Present-day Mali is named after the Mali Empire that ruled the region between the 13th and 16th centuries. At its peak in the 14th century, it was the largest and wealthiest empire in West Africa and controlled an area about twice the size of modern-day France. Primarily a trading empire, Mali derived its wealth from gold and maintained several goldfields and trade routes in the Sahel. The empire also influenced West African culture through the spread of its language, laws, and customs, but by the 16th century, it had fragmented into mostly small chiefdoms. The Songhai Empire, previously a Mali dependency centered in Timbuktu, gained prominence in the 15th and 16th centuries. Under Songhai rule, Timbuktu became a large commercial center, well-known for its scholarship and religious teaching. Timbuktu remains a center of culture in West Africa today. In the late 16th century, the Songhai Empire fell to Moroccan invaders and disintegrated into independent sultanates and kingdoms.
France, expanding from Senegal, seized control of the area in the 1890s and incorporated it into French West Africa as French Sudan. In 1960, French Sudan gained independence from France and became the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, the remaining area was renamed the Republic of Mali. Mali saw 31 years of dictatorship until 1991, when a military coup led by Amadou Toumani TOURE ousted the government, established a new constitution, and instituted a multi-party democracy. Alpha Oumar 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 won a second term in 2007.
In 2012, rising ethnic tensions and an influx of fighters — some linked to Al-Qa’ida — from Libya led to a rebellion and military coup. Following the coup, rebels expelled the military from the country’s three northern regions, allowing terrorist organizations to develop strongholds in the area. With a 2013 French-led military intervention, the Malian government managed to retake most of the north. However, the government’s grasp in the region remains weak with local militias, terrorists, and insurgent groups competing for control. In 2015, the Malian Government and northern rebels signed an internationally mediated peace accord. Despite a 2017 target for implementation of the agreement, the signatories have made little progress. Terrorist groups were left out of the peace process, and terrorist attacks remain common.
Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA won the Malian presidential elections in 2013 and 2018. Aside from security and logistic shortfalls, international observers deemed these elections credible. Terrorism, banditry, ethnic-based violence, and extra-judicial military killings plagued the country during KEITA’s second term. In 2020, the military arrested KEITA, his prime minister, and other senior members of the government and established a military junta called the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP). The junta then established a transition government and appointed Bah N’DAW, a retired army officer and former defense minister, as interim president and Colonel Assimi GOITA, the coup leader and chairman of the CNSP, as interim vice president. The transition government’s charter allowed it to rule for up to 18 months before calling a general election.
In 2021, GOITA led a military takeover, arresting the interim president after a Cabinet shake-up removed GOITA’s key allies. GOITA was sworn in as transition president, and Choguel Kokalla MAIGA was sworn in as prime minister. In 2022, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) imposed sanctions on the transition government, and member states closed their borders with Mali after the transition government presented a five-year extension to the electoral calendar. The transition government and ECOWAS agreed to a new two-year timeline, which would have included presidential elections in February 2024, but the transition government postponed the elections indefinitely in September 2023 and withdrew from ECOWAS in January 2024.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes
Geography
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
comparison ranking: total 25
Area – comparative
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Land boundaries
total: 7,908 km
border countries (6): 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
highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m
lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
mean elevation: 343 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: 35.5% (2022 est.)
arable land: 6.8% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 0.2% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 28.4% (2022 est.)
forest: 10.9% (2022 est.)
other: 53.6% (2022 est.)
Irrigated land
3,780 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Lac Faguibine – 590 sq km
note – the Niger River is the only source of water for the lake; in recent years the lake is dry
Major rivers (by length in km)
Niger (shared with Guinea [s], Niger, and Nigeria [m]) – 4,200 km; Senegal (shared with Guinea [s], Senegal, and Mauritania [m]) – 1,641 km
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)
Major aquifers
Lullemeden-Irhazer Basin, Taodeni-Tanezrouft Basin
Population distribution
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
Natural hazards
hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding
Geography – note
landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern, cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the northern, arid Saharan
People and Society
Population
total: 21,990,607 (2024 est.)
male: 10,688,755
female: 11,301,852
comparison rankings: total 60; female 61; male 60
Nationality
noun: Malian(s)
adjective: Malian
Ethnic groups
Bambara 33.3%, Fulani (Peuhl) 13.3%, Sarakole/Soninke/Marka 9.8%, Senufo/Manianka 9.6%, Malinke 8.8%, Dogon 8.7%, Sonrai 5.9%, Bobo 2.1%, Tuareg/Bella 1.7%, other Malian 6%, from members of Economic Community of West Africa 0.4%, other 0.3% (2018 est.)
