Mali

Mali Eventhough this rather big country in West Africa is one of th poorest in the world, there will be plenty to explore. It is not the place for wilderness tours in the nature, but rather experiencing th cultures and cities that will give you an amazing atmosphere of African music and the colorful market held in front of the Djennè mosque, beeing the largest mud- built structure in the world.

Area: 1.248.904 Km²
Population: 11.009.000 (2001 est.)
Density: 9 pop/Km²

System of government: Presidential Republic
Capital: Bamako (919.000 pop.)
Major cities: Ségou 100.000 pop.
Ethnic majority: Bambara 23%, Fulbe 9%, Senufo 8%, Songhai 5%, Tuareg 3%
Border countries: Algeria NORTH, Mauritania and Senegal WEST, Guinea SOUTH-WEST, Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso SOUTH, Niger EAST

Principal mountains: Hombori Tondo 1155 m
Principal rivers: Niger 1754 Km (malian tract, total 4184 Km)
Principal lakes: Lac Faguibine 500 Km²
Principal islands: -
Climate: Tropical - arid

Language: French (official), Bambara, Senufo, ethnic dialects
Religion: Muslim 75%, Indigenous Beliefs 15%, Christian 10%
Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine Franc (XAF)

Fixed public holidays: 20/1, 25/5, 22/9, 19/11
Dialling code: 00223
GMT: 0

World Heritage List:

• Old Towns of Djenné (1988)
• Timbuktu (1988)
• Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) (1989)
• Tomb of Askia (2004)