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Mali

• Full name: The Republic of Mali
• Population: 13.8 million (UN, 2005)
• Capital: Bamako
• Area: 1.25 million km² (482,077 miles²)
• Major languages: French, Bambara, Berber, Arabic
• Major religions: Islam, indigenous beliefs
• Life expectancy: 47 years (men), 48 years (women) (UN)
• Monetary unit: 1 CFA (Communaute Financiere Africaine) franc = 100 centimes
• Main exports: Cotton, gold, livestock
• GNI per capita: US$380 (World Bank, 2006)

The core of ancient empires going back to the fourth century, Mali was conquered by the French in the middle of the 19th century. In 1958 it was proclaimed the Sudanese Republic and the following year it became the Mali Federation, after uniting with Senegal. However, Senegal seceded and Mali became independent in 1960.

Although swathes of Mali are barren, the country is self-sufficient in food thanks to the fertile Niger river basin in the south and east. Mali is one of the continent's biggest cotton producers. Along with other African exporters it has lobbied against subsidies to cotton farmers in richer countries, particularly the US. It argues that these depress prices and restrict Malian farmers' access to export markets.

Mali is Africa’s third largest gold producing country, boasting some of the lowest cost gold mines in the world. Over 20 million ounces of gold have been discovered in western Mali; the Morila mine in the south has produced over three million ounces with over two million reserves remaining.