Languages
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
Religions
Muslim 93.9%, Christian 2.8%, animist 0.7%, none 2.5% (2018 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 46.8% (male 5,175,714/female 5,114,128)
15-64 years: 50.1% (male 5,178,742/female 5,842,456)
65 years and over: 3.1% (2024 est.) (male 334,299/female 345,268)
2024 population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 99.5 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 93.4 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 6.2 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 16.2 (2024 est.)
Median age
total: 16.4 years (2024 est.)
male: 15.7 years
female: 17.1 years
comparison ranking: total 226
Population growth rate
2.9% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 9
Birth rate
40 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 4
Death rate
8.1 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 86
Net migration rate
-2.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 177
Population distribution
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
Urbanization
urban population: 46.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 4.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas – population
2.929 million BAMAKO (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother’s mean age at first birth
19.2 years (2018 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49
Maternal mortality ratio
440 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: 20
Infant mortality rate
total: 57.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 62.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 52 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 10
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 63.2 years (2024 est.)
male: 60.9 years
female: 65.6 years
comparison ranking: total population 211
Total fertility rate
5.35 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 4
Gross reproduction rate
2.64 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
17.2% (2018)
Drinking water source
improved:
urban: 99.9% of population
rural: 75.9% of population
total: 86.4% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0.1% of population
rural: 24.1% of population
total: 13.6% of population (2020 est.)
Health expenditure
4.5% of GDP (2021)
5.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
0.19 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Hospital bed density
0.2 beds/1,000 population (2018 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved:
urban: 85.7% of population
rural: 44.7% of population
total: 62.7% of population
unimproved:
urban: 14.3% of population
rural: 55.3% of population
total: 37.3% of population (2020 est.)
Obesity – adult prevalence rate
8.6% (2016)
comparison ranking: 150
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 0.6 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.49 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total 159
Tobacco use
total: 6.9% (2025 est.)
male: 13.1% (2025 est.)
female: 0.6% (2025 est.)
comparison ranking: total 151
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
18.5% (2022)
comparison ranking: 22
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
77.9% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 15.9% (2018)
women married by age 18: 53.7% (2018)
men married by age 18: 2.1% (2018)
Education expenditure
4.2% of GDP (2023 est.)
17.8% national budget (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 99
Literacy
total population: 35% (2018 est.)
male: 46% (2018 est.)
female: 26% (2018 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 7 years
male: 8 years
female: 7 years (2017)
Environment
Environment – current issues
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; loss of pasture land; inadequate supplies of potable water
Environment – international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban
Climate
subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February)
Land use
agricultural land: 35.5% (2022 est.)
arable land: 6.8% (2022 est.)
permanent crops: 0.2% (2022 est.)
permanent pasture: 28.4% (2022 est.)
forest: 10.9% (2022 est.)
other: 53.6% (2022 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 46.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 4.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 38.55 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 3.18 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 19.16 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 1,937,354 tons (2012 est.)
