Mali flag

Mali

History

The Mali empire under Sundiata and Mansa Musa controlled the gold and salt trade.
Timbuktu and Djenne became centres of Islamic scholarship.
France established the colony of French Sudan.
Independence came on 22 September after the Mali Federation dissolved.
Rebellion and Islamist advance in the north triggered international intervention.
Africa thumbnailPart ofAfricaMore countries, cities and routes.
CapitalBamako
Population22.4M
Area1.2M km2
CurrencyWest African CFA franc

Short facts

RegionWest Africa / Sahel
LanguageFrench
Time zoneGMT (UTC+0)
Drives onRight

Worth seeing

  • Djenne: The Great Mosque, the largest mud-brick building in the world, a UNESCO site.
  • Timbuktu: Medieval mosques and manuscript libraries at the desert's edge.
  • Bandiagara Escarpment: Dogon villages built into a 150 km cliff, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Find a city in Mali

Showing all cities

Bamako thumbnailBamakoCity

Planning questions

What is Mali known for?Djenne, Timbuktu, Bandiagara Escarpment.
What is the capital?Bamako.
Which language is useful?French.
When is the national day?22 September.
How should I browse it here?Start with the facts, jump to linked cities, then check events and topics.

Upcoming events

Use Bamako as the first planning anchor for Mali, then compare the city, food and worth-seeing notes on this page.

Food & drink

Street food thumbnailStreet foodSignature dishCoffee thumbnailCoffeeLocal drink

Known for

DjenneTimbuktuBandiagara EscarpmentBamakoStreet foodCoffee
Eurovision Song Contest thumbnailMusic & CultureFestivals, concerts and cultural calendars.Africa thumbnailDesert and dry-season planningWeather windows, heat, distance and route timing.