Mali¶

Area

Africa

Mali is a large landlocked country in western Africa with a long, rich history. The original Mali Empire covered a large portion of western Africa and peaked in the 14th century. At its centre was the fabled Timbuktu, an important centre of scholarship in the world during the 15th and 16th centuries.

During the colonial period, the area came under control of the French in the late 19th century. In 1959 the Sudanese Republic and Senegal joined to form the Mali Federation, but Senegal withdrew the following year, leaving the Sudanese Republic to form the independent state of Mali in 1960. Mali would continue as a one-party state until a coup in 1991 led to the first free and democratic elections the following year.

With a mainly agriculturally-based economy, Mali's chief export is cotton. Although amongst the poorest nations on earth, Mali is one of the most politically and socially stable countries in Africa.