation:
  has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
  Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (since 4 September 2013)
  head of government: Prime Minister Modibo KEITA (since 8 January 2015)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 28 July 2013 with a runoff on 11 August 2013 (election delayed from April 2012 due to a coup in March 2012); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA elected president in runoff; percent of vote - Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (RPM) 77.6%, Soumaila CISSE (URD) 22.4%
  Legislative branch:
  description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats; members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote in two rounds if needed; members serve 5-year terms)
  elections: last held in two rounds on 24 November 2013 and on 15 December 2013 (next to be held in 2018); note - the scheduled July 2012 election was cancelled due to a coup d'etat and the Tuareg Rebellion
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FDR coalition 64 (RPM 61, PARENA 3), ADP coalition 42 (ADEMA 20, URD 18, CNID 4), FARE 5, CODEM 5, SADI 4, ASMA-CFP 4, Yelema 2, independent 16, other 5; note - 13 seats were from voters abroad
  Judicial branch:
  highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 19 members organized into 3 civil chambers and a criminal chamber); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 members)
  judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court members appointed by the Ministry of Justice to serve 5-year terms; Constitutional Court members selected - 3 each by the president, the National Assembly, and the Supreme Council of the Magistracy; members serve single renewable 7-year terms
  subordinate courts: High Court of Justice (jurisdiction limited to cases of high treason or criminal offenses by the president or ministers while in office)
  Political parties and leaders:
  African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI [Oumar MARIKO, Secretary General]
  Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Dionconda TRAORE]
  Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP (a coalition of political parties including ADEMA and URD formed in December 2006 to support the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE)
  Alliance for Democratic Change (political group comprised mainly of Tuareg from Mali's northern region)
  Alliance for the Solidarity of Mali-Convergence of Patriotic Forces or ASMA-CFP [Soumeylou Boubeye MAIGA]
  Alternative Forces for Renewal and Emergence or FARE [Modibo SIDIBE]
  Convergence for the development of Mali or CODEM [Housseyni GUINDO]
  Economic and Social Development Party or PDES [Jamille BITTAR]
  Front for Democracy and the Republic or FDR (a coalition of political parties including RPM and PARENA formed to oppose the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE)
  Movement for a Common Destiny or MODEC [Koniba SIDIBE]
  National Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL]
  Party for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Mady KONATE]
  Party for National Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile DRAME]
  Patriotic Movement for Renewal or MPR [Choguel Kokalla MAIGA]
  Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Amadou Ali NIANGADOU]
  Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA] (ruling party)
  Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou TOURE]
  Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Tieman Hubert COULIBALY]
  Union for Republic and Democracy or URD [Younoussi TOURE]
  Yelema [Moussa MARA]
  Political pressure groups and leaders:
  other: the army; Islamic authorities; state-run cotton company CMDT
  International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tiena COULIBALY (since 18 November 2014)
  chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Paul A. FOLMSBE (since 2015)
  embassy: located just off the Roi Bin Fahad Aziz Bridge just west of the Bamako central district
  mailing address: ACI 2000, Rue 243, Porte 297, Bamako
  telephone: [223] 2070-2300
  FAX: [223] 2070-2479
  Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red
  note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the colors from left to right are the same as those of neighboring Senegal (which has an additional green central star) and the reverse of those on the flag of neighboring Guinea
  National symbol(s):
  Great Mosque of Djenne; national colors: green, yellow, red
  National anthem:
  name: "Le Mali" (Mali)
  lyrics/music: Seydou Badian KOUYATE/Banzoumana SISSOKO
  note: adopted 1962; also known as "Pour L'Afrique et pour toi, Mali" (For Africa and for You, Mali) and "A ton appel Mali" (At Your Call, Mali)

