Sub Saharan Africa
Mali
Last reviewed: 25 February 2009
Country information
Area: 1.2 million sq km
Population: 12.5 million (2008)
Capital city: Bamako
People and languages: The principal ethnic groups are Mande (including Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul, Voltaic, Songhai, Tuareg and Moor. French is the official language. Numerous African languages are spoken, of which Bambara is most common.
Religion(s): the vast majority of Malians are Muslim. Christianity and indigenous beliefs are also practised.
Currency: CFA Franc
Major political parties: There are over 70 political parties in Mali, many of which have little geographical reach or organisation. The important ones include ADEMA (which led the pro-democracy movement in the early 1990s), the MRP (Mouvement Patriotique pour le Renouveau), CNID (Congres National d'Initiative Democratique), the Union pour la Republique et la Democratie (URD, a breakaway from ADEMA) and PARENA (Parti pour la renaissance nationale).
Head of State: President Amadou Toumani Toure (elected in 2002 and 2007)
Prime Minister: Modibo Sidibe
Membership of major international groupings/organisations: African Development Bank (AFDB), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA).
Health
Health requirements:
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contacts
Address:
Embassy of the Republic of Mali
Avenue Molière 487
1050 Brussels
Telephone:
(00) (322) 345 74 32
Fax:
(00) 322 344 57 00