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Mali was the site of three major empires and many smaller kingdoms that ruled West Africa.  First was the Ghana empire, whose capital was Kounili-Saleh (found in present-day Mauritania).  Next was the Mali or Manding empire that ruled in the 13th and 14th century whose capital was Niani (found in present-day Guinea-Conakry).  The last was the Songhaï empire, which ruled West Africa in the late 14th and 15th centuries before it was crushed by invading Moroccans.  The Songhaï empire capital was in Gao.  Later and somewhat smaller kingdoms included the Ségou in the 18th century followed by the Fula kingdom.

The 19th century saw the arrival of colonial powers to Africa and in Mali's case, it was the French.  The history of Mali from the time of the arrival of the French until independence in 1960 is dotted with examples of growing pan-African independence movements and growing dissatisfaction with European oversight of African affairs.

The independence movement in West Africa slowly gained traction after World War II.  Originally, the thinking was that combining different members of French West Africa (known as the Afrique Occidentale Français or AOF) into a federation would help the region become more self-sufficient.  Different countries within the region opted out of this agreement eventually whittling it down to only Mali and Senegal, who were united for a short period of time before a clash of ideals and personalities between Mali's Modibo Keita and Senegal's Léopold Senghor sent each country their own way.

Modibo Keita took over the reigns of newly independent Mali with the ideal of developing his own version of African socialism.  He aligned his country with China and the Soviet Union and shunned the rest of the world.  His heavy-handed policies started dragging the country down, and in 1968, he was replaced in a military coup staged by Moussa Traoré.  Keita was sent to the far northern Saharan town of Taoudenni (Mali's version of Siberia) dying 10 years later still in prison.

Moussa Traoré ruled Mali from 1968 until 1991.  He reversed some of Keita's decisions, which had isolated Mali from other West African countries and from the world. His rule, however, was dictatorial and Mali embraced the call for democracy that began sweeping the region in the early 1990's.  Hoping to hold onto power, Traoré attempted to quell strikes and demonstrations with heavy-handed police and military force. These reactions only steeled the resolve of student and pro-democracy groups, who could feel the tide of change moving in their favor.

Traoré was replaced in a military coup headed by Lieutenant Colonel Amadou Toumani Touré, who promptly dissolved the entire government, suspended the constitution and abolished Traoré's political party (Traoré had only allowed his own political party to legally exist under his rule).  Unlike many other African military leaders throughout history, Touré kept his word by calling free and democratic elections.  He did not even run in the elections for president and peacefully stepped aside when Alpha Oumar Konaré won the first fair and democratic presidential election in 1992. 

Traoré and other members of his government were sentenced to death for their activities, but their sentences were then commuted to life imprisonment.  Traoré spent some time in prison but was given a pardon by Konaré and now lives a peaceful and public life in Bamako.

Konaré served two sentences as Mali's president and was replaced in 2002 by Touré (known by Malians as "ATT"), who finally did run for and win Mali's presidency.

The People of Mali
Mali has a wide variety of people of different origins.  The largest group with more than 3 million out of a population of 12 million is the Bambara or Bamana group.  They are concentrated in Bamako, Koulikoro, and Ségou, but they are, in fact, found throughout the entire country. In fact, the Bambara language is one of the most widely spoken languages in all of West Africa.

The Malinké people, who are also found in Guinea and Senegal, live in the western parts of Mali including the Manding Highlands.  The Malinké language is very similar to the Bambara language.  The Senoufo and Minianka people live in southern Mali in the Sikasso region and the Ivory Coast.  The Bobo people are also found in the Ségou region clustered most heavily around San but stretching as far as Mopti in the north.

The Dogon are a well-known group of people usually associated with their stunning cliff  homes located near Bandiagara.  The Dogons are actually split into two groups - those that live in and around the escarpment and those that live in the plains below the escarpment stretching down to Kona and even northern Burkina Faso.  The Dogons speak many different distinct dialects and sometimes the dialect can vary from one village to the next.  Dogons are religiously divided between Muslims, Christians, and Animists and these separate religions can often be seen in three different parts of the same village.

Peuls, herders found all over West Africa, are also found in Mali too.  In Mali, they are most commonly found in the Niger River delta region near Mopti.

In the North, the Songhaï are found in both Gao and Timbuktu and in villages along the Niger River between the two.  The Tuareg or Tamasheks are also found in Gao, Timbuktu, Kidal and all of the Sahara Desert regions of northern Mali.  Arabs and Daoussahaq's are also found in this region.  These groups all have their own distinct languages, although they have intermingled heavily over time and commonly speak each other's languages as well as their own.