- ## Economy :: MALI

- Economy - overview:
  Among the 25 poorest countries in the world, Mali is a landlocked country that depends on gold mining and agricultural exports for revenue. The country's fiscal status fluctuates with gold and agricultural commodity prices and the harvest; cotton and gold exports make up around 80% of export earnings. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger River and about 65% of its land area is desert or semidesert. About 10% of the population is nomadic and about 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Mali remains dependent on foreign aid. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. Mali is developing its iron ore extraction industry to diversify foreign exchange earnings away from gold, but the pace will largely depend on global price trends. The government is subsidizing the production of cereals to decrease the country’s dependence on imported foodstuffs and to reduce its vulnerability to food price shocks. The main threat to Mali’s economy is a return to physical insecurity. Other long term threats to the economy include high population growth, corruption, a weak infrastructure, and low levels of human capital. The administration’s purchase of a presidential jet for $40 million and inflated defense contracts damaged it’s credibility and led the IMF to temporarily suspend aid in 2014.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $27.31 billion (2014 est.)
  $25.56 billion (2013 est.)
  $25.13 billion (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 131
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $11.92 billion (2014 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  6.8% (2014 est.)
  1.7% (2013 est.)
  0% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 37
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $1,700 (2014 est.)
  $1,600 (2013 est.)
  $1,600 (2012 est.)
  note: data are in 2014 US dollars
  country comparison to the world: 215
  Gross national saving:
  18.2% of GDP (2014 est.)
  15.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
  15.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 106
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: 78.4%
  government consumption: 16.6%
  investment in fixed capital: 14.8%
  investment in inventories: 0%
  exports of goods and services: 26.5%
  imports of goods and services: -36.2%
  (2014 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 38%
  industry: 23.3%
  services: 38.7% (2014 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats
  Industries:
  food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining
  Industrial production growth rate:
  5.5% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 48
  Labor force:
  5.538 million (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 72
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 80%
  industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  30% (2004 est.)
  8.1% (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 181
  Population below poverty line:
  36.1% (2005 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3.5%
  highest 10%: 25.8% (2010 est.)
  Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40.1 (2001)
  50.5 (1994)
  country comparison to the world: 58
  Budget:
  revenues: $2.698 billion
  expenditures: $3.265 billion (2014 est.)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  22.4% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 144
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  -4.7% of GDP (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 157
  Public debt:
  32.1% of GDP (2014 est.)
  29.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 120
  Fiscal year:
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.9% (2014 est.)
  -0.6% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 55
  Central bank discount rate:
  16% (31 December 2010)
  4.25% (31 December 2009)
  country comparison to the world: 8
  Commercial bank prime lending rate:
  9.3% (31 December 2014 est.)
  9.3% (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 94
  Stock of narrow money:
  $2.833 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $2.772 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 120
  Stock of broad money:
  $3.984 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $3.817 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 140
  Stock of domestic credit:
  $2.484 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $2.37 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 135
  Market value of publicly traded shares:
  $NA
  Current account balance:
  -$949 million (2014 est.)
  $232.4 million (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 78
  Exports:
  $2.763 billion (2014 est.)
  $3.081 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 134
  Exports - commodities:
  cotton, gold, livestock
  Exports - partners:
  China 18.8%, India 14.4%, Indonesia 11.1%, Bangladesh 9.6%, Thailand 8.3%, Australia 4.3% (2014)
  Imports:
  $2.995 billion (2014 est.)
  $2.964 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 150
  Imports - commodities:
  petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, textiles
  Imports - partners:
  France 11.7%, Senegal 10.6%, Cote dIvoire 9%, China 7.7% (2014)
  Debt - external:
  $3.737 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $3.431 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 136
  Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
  $2.812 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
  $2.412 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 100
  Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
  $61.2 million (31 December 2014 est.)
  $52.28 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 94
  Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  491.2 (2014 est.)
  494.04 (2013 est.)
  510.53 (2012 est.)
  471.87 (2011 est.)
  495.28 (2010 est.)