Major lakes (area sq km)
fresh water lake(s): Lac Faguibine – 590 sq km
note – the Niger River is the only source of water for the lake; in recent years the lake is dry
Major rivers (by length in km)
Niger (shared with Guinea [s], Niger, and Nigeria [m]) – 4,200 km; Senegal (shared with Guinea [s], Senegal, and Mauritania [m]) – 1,641 km
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km), Volta (410,991 sq km)
Major aquifers
Lullemeden-Irhazer Basin, Taodeni-Tanezrouft Basin
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 110 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 4 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 5.08 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
120 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Mali
conventional short form: Mali
local long form: République de Mali
local short form: Mali
former: French Sudan, Sudanese Republic, Mali Federation
etymology: name derives from the Mali Empire of the 13th to 16th centuries A.D.; the Mali name may come from a local ethnic group, the Malinke, whose name is derived from the words ma, meaning “mother,” and dink, meaning “child” — a reference to the matrilinear descent of Malinke families
Government type
semi-presidential 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)
etymology: the origin of the name is unclear, but it comes from the Bambara language and can refer either to a crocodile or to a person’s name
Administrative divisions
19 regions (r̩gions, singular Рr̩gion), 1 district*; Bamako*, Bandiagara, Bougouni, Dioila, Douentza, Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Kita, Koulikoro, Koutiala, Menaka, Mopti, Nara, Nioro, San, Segou, Sikasso, Taoudenni, Tombouctou (Timbuktu)
Legal system
civil law system based on the French civil law model and influenced by customary law; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts
Constitution
history: several previous; latest drafted 13 October 2022 and submitted to Transition President Assimi GOITA; final draft completed 1 March 2023; approved by referendum 18 June 2023; validated by Constitutional Court 22 July 2023
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Citizenship
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: Transition President Assimi GOITA (since 7 June 2021)
head of government: Transition Prime Minister Choguel MAIGA (since 7 June 2021)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
election/appointment process: president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president
most recent election date: 29 July 2018, with runoff on 12 August 2018
election results:
2018: Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round – Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (RPM) 41.7%, Soumaila CISSE (URD) 17.8%, other 40.5%; percent of vote in second round – Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA 67.2%, Soumaila CISSE 32.8%
2013: Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA elected president in second round; percent of vote in first round – Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (RPM) 39.8%, Soumaila CISSE (URD) 19.7%, other 40.5%; percent of vote in second round – Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (RPM) 77.6%, Soumaila CISSE (URD) 22.4%
note: in 2022, the transition government adopted a charter allowing transition authorities to rule for up to 5 years, but the military junta pushed through a referendum in 2023 that created the potential for transition President GOITA to maintain his hold on power indefinitely
Legislative branch
legislature name: Transitional National Council (Conseil national de transition)
legislative structure: unicameral
chamber name: Transitional National Council (Conseil national de transition )
number of seats: 147 (all appointed)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
most recent election date: 12/5/2020
percentage of women in chamber: 30.4%
expected date of next election: December 2025
note 1: the National Assembly was dissolved on 18 August 2020 after a military coup; the transitional government created a Transitional National Council (CNT) that acts as the transitional government’s legislative body; a new constitution was ratified in July 2023 that expanded the military junta’s powers, and no plans for legislative elections have been announced
note 2: coup leaders appointed a president and vice president; the president then apportioned CNT seats to various groups and political parties
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (consists of 19 judges organized into judicial, administrative, and accounting sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the Ministry of Justice to serve 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges 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: Court of Appeal; High Court of Justice (jurisdiction limited to cases of high treason or criminal offenses by the president or ministers while in office); administrative courts (first instance and appeal); commercial courts; magistrate courts; labor courts; juvenile courts; special court of state security
Political parties
African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI
Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP-Maliba
Alliance for Democracy in Mali-Pan-African Party for Liberty, Solidarity, and Justice or ADEMA-PASJ
Alliance for the Solidarity of Mali-Convergence of Patriotic Forces or ASMA-CFP
Convergence for the Development of Mali or CODEM
Democratic Alliance for Peace or ADP-Maliba
Movement for Mali or MPM
Party for National Renewal (also Rebirth or Renaissance or PARENA)
Rally for Mali or RPM
Social Democratic Convention or CDS
Union for Democracy and Development or UDD
Union for Republic and Democracy or URD
Yéléma
note 1: only parties with 2 or more seats in the last National Assembly parliamentary elections (30 March and 19 April 2020) included
note 2: the National Assembly was dissolved on 18 August 2020 following a military coup and replaced with a National Transition Council; currently 121 members, party affiliations unknown
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Sékou BERTHE (since 16 September 2022)
chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://www.maliembassy.us/
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Rachna KORHONEN (since 16 March 2023)
embassy: ACI 2000, Rue 243, (located off the Roi Bin Fahad Aziz Bridge west of the Bamako central district), Porte 297, Bamako
mailing address: 2050 Bamako Place, Washington DC 20521-2050
telephone: [223] 20-70-23-00
FAX: [223] 20-70-24-79
email address and website:
[email protected]
https://ml.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), CD, 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, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOPS, UN Women, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, World Bank Group, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence
22 September 1960 (from France)
National holiday
Independence Day, 22 September (1960)
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 color(s)
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)
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 4 (3 cultural, 1 mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Old Towns of Djenné (c); Timbuktu (c); Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) (m); Tomb of Askia (c)
Economy
Economic overview
low-income Saharan economy; recession due to COVID-19 and political instability; extreme poverty; environmentally fragile; high public debt; agricultural and gold exporter; terrorism and warfare are common
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$56.919 billion (2023 est.)
$54.387 billion (2022 est.)
