51 Funny, Importance & Interesting Facts about Mali make you Wonder
Mali, a country in West Africa, is famous for its salt mines. This poor country was once one of the wealthiest countries in the world. It is blessed with many lucrative trade routes & wealth and has succeeded in producing some African music stars. There are many interesting facts about Mali to make you short of words and wondering, I wish I knew them earlier. Just read on!
Fast Facts about Mali
Official Name: Republic of Mali
Capital City: Bamako
Population: 19,553,397
Area: 1,240,192 sq km
Major Languages: French, Bambara
Time Zone: UTC 0 (GMT)
– Source: CIA World Fact Book
51 Interesting Facts about Mali make you Wonder
Important Facts about Mali
No#1: A Landlocked country
Mali is one of the landlocked countries out of 44 landlocked countries worldwide, which doesn’t have territory connected to an ocean.
No#2: 19.66 million Population
According to World Bank, currently, 19.66 million people live in Mali, where 67% of citizens are under 25 years, and 49.94% are female, & 50.06% are male.
No#3: 112 cities
There are 112 cities in Mali but “Bamako” is the biggest and most popular city in the country, where 1,809,106 inhabitants are living.
Fun Facts about Mali
No#4: The wealthiest man
“Mansa Musa,” who was the ruler of the Malian empire, is known as the richest man ever lived in the world, and his estimated wealth value is approximately $400 billion.
No#5: A large pre-colonial African state
Mali Empire is one of the biggest and most powerful empires in West African History, founded in 1235 and lasted till 1670.
No#6: Tomb of Askia
A former emperor of Mali, Askia Mohamed, built a spectacular pyramidal structure named “Tomb of Askia” in 1495 and the tomb is located in Gao, Mali.
No#7: An independent country
Mali gained impendence from France on November 24, 1958, and named the government “Republic of Mali” in 1960.
Information about Mali Africa
No#8: Largest mud-brick building
In the 13th century, King Koi Konboro built the largest mud-brick building globally, which name is “Great Mosque of Djenne.”
No#9: “Crépissage” festival
Every April, the Djenné community works together to re-plaster the mosque walls to prevent the mosque’s walls from crumbling during the rainy season.
No#10: 24th-largest country
Mali is the 24th-largest country in the world and the 8th-largest country in Africa.
No#11: 60.8 years life expectancy
According to World Bank, the life expectancy of Mali citizens is 60.8 years on average—however, men live 58.6 years and women live 63 years on average.
No#12: Traditional Outfits
Mali Culture Facts
In Mali, most males wear embroidered shirts and traditional pants, while females wear colorful embroidered shirts and long skirts with matching turbans.
No#13: Famous food
- Riz au Gras
- Groundnut Stew
- Dogon Somé
- Timbuktu and Gao Katta Pasta
No#14: Top visited places
- Timbuktu
- Gao
- Bamako
- Djenné
- Mopti
- Ségou
No#15: Golden voice of Africa
Salif Keïta, a Malian musician and singer, is a master of West African rhythms, and he is also the founder of the Afropop dance-music genre.
No#16: Festival au Désert
Every year, an annual concert was held in Mali until 2012, but it stopped due to security concerns.
No#17: 4th highest fertility rate
Mali’s fertility index is 5.9, which is the 4th highest fertility rate, while the global average fertility rate is 2.4.
No#18: 35.47% literacy rate
Mali’s literacy rate is 35.47%—however, 46.18% of men are literate while only 25.74% of women are literate.
No#19: Agricultural based economy
The people of Mali mostly engaged with the agricultural based economy, and most of them earn their livelihood through agriculture and fishing.
No#20: Third largest producer of gold
Mali is also known as a gold-dependent economy, and in 2019, the gold output of Mali is 71.1 tons.
No#21: $1,500 income per year
Mali is known as one of the poorest nations globally, and the salary of an average worker is around $1,500 annually.
No#22: Unsafe for tourist
Due to armed robbery and kidnapping, Mali is one of the least safe countries for tourists.
No#23: Sahara desert
Mali is one of the countries to cover a large part of the Sahara desert, which has a variety of land features.
No#24: 10% nomadic people
In Mali, around 10% of nomadic people exist during the annual dry period to earn a livelihood.
No#25: Human trafficking
Many studies found Mali is a dangerous zone for human trafficking, and the issue is on the rise.
No#26: Several ethnic groups
More than ten ethnic groups exist around the country, including Bambara, Fulani, Sarakole, Senufo, Songhai, and so forth.
No#27: 80+ languages
Malians use more than 80 languages, and out of them, 10% use the French language.
No#28: Unemployment rate
According to several studies, the unemployment rate of Mali in 2020 is 7.34%.
No#29: Handcrafted cloth
Many Mali inhabitants wear a cultural cloth named “Bògòlanfini”, which is a handcrafted fabric and is a symbol of their cultural identity.
No#30: Traditional ceremonies
Aside from having a unique musical tradition, people attend various festivals, dances, and rituals.
Mali History Facts
No#31: Traditional mask dances
Malians love to dance, and they make more than 75 multiple masks to show the cultural identity.
No#32: Most popular sport
Football is known as the most well-known game among Malians, and they call it “wari.”
No#33: The dignity of women
Though women do most of the household work, they participate in decision making along with men.
No#34: 18+ to drink alcohol
Though drinking alcohol is discouraged in Mali, the minimum age for drinking is 18 years.
No#35: Djablani
Many Malians love to drink a special juice named “Djablani,” which is made from hibiscus, ginger, or fruit.
No#36: Hundreds of mammal species
More than 1,000 animal species and 1,700 plant species can be found in Mali, and some are critically endangered.
No#37: 200 species of fish
Around 200 species of fish are available in Mali, and fishing is one of the major sources of livelihood for them.
No#38: Numerous Salt Mines
Taoudenni and Taghaza are the two primary salt mines in Mali, and both of them huge.
No#39: Mormyrops Oudoti
A freshwater fish wash named as “Mormyrops Oudoti” can only be found in Mali, which is a favorite fish among Bozo residents.
No#40: Gold and cotton
A significant portion of export earning comes from gold & cotton, and both of them source more than 80% of revenue.
No#41: Sweet tea
Malian guests can drink sweet tea up to 3 times from the same container, and they are unwelcome to drink fourth times.
No#42: A desert Mali
Most of the places of Mali are deserts, approximately 65% of total land.
No#43: A mostly Muslim country
More than 90% of Malians are Muslims and a small percentage in other regions.
Kingdom of Mali Facts
No#44: Internal migration
A large number of people live away from home in cities to work.
No#45: Most notable creatures
- Bata marsh toad
- Mali screeching frog
- African slender-snouted crocodile
No#46: Only one female candidate
In the 2018 presidential election, only one woman stood for election, whose name is Mrs. Kanté Diébou N’Diaye.
No#47: Sixth fastest-growing city
The capital of Mali, Bamako, is experiencing a high growth rate, and it has become an economic and cultural center of Mali.
No#48: One of the hottest countries
Mali is one of the world’s hottest countries where the average temperature during the summer season is 44°C to 48°C.
No#49:Different natural resources
- Kaolin
- Limestone
- Phosphate
No#50: Energie du Mali
Mali sources 50% of electricity from the Energie du Mali Company.
No#51: France colonized Mali
In 1892, the French government took control of Mali and named the state “French Sudan.”
How many interesting facts about Mali you have known earlier? We bet you have at least don’t know a few of them until you came here to read them. It is so much fun and exciting to learn such mesmerising facts about Mali to boost your knowledge. Explore more by ready more! Happy reading!
