Filed under Africa and more precisely Western Africa, Mali is a sovereign state. The long form of the name is Republic of Mali. The capital is Bamako.
Some 24.5 million people call it home, placing it 58th of 250 by population — between Syria above it and Burkina Faso below. Measured only against its own subregion, it is 2nd of 17 in size and 5th in population.
Its territory runs to 1,240,192 km², which ranks it 25th of the 250 countries and territories in this dataset — just behind Angola and just ahead of South Africa. That makes it almost exactly the same size as Angola.
Where Mali is and what surrounds it
The coordinates the dataset gives are 17.0° N, 4.0° W, which puts it in the northern hemisphere, roughly 1,892 km from the equator, in what geographers would call tropical latitudes.
The prime meridian also passes close to it, so it straddles the line that divides east from west. Yemen, Thailand and Vietnam sit at almost exactly the same latitude on other parts of the globe.
7 countries share a land border with it: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal. The largest of them by area is Algeria, which is also the most populous. Together those neighbours hold about 167.8 million people.
This is one of the world's landlocked countries. That is true of 45 of the 250 entries here, and it means every shipment in or out has to cross someone else's border first. 2 of its neighbours, Burkina Faso and Niger, are landlocked too. You can see the full picture on the landlocked countries page.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
People, population and language
Population divided by land area gives roughly 20 people per square kilometre, which makes it less crowded than the typical entry on this list. For comparison, the median entry on this list sits near 90 per square kilometre.
The one official language is French. French is one of the widely shared official languages here, listed by 45 other entries including Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso and Burundi.
People from Mali are called Malians.
Inside Africa it places 19th of 59 by population, and it accounts for 5.4% of everyone living in Western Africa.
Currency and codes
It uses the West African CFA franc (Fr, XOF). That is a shared currency: 7 other entries use it, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast and Niger.
The top-level domain is .ml. The international dialling code is +223. Its ISO codes are ml and MLI, which is what most databases and flag files use.
Bamako is the city to remember for this country.
It holds a seat at the United Nations, one of 193 entries here that do. The other 57 entries are territories, dependencies or observers, which is why totals on this site run to 250 rather than the familiar 195.
Neighbouring countries
Mali shares borders with 7 countries:
Fun facts about Mali
- Ranked by land area, Mali is 25th out of the 250 countries and territories on this site.
- Websites based there use the .ml domain.
- It is landlocked, one of 45 entries here with no coastline of its own.
- Yemen and Thailand sit at almost the same latitude, on the far side of the globe.
- In land area it is almost exactly the same size as Angola.
- Population density works out at roughly 20 people per square kilometre.
Mali — frequently asked questions
- What is the capital of Mali?
- The capital of Mali is Bamako.
- What is the population of Mali?
- Mali has a population of about 24.5 million, which makes it the 58th most populous of the 250 countries and territories listed on this site. Syria sits just above it and Burkina Faso just below.
- Is Mali landlocked?
- Yes. Mali has no sea coast, which makes it one of 45 landlocked entries in this dataset. Everything it imports or exports by sea has to cross a neighbour's territory first, and that transit dependency is a well-documented drag on trade costs.
- Which countries border Mali?
- Mali borders 7 countries: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal. Algeria is the largest of them by area.
- What language is spoken in Mali?
- The official language of Mali is French. It is also official in 45 other entries on this list.
- What currency does Mali use?
- Mali uses the West African CFA franc, written Fr (currency code XOF). It is shared with 7 other entries.
- Is Mali a country?
- Yes. Mali is a sovereign state and one of the 193 UN members listed on this site.
- How big is Mali?
- Mali covers 1,240,192 km², ranking 25th of 250 by land area. That makes it almost exactly the same size as Angola.
- Where is Mali located?
- Mali is in Western Africa, part of Africa. Its reference coordinates are 17.0° north and 4.0° west, roughly 1,892 km from the equator in tropical latitudes.
