Mali: The Gateway to Africa
Hey there! Let’s take you to an African country whose name is a feminine nomenclature of Latin origin; the country with a name that would have meant industrious, striving, and work if it were a girl. This is the country affectionately called the “Land of Gold” thanks to its rich history of gold mining. We also join in calling it “The Gateway to Africa” due to its strategic location. It’s also what many of its fans call “The Land of Timbuktu” in recognition of the great influence an ancient city has had on the country. Yes, we’re talking to you nowhere else but to the black people living on a huge land in West Africa called Mali. Please come along!
About Mali: Location and Size
Mali is one of the landlocked countries in West Africa. Officially known as the Republic of Mali, it shares its borders with Senegal and Guinea by the west while the Niger Republic is toward the east. Its northern border is shared with Algeria while its northwestern border is shared with Mauritania. It is bordered on the south by Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. It occupies an area of about 479,245 square miles, ranking as the 8th most extensive country in Africa and the 23rd largest in the world. Though landlocked, about 1.6 percent of its area is covered by water.
Based on the 2023 estimate, the population of Mali is about 21,359,722 making it the 61st most populous nation in the world and 19th most populous in Africa. Its annual population growth is 3.1 percent. Interestingly, the world’s 61st-largest country and Africa’s 19th is ranked so high by total area. Thus, it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that Mali is the 215th most densely populated country in the world with a density of just 30.3 per square mile.
Bamako, the capital city is also the largest in the country. It’s one of Africa’s fastest-growing cities. French is the country’s official language, as with the majority of West African countries. However, Bambara, which is the most widely spoken African language in the country is being tipped to replace French as the official language. In actual fact, over 80 of the people living in Mali can communicate in Bambara. So why French, is the question.
Geographical Features of Mali
Its coordinates are between latitudes 10 degrees and 25 degrees N, and longitudes 13 degrees West and 5 degrees East. The line of equator separating the Eastern and Western hemispheres passes through the city of Gao in Mali. Droughts are very frequent in most of Mali as the country receives negligible rainfall annually. In the southernmost area, the rainy season is from late April to early October. This is when Niger usually floods, creating the Inner Niger Delta.
Animals endemic to Mali are Mali Firefinch, Mali lions which are only found around the Faleme River now, the aquatics like the freshwater elephant fish plus the Mali Screeching Frog and the Bata Marsh Toad. Other animals such as Manatees living in the Niger River are protected by law because they’re threatened. That’s why they’re no longer hunted for their meat. Other endangered species found only in Mali are addax, the chimpanzee, the dame gazelle, the African wild dog, and the rhim gazelle. Also, a species of legume in the Fabaceae family can only be found only in Mali while other grasses are scattered throughout the country.
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