Geography

A landlocked country in West Africa, Mali shares borders with seven other countries. The Niger River and the Senegal River run respectively for 1700 km and 800 km through the south and east of the country, while the northern region forms part of the Sahara Desert.

The seasons are divided broadly into dry and wet, the dry season being from around November to May, and the wet season being from around June to October. Temperatures and rainfall vary greatly depending on the region. Rainfall, extremely low in the desert areas to the north, exceeds 700 mm annually in the south due to the tropical climate. The country as a whole is characterized by a significant disparity between day/night time temperatures and humidity levels.

The population is concentrated in central and southern areas, where the climate is relatively mild. That 45 % of the population is under 15 years of age can be considered one of Mali's strengths.

Capital City : Bamako

Bamako is a prairie city surrounded by mountains in Southwest Mali and is divided by the Niger River. In the 18th century the city was a village of several hundred households with the main industries being fishing and agriculture. France colonized Bamako in the 19th century, but the former capital of West Sudan, Kayes, was relocated to Bamako in 1904. Bamako became the capital of Mali when Mali gained its independence from France in 1960. The city of Bamako has been experiencing radical urbanization since. As a result, the growth of the city and the actual increase of its population have been significantly larger than what was planned in the revised Master Plan. The current population of the city is over 1 million. With the African Nations' Cup in 2002, there have been great developments in the city's infrastructure. Today Bamako is a city offering one of the finest environments for tourism and businesses.

History

The middle and upper reaches of the Niger River have played an important role in West African history. This area in Western Sudan was a base for the camel caravan routes crossing the Sahara to the Mediterranean, while a black nation is reputed to have existed there from around the 3rd or 4th centuries A.C.

The Mali Empire flourished in the 13th century, with the city of Timbuktu on the banks of the Niger River as an intellectual, artistic and religious center. The Songhai Empire reigned in the 15th century, followed notably by the Bambara Kingdom in the 17th and 18th centuries. From the latter half of the 16th century, Mali experienced a period under Moroccan control in its north party.

In the 19th century the French army advanced into the region, making Mali a part of French West Africa from 1898 to 1960. Mali became an autonomous republic within the French Community in 1958, formed the Mali Federation with Senegal in April 1959, and gained independence in its own right on September 22, 1960.

Society & Custom

The great Moroccan geographer Ibn Battuta wrote this about Mali's people and society after visiting the country in 1352:

These virtues noted by Battuta remain unchanged even today. Malian society places importance interpersonal relations, and is as a whole intent on upholding morality. In particular, local societies are not exclusionary, and are by nature open to anyone. While Malians are strongly religious, the fact that other faiths and ideas are also flexibly accepted makes it possible for Islam, natural religions and Christianity, for example, to coexist peacefully.

Although Mali's 23 ethnic groups, each having their own culture,language and social etiquette, appear unconnected, the individual groups actually have an amicable relationship in which they thoroughly permeate one another, both culturally and socially. The family, forming the nucleus of Mali's social structure, possesses a strong sense of solidarity. In Malian society it is commonly accepted that one must respect those of your parent's age as you would your parents, and provide support if possible. This sense of responsibility for others is felt deeply and extensively throughout Malian society.

Mali's tea ceremony

The custom in Mali is to welcome people with tea. Green tea is simmered together with mint leaves in a small teapot, and the resultant tea, with plenty of sugar added, is drunk from small glasses. Tea signifies welcome and friendship, and serves as a pleasurable pastime. It is an indispensable part of enjoying the company of family and friends. The considerable time required to make the tea is spent chatting and relaxing.