Mali Today
The Mali of today is peaceful and democratic.  The current president is Amadou Toumani Touré, who has served as president since 2002, following in the footsteps of Alpha Oumar Konaré, the first freely-elected president of Mali.  The next presidential election will be contested in Spring 2007.

Mali's democratic institutions are not a show-piece only.  Mali enjoys complete freedom of the press, and its citizens are free to express their viewpoints as they see fit.  Malians enjoy debating and discussing politics and political parties maintain offices in many large towns where people gather to discuss the political issues of the day.

Mali also enjoys a reputation for producing world-class music and musicians.  Salif Keïta, the recently-deceased Ali Farka Touré, Oumou Sangaré, Oumar Keïta and Koko Dembêlé are some of the more notable Malian musicians, but younger Malian acts, like Habib Koïté and Baba Salah, are paving the way for the next generation.  Visitors will find music everywhere in Mali - from the hot clubs in Bamako, where these famous performers often play, to the smallest villages where singing, dancing, and playing traditional instruments is still very much a real part of daily life.

Mali's two main geographic features are the Niger River and the Sahara Desert.  The Niger River, Africa's third longest river after the Nile and the Congo, passes through almost the entire breadth of Mali, including past Bamako, Ségou, Mopti, Timbuktu, and Gao.  The river is a ubiquitous presence and provides a platform for much of Mali's transportation and trade.  The Sahara Desert in the vast reaches of northern Mali is an unforgiving landscape populated mostly by Tuareg nomads, camels and harsh temperatures.  The furthest northern region of Mali, extremely empty and desolate, includes the famous Saharan salt mines of Taoudenni.

Mali, like most West African countries, is relatively poor by development standards.  The UN Human Development Index places Mali fourth from the bottom of 190 ranked countries only higher than Niger, Burkina Faso, and Sierra Leone.  Although Mali suffers from poverty, what is not reflected in these numbers is the amazing amount of cultural riches found in Mali.  For example, Mali boasts four UN World Heritage Sites, including the stunning Dogon Country, the world-famous city of Timbuktu, the breathtaking mud mosque at Djenné, and the unique Tomb of the Askias in Gao.

Visitors will certainly also be entranced by Mali's people.  They are uniformly welcoming, and visitors will be touched by their generosity, as people are always interested to share a pot of hot tea and swap stories.  In short, the Mali of today has a lot to offer the visitor and mysteries and cultural riches await your visit.

Mali Fast Facts
Population: Approximately 12 million

Capital: Bamako (pronounced “BOMB-eh-co”) with approximately 1 million people

Regional Capitals: Kayes, Koulikoro, Sikasso, Ségou, Mopti, Timbuktu, Gao, Kidal

Religion: Muslim (>90%), All other Christian or Animist

Independence: From France on September 22, 1960

Government Type: Democracy - Parliamentary-style with 3 straight successful elections

President: Amadou Toumani Touré

Prime Minister: Ousmane Issoufi Maïga

Ethnic Groups: Bambara, Malinké, Senoufo, Songhaï, Tamashek, Peul, Dogon, Bobo, Bozo, Arab, Daoussahaq

Bordering Countries: 7 - Niger, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea-Conakry, Ivory Coast

Languages: French (official), Bambara, Dogon, Songhaï, Tamashek, Peul, Malinké, Bobo, Senoufo, Minianka, Arab, Daoussahaq

Environment: Tropical (southern Mali) to Sahelian (central Mali) to desert (northern Mali)

Major Waterways: Landlocked – major rivers include Niger (3rd longest in Africa), Senegal, Bani, Bafing, and Baoulé

Literacy Rate: 46% literacy

Infant Mortality: 118 deaths / 1000 births

Sources: U.S. government websites, Mahamane "Anthony" Touré, Kata Data Alhousseini Maïga, The Rough Guide

Mud Mosque in Djenné
The largest mud mosque in the world.

Timbuktu
The legendary site of ancient Islamic scholarship

The Pink Dune in Gao
The magic of the Sahara hovering over the edge of the Niger River

Dogon Country
Amazing treks amongst ancient Dogon ruins and modern Dogon villages

The Niger River
Africa's third longest river is a constant companion in Mali

Mopti
Jumping off point for Dogon treks, Djenné, river cruises, & Timbuktu

Sahara Desert Camel Treks
The adventure of a camel trek through the desert

Tomb of the Askias
The mystery of a 500 year old pyramid mosque

Tuareg Crafts & Jewelry
Tuareg products are sold all over West Africa