🇲🇱

Mali

✨ The empire of gold and sand

Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Algeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Senegal and Mauritania. Its capital and largest city is Bamako, located in the southwestern part of the country along the Niger River. Covering about 1.24 million square kilometres, Mali has a landscape that changes from the dry Sahara in the north to the Sahel and savanna farther south.

The Niger River is the country's main river and supports farming, fishing and transport, especially around its inland delta. Much of northern Mali is sparsely populated because of its very dry climate, while most of the population lives in the southern part of the country. Rainfall generally increases toward the south, allowing more extensive agriculture there.

Mali has a long history linked to major West African empires, including the Ghana, Mali and Songhai empires. The medieval city of Timbuktu became an important centre of trade, learning and Islamic scholarship, while Djenné is known for its historic architecture and cultural heritage. Today, agriculture remains central to the economy, with cotton, cereals and livestock among the important activities.

Gold mining is also a major part of the country's economy. Mali is home to several ethnic communities and many languages. Bambara is widely spoken, while French has long been used in administration; the constitution adopted in 2023 recognized national languages as official languages and retained French as a working language. Mali became independent from French rule on 22 September 1960 and is officially known as the Republic of Mali.

💡 Did you know?

Do you know Mansa Musa? This 14th-century Emperor of Mali is considered the wealthiest person in human history! During his journey to Mecca, he carried so much gold with him (tons of it!) that he distributed it to everyone he met along the way. It is said that he gave away so much gold in Egypt that the price of the precious metal dropped for ten years across the country!

In Mali, you can find the Great Mosque of Djenné, an incredible building constructed entirely with sun-dried earth bricks. Every year, after the rainy season, the whole town participates in a grand festival called the 'plastering.' Residents climb wooden scaffolding integrated directly into the walls to cover the mosque with a new layer of fresh mud to protect it. It is a joyful and spectacular team effort!

Timbuktu is a city surrounded by the sands of the Sahara that hides a precious secret. It was once called the 'City of 333 Saints.' It houses thousands of very ancient manuscripts, handwritten on paper or gazelle skin. These books cover everything: astronomy, medicine, poetry, and law. For centuries, families hidden these treasures in trunks or cellars to protect them from wars and time.