Republic of Mali
Coor din ates: 1 7 °N 4 °W Mali Mali (/ mɑ li/ ( listen); French pronu nciation: [mali]), ˈ ː Republic of Mali officially the Republic of Mali (French: République du Mali), is a landlocked country in West Africa, a region République du Mali (French) geologically identified with the West African Craton. Mali is Mali ka Fasojamana (Bambara) the eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of just over 1,240,000 square kilometres (480,000 sq mi). The population of Mali is 18 million.[7] Its capital is Bamako. Mali consists of eight regions and its borders on the north reach deep into the middle of the Sahara Desert, while the country's southern part, where the majority of inhabitants Flag Coat of arms live, features the Niger and Senegal rivers. The country's Motto: "Un peuple, un but, une economy centers on agriculture and mining. Some of Mali's foi" (French) prominent natural resources include gold, being the third "One people, one goal, one faith" [8] largest producer of gold in the African continent, and Anthem: Le Mali (French)[1] salt.[9] Present-day Mali was once part of three West African empires that controlled trans-Saharan trade: the Ghana Empire, the Mali Empire (for which Mali is named), and the Songhai Empire. During its golden age, there was a flourishing of mathematics, astronomy, literature, and art.[10][11] At its peak in 1300, the Mali Empire covered an area about twice the size of modern-day France and stretched to the west coast of Africa.[12] In the late 19th century, during the Scramble for Africa, France seized control of Mali, making it a part of French Sudan.
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