bauxite, iron ore,
manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited
Land use:
arable land:
2%
permanent crops:
0%
meadows and pastures:
25%
forest and woodland:
7%
other:
66%
Irrigated land:
50 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of
safe drinking water; poaching
natural hazards:
hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring
droughts
international agreements:
party to - Law of the Sea, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -
Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban
Note:
landlocked

@Mali, People

Population:
9,112,950 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.78% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
51.79 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
20.36 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
106.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
45.91 years
male:
44.29 years
female:
47.57 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
7.33 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Malian(s)
adjective:
Malian
Ethnic divisions:
Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Sarakole), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai
6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%
Religions:
Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%
Languages:
French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
17%
male:
26%
female:
9%
Labor force:
2.666 million (1986 est.)
by occupation:
agriculture 80%, services 19%, industry and commerce 1% (1981)
note:
50% of population of working age (1985)

@Mali, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Mali
conventional short form:
Mali
local long form:
Republique de Mali
local short form:
Mali
former:
French Sudan
Digraph:
ML
Type:
republic
Capital:
Bamako
Administrative divisions:
8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro,
Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou
Independence:
22 September 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 22 September (1960)
Constitution:
new constitution adopted in constitutional referendum in 12 January
1992
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; jud