$52.56 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 118
Real GDP growth rate
4.66% (2023 est.)
3.47% (2022 est.)
3.05% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 64
Real GDP per capita
$2,400 (2023 est.)
$2,400 (2022 est.)
$2,300 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 208
GDP (official exchange rate)
$20.662 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.2% (2024 est.)
2.1% (2023 est.)
9.6% (2022 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 105
GDP – composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 35.1% (2023 est.)
industry: 19.9% (2023 est.)
services: 36.7% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: services 205; industry 141; agriculture 7
GDP – composition, by end use
household consumption: 74.2% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 17.5% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 19.2% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: -0.3% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 29.4% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -40% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Agricultural products
maize, rice, millet, sorghum, onions, okra, sugarcane, cotton, mangoes/guavas, sweet potatoes (2023)
note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Industries
food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining
Industrial production growth rate
-1.19% (2023 est.)
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 166
Labor force
9.126 million (2024 est.)
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
comparison ranking: 60
Unemployment rate
3.1% (2024 est.)
3% (2023 est.)
2.4% (2022 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
comparison ranking: 49
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 4% (2024 est.)
male: 4% (2024 est.)
female: 3.9% (2024 est.)
note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
comparison ranking: total 177
Population below poverty line
44.6% (2021 est.)
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income
35.7 (2021 est.)
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
comparison ranking: 71
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 3.2% (2021 est.)
highest 10%: 28.3% (2021 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Remittances
5.58% of GDP (2023 est.)
5.89% of GDP (2022 est.)
5.86% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues: $2.841 billion (2020 est.)
expenditures: $2.533 billion (2020 est.)
note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Public debt
35.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
comparison ranking: 151
Taxes and other revenues
14.2% (of GDP) (2020 est.)
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
comparison ranking: 141
Current account balance
-$1.61 billion (2023 est.)
-$1.475 billion (2022 est.)
-$1.469 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
comparison ranking: 149
Exports
$6.13 billion (2023 est.)
$5.855 billion (2022 est.)
$5.381 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 131
Exports – partners
UAE 73%, Switzerland 15%, Australia 5%, China 1%, Uganda 1% (2023)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports – commodities
gold, cotton, oil seeds, fertilizers, gum resins (2023)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$8.066 billion (2023 est.)
$7.942 billion (2022 est.)
$7.596 billion (2021 est.)
note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 132
Imports – partners
Cote d’Ivoire 25%, Senegal 19%, China 12%, France 5%, Burkina Faso 4% (2023)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports – commodities
refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, cement, cotton fabric, plastic products (2023)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$647.8 million (2017 est.)
$395.7 million (2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 160
Debt – external
$4.085 billion (2023 est.)
note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
comparison ranking: 75
Exchange rates
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar –
Exchange rates:
606.345 (2024 est.)
606.57 (2023 est.)
623.76 (2022 est.)
554.531 (2021 est.)
575.586 (2020 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification – total population: 53% (2022 est.)
electrification – urban areas: 99.7%
electrification – rural areas: 18.3%
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 1.222 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 4.261 billion kWh (2023 est.)
exports: 661.63 million kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 880 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 320.616 million kWh (2023 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 72; imports 80; exports 73; consumption 133; installed generating capacity 130
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 57.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 3.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 37.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal
imports: 36 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 46,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
6.858 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 83 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 6.858 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 125
Energy consumption per capita
4.307 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
comparison ranking: 172
Communications
Telephones – fixed lines
total subscriptions: 307,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 107
Telephones – mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 25.9 million (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 114 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 52
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 (2019)
Internet country code
.ml
Internet users
percent of population: 35% (2023 est.)
Broadband – fixed subscriptions
total: 179,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total 124
Transportation
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
TZ, TT
Airports
30 (2025)
comparison ranking: 121
Heliports
4 (2025)
comparison ranking: 106
Railways
total: 593 km (2014)
narrow gauge: 593 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Malian Armed Forces (Forces Armées Maliennes or FAMa): Army (l’Armée de Terre), Air Force (l’Armée de l’Air); National Guard (la Garde Nationale du Mali); National Gendarmerie of Mali (Gendarmerie Nationale du Mali) (2025)
note 1: the Gendarmerie and the National Guard are under the authority of the Ministry of Defense and Veterans Affairs (Ministere De La Defense Et Des Anciens Combattants, MDAC), but operational control is shared with the Ministry of Internal Security and Civil Protection which also controls the National Police; the National Police has responsibility for law enforcement and maintenance of order in urban areas and supports the FAMa in internal military operations
note 2: the Gendarmerie’s primary mission is internal security and public order; its duties also include territorial defense, humanitarian operations, intelligence gathering, and protecting private property, mainly in rural areas; it also has a specialized border security unit
note 3: the National Guard is a military force responsible for providing security to government facilities and institutions, prison service, public order, humanitarian operations, some border security, and intelligence gathering; its forces include a camel corps for patrolling the deserts and borders of northern Mali
note 4: there are also pro-government militias operating in Mali, such as the Imghad Tuareg Self-Defense Group and Allies (GATIA); the leader of GATIA is also a general in the national army
Military expenditures
4.3% of GDP (2024 est.)
