Key Facts about Mali

About Mali:

• It is a landlocked country in West Africa with an area of 1,240,192 sq. km.
• Capital: Bamako 
• Bordering Countries: Mali borders seven other nations: Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Algeria, and Mauritania. 
• Geography:
  • Approximately 65% of the country is covered by desert or semi-desert.
  • The Sahara Desertmakes up a large portion of Mali's total land area. 
  • Mali has a monotonous landscape, with plains and plateaus dominating the country's topography. 
  • The landscape transitions from the Sahara Desert in the north through the Sahel to the zone of Sudanian savanna in the south.
• It is one of the hottest nations on earth with an average temperature of 114.8 °F (46 °C) in the summer months.
• The Niger Riverflows through its interior, serving as its main source of water. 
• Although Mali is one of the largest countries in Africa, it has a relatively small population, which is largely centred along the Niger River. 
• There are many ethnic groups in Mali. The largest of them is Bambara, making up 36.5% of the population. 
• It gained independence from France in 1960.
• Languages: Bambara (most widely spoken), Dogon, Fulfulde, Manding, Arabic, Tuareg, French, etc.
• The key industry of Mali is agriculture, and its largest crop export is cotton. In addition, Mali is the third-largest gold exporter in Africa.