ography

Location: Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Map references: Africa

Area:
total area: 1.24 million sq km
land area: 1.22 million sq km
comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total 7,243 km, Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina 1,000 km,
Guinea 858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821
km, Senegal 419 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: the disputed international boundary between
Burkina and Mali was submitted to the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) in October 1983 and the ICJ issued its final ruling in December
1986, which both sides agreed to accept; Burkina and Mali are
proceeding with boundary demarcation, including the tripoint with
Niger

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

Natural resources: gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium,
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 potable water; poaching
natural hazards: hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry
seasons; recurring droughts
international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands;
signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Nuclear Test Ban

Note: landlocked

@Mali:People

Population: 9,375,132 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (female 2,240,565; male 2,242,373)
15-64 years: 49% (female 2,416,952; male 2,165,043)
65 years and over: 3% (female 162,234; male 147,965) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.89% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 51.88 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 19.93 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 104.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 46.37 years
male: 44.7 years
female: 48.09