4% of GDP (2023 est.)
3.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
3.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
3.4% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; estimated 35-40,000 active FAMa, Gendarmerie, and National Guard (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the FAMa’s inventory includes a large amount of Soviet-era weapons and equipment along with smaller quantities of secondhand and some more modern material from a variety of other countries, including China, Czechia, France, Russia, Turkey, and the UAE (2024)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for men and women for selective compulsory and voluntary military service; 24-month compulsory service obligation (2023)
Military deployments
note 1: in 2024, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger announced they were forming joint force of 5,000 troops to combat extremist groups in the Sahel
note 2: until announcing its withdrawal in May of 2022, Mali was part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mauritania, and Niger; Mali had committed 1,100 troops and 200 gendarmes to the force
Military – note
the FAMa is responsible for defense of the country’s sovereignty and territory, but also has some domestic security duties, including the maintenance of public order and support to law enforcement if required, as well as counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations; it also participates in socio-economic development projects; the military has traditionally played a large role in Mali’s politics; prior to the coup in August 2020 and military takeover in May 2021, it had intervened in the political arena at least five times since the country gained independence in 1960 (1968, 1976, 1978, 1991, 2012)
the FAMa and other security forces are actively engaged in operations against several insurgent/terrorist groups affiliated with al-Qa’ida and the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS), as well as other rebel organizations, communal militias, and criminal bands spread across the central, northern, and southern regions of the country; the government is reportedly in control of only an estimated 10-20% of the country’s central and northern territories, and attacks have increased in the more heavily populated south, including around the capital Bamako; the Macina Liberation Front (FLM), part of the Jama’at Nusrat al Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) coalition of al-Qa’ida-linked terror groups, has played a large role in a surge in violence in Mali’s central and southern regions; in the north, ISIS in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS) has regained strength in recent years
the FAMa and the remainder of the security forces collapsed in 2012 during the fighting against Tuareg rebels and Islamic militants and have since been rebuilt with considerable external assistance, including the EU, France, and the UN; for example, the EU Training Mission in Mali (EUTM) from 2013-2022 trained as many as 15,000 Malian soldiers and eight combined arms battalions/battlegroups (Groupement Tactique InterArmes, GTIA), each of which was structured to be self-sufficient with its own motorized/mechanized infantry, light armor, commandos, artillery, engineers, and other support forces; the EUTM and the French military ended their missions in 2022 citing issues with the ruling military government, including human rights abuses and the presence of Russian private military contractors; the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) operated in the country from 2013-2023 with the mission of providing security, rebuilding Malian security forces, protecting civilians, supporting national political dialogue, and assisting in the reestablishment of Malian government authority; MINUSMA had more than 15,000 personnel at its peak strength and lost over 300 peacekeepers during the course of the mission, which was concluded at the end of 2023 after the ruling junta demanded the withdrawal of foreign forces
the military government has increased security ties with Russia; Russia has provided military equipment, and in December 2021, Mali contracted with a Russian private military company to provide training and other support for local armed forces, as well as security for senior Malian officials (2024)
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Terrorist group(s): Ansar al-Dine; Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the Greater Sahara (ISIS-GS); Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM); al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun)
note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 29,138 (Burkina Faso) (refugees and asylum seekers), 20,617 (Niger) (refugees and asylum seekers), 14,956 (Mauritania) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2023)
IDPs: 375,539 (Tuareg rebellion since 2012) (2023)
Trafficking in persons
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch list — Mali did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period and was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/mali/
Illicit drugs
a transit point for illicit drugs trafficked to Europe; trafficking controlled by armed groups, criminal organizations, terrorist groups and government officials that facilitate, protect and profit from the activity
