Interesting Mali Facts
Mali is a landlocked country located in Western Africa where it is bordered by Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal. It encompasses 1,241,240 km2 of land. The overall population of Mali is thought to be more than 18,541,980.
Check out interesting Mali facts and information about this African country with our fact file for kids. Uncover important facts about the location, currency, flag, continent, language, population, size, climate, people, geography, landscape, landmarks and culture of Mali.
Find out important information about Africa with our interesting Mali facts for kids based on questions such as: What continent is Mali in? What color is the flag of Mali? What is Mali famous for? What is the population of Mali? What is the culture of Mali like?
Mali Fact File: Continent: Africa * Country Name(s): Mali, Republic of Mali * Location: Western Africa * Bordering: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal * Capital City: Bamako * Size: 1,241,240 km2 * Estimated Population: over 18,541,980 * Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF) * Language(s): French * Country Code: +223
Interesting Mali Facts for Kids
Interesting Facts for Kids 1: Size & location facts
Mali is located on the continent of Africa, where it has a landlocked position and is bordered by Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal. There are seven continents in the world: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Antarctica, Australia (Oceania). Africa is the world's second largest continent, occupying a total area of 30,370,000 km2. Africa has 54 countries, and forms 20.4% of the world's landmass. Mali is a landlocked country that occupies a total area of approximately 1,241,240 km2. It is the eighth largest country on the African continent.
Interesting Facts for Kids 2: Population facts
The population of this African country is thought to be more than 18,541,980 people. The majority of Mali's inhabitants reside in Bamako which is the country's most populous city. Mali has a fairly high population when compared to most other countries across the world, its overall population density is approximately 12 people per sq km. The estimated population of Africa is approximately 1,186,178,000 inhabitants, making it the continent with the second largest population in the world. The continents in order of population, starting with highest population first, are: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia (Oceania Region) and Antarctica. The total population of the entire world is in excess of 7.6 billion people.
Interesting Facts for Kids 3: Capital & major cities
The capital of Mali is Bamako. The names of other major cities located in this country are Sikasso, Mopti, Koutiala, Ségou and Gao.
Interesting Facts for Kids 4: Country borders
The following border information provides details on the length of Mali's borders:
Algeria 1,359 km, Burkina Faso 1,325 km, Cote d'Ivoire 599 km, Guinea 1,062 km, Mauritania 2,236 km, Niger 838 km, Senegal 489 km.
Interesting Facts for Kids 5: Climate and geography facts
The climate conditions experienced in Mali differ throughout the seasons. The months of February to June bring hot and dry climatic conditions, June to November bring rainfall, and mild but humid weather conditions, and November to February bring dry but cool conditions. The geography of Mali is formed by its northern desert area, southern savanna region and central semiarid area. Its Saharan Desert area comprises of flatland and rolling plains buried by sand. The lowest point of Mali is the Senegal River at 23m, and the highest point of elevation is Hombori Tondo at 1,155m.
Interesting Facts for Kids 6: Natural Resources of Mali
Natural resources can be described as materials and substances found naturally occurring on Earth. Natural resources are very important across the world, and can be exploited for economic gain. An individual country's natural resources can depend on many factors including the climate, geography and location. Some countries, such as Russia, The United States, Saudi Arabia and Canada, are rich with natural resources, where as others have practically none. Three of the primary uses of natural resources are food, transport and construction. The following examples provide information on the everyday uses of natural resources: Fish occurs naturally in many bodies of water and can be caught for food consumption. Crude oils can be refined into various fuels in order to power vehicles/cars. Wood/timber can be extracted from forests and used to construct houses and furniture. The natural resources found in Mali include gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum, granite and hydropower (water power).
Interesting Facts for Kids 7: Language facts
The official language of Mali is French, although almost half of the population speaks Bambara as a first language. Other languages that are widely spoken in Mali include Peul, Dogon, Maraka, Malinke and Sonrhai.
Interesting Facts for Kids 8: Religion facts
The primary religion of Mali is Muslim at approximately 94% of the population. People belonging to the Islamic religion worship Allah. In the English language, the word Allah refers to God in Islam. Those belonging to the religion of Islam believe in one god. Most of Mali’s population are Muslim and follow the practices of Islam. Around 2% are Christian. The rest of the population either belongs to other religions or no religion at all.
Interesting Facts for Kids 9: Symbols of Mali
Each country across the world has its own unique culture, history and identity. Flags, emblems, symbols, colors, mottos, anthems and songs are used to symbolize the pride and individuality of a nation. These national symbols are forged through a nation's unique history and can represent both hardship and prosperity, embodying freedom, strength and unity. Flags, emblems, songs, mottos and colors reflect the past, present and future hopes of a country, and create an important image to the rest of the world. National symbols can include a mixture of things that are symbolic to a country such as animals, birds, flowers, trees, geographical features, tools of agriculture, crops, and tools of war. The following facts and information provide a guide to some of the most important national symbols, songs and colors of Mali:
National symbol(s): Great Mosque of Djenne
National colors: green, yellow and red
National Anthem/Song: Le Mali (Translation: Mali)
National Holiday(s): Independence Day, 22 September (1960)
National Motto(s): Un peuple, un but, une foi (Translation: One people, one goal, one faith)