- ## Energy :: MALI

- Electricity - production:
  520 million kWh (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 163
  Electricity - consumption:
  483.6 million kWh (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 172
  Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 169
  Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 172
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  304,000 kW (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 152
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  48.4% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 157
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 139
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  51.6% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 46
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 203
  Crude oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 199
  Crude oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 154
  Crude oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 93
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 165
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 173
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  5,440 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 166
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 198
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  4,698 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 156
  Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 166
  Natural gas - consumption:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 171
  Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 144
  Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 98
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 170
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  773,900 Mt (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 171

- ## Communications :: MALI

- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 160,000
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 136
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total: 23.5 million
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 143 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 50
  Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving; increasing use of local radio loops to extend network coverage to remote areas
  domestic: fixed-line subscribership remains less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscribership has increased sharply to about 70 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 223; satellite communications center and fiber-optic links to neighboring countries; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Indian Ocean) (2010)
  Broadcast media:
  national public TV broadcaster; 2 privately owned companies provide subscription services to foreign multi-channel TV packages; national public radio broadcaster supplemented by a large number of privately owned and community broadcast stations; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)
  Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 230 (27 regional and government stations, and 203 private stations), shortwave 1 (2001)
  Television broadcast stations:
  2 (plus repeaters) (2007)
  Internet country code:
  .ml
  Internet users:
  total: 12.4 million
  percent of population: 75.2% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 38

- ## Transportation :: MALI

- Airports:
  25 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 129
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 8
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2013)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 17
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m:
  5 (2013)
  Heliports:
  2 (2013)
  Railways:
  total: 593 km
  narrow gauge: 593 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
  country comparison to the world: 110
  Roadways:
  total: 22,474 km
  paved: 5,522 km
  unpaved: 16,952 km (2009)
  country comparison to the world: 103
  Waterways:
  1,800 km (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) (2011)
  country comparison to the world: 43
  Ports and terminals:
  river port(s): Koulikoro (Niger)

- ## Military :: MALI

- Military branches:
  Malian Armed Forces: Army (Armee de Terre), Republic of Mali Air Force (Force Aerienne de la Republique du Mali, FARM), National Guard (Garde National du Mali) (2013)
  Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; 2-year conscript service obligation (2012)
  Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 2,848,412
  females age 16-49: 2,981,106 (2010 est.)
  Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 1,825,779
  females age 16-49: 1,968,563 (2010 est.)
  Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
  male: 158,031
  female: 159,733 (2010 est.)
  Military expenditures:
  1.44% of GDP (2012)
  1.51% of GDP (2011)
  1.44% of GDP (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 68

- ## Transnational Issues :: MALI

- Disputes - international:
  demarcation is underway with Burkina Faso
  Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 12,898 (Mauritania) (2014)
  IDPs: 61,920 (Tuareg rebellion since 2012) (2015)
  Trafficking in persons:
  current situation: Mali is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; women and girls are forced into domestic servitude, agricultural labor, and support roles in gold mines, as well as subjected to sex trafficking; Malian boys are found in conditions of forced labor in agricultural settings, gold mines, and the informal commercial sector, as well as forced begging within Mali and neighboring countries; Malians and other Africans who travel through Mali to Mauritania, Algeria, or Libya in hopes of reaching Europe are particularly at risk of becoming victims of human trafficking; men and boys, primarily of Songhai ethnicity, are subjected to the longstanding practice of debt bondage in the salt mines of Taoudenni in northern Mali; some members of Mali's black Tamachek community are subjected to traditional slavery-related practices, and this involuntary servitude reportedly has extended to their children; there has been a decrease in the recruitment of Malian children as combatants, cooks, porters, guards, spies, and sex slaves by non-governmental armed groups in northern Mali
  tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Mali does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; although the government enacted a comprehensive anti-trafficking law in 2012, it did not demonstrate evidence of overall increasing efforts to address human trafficking over the previous year; the government failed to prosecute or convict any trafficking offenders because the law had not yet been distributed to judges and a significant lack of awareness of the law within the judiciary remained; authorities did not provide any direct services to victims and did not make any tangible prevention efforts; NGOs provided care to victims without government funding; no awareness-raising campaigns or anti-trafficking training were carried out (2014)

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