Mali

Description of Mali

Mali is a landlocked country which is located in Western Africa. It borders Algeria to the north, Burkina Faso and the Cote d'Ivoire to the south, Guinea to the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania to the west and Niger to the east. Mali is the 24^th largest country in the world with an estimated population of 14,517,176. Its capital city is Bamako.

History

The history of Mali is dominated by its role in trans-Saharan trade, connecting West Africa and the Maghreb. The Malian city Timbuktu played an important role in the trans-Saharan trade from the 13th century, with the establishment of the Mali Empire.The Mali Empire became Islamic in the early 14th century, under Musa I of Mali. From that time until the 19th century, Timbuktu remained important as an outpost at the southwestern fringe of the Muslim world and a hub of the Arab slave trade.

Map and language

Its geographical co-ordinates are 17° 00' north and 4° 00' west.French is the official language in Mali despite the fact that the country has more than 40 African spoken languages.

Culture and holidays

The ethnic groups found in the country have their unique language and history. The country’s music and literature have been heavily influenced by longtime oral storytelling. At the wedding, traditional storytellers who are known as griots often perform and in other special events. Majority of the population are Muslim with indigenous and Christian as minorities.

Climate and weather

Mali is a country found in the arid desert zone in the north where temperatures go as high as 50°C during the day but can drop down to 5°C during the night. Sahel zone in the middle receives less than 500mm of rain each year and has daytime temperatures between 23°C and 36°C. The southern regions of Mali receives 1,400mm of rainfall annually and daytime temperatures vary between 24°C and 30°C. These southern regions receive rainy season from June to October. Alize winds bring s cooler weather from the northeast during the months of November to June.

Travelling and Tourism

Tourists travel to Mali through a wide range of transport system. This may vary from air travel, land travel or water travel. Most European visitors prefer using aviation to travel to Mali. The diverse cultural activities in the country attracts many tourists. Bandiagara escarpment offers a beautiful scenery where tourists can enjoy an amazing view. The National Museum of Mali is a fine showcase for a rich collection of earthenware pieces, statuettes, boubous, tapestries, masks and funerary objects. Lake Debo is one of the lucky place where a tourist can enjoy the scene of thousands of migratorybirds that spend the winter on this lake.

Vacation and destination

Mali eco tours and vacations are among the popular tours in Africa. Numerous luxury hotels, budget hotels and bed and breakfast hotels are available in cities like Bamako, Mopti and Gao. Budget-friendly flights are offered in Mali with CheapOair. Azalai Salam, Mande, Le Rabelais and Mirabeau are among the famous hotels in Mali.

Some facts about Mali

Gallery of Mali

Mali video guide

More information about Mali

Top cities of Mali