AREA: total: 1,861,484 sq km
COAST: 853 km

BORDERING COUNTRIES:Central African Republic 174 km; Chad 1,403 km; Egypt 1,276 km; Eritrea 682 km; Ethiopia 744 km; Libya 382 km; South Sudan 2,158 km

POPULATION:49,197,555 (2023 est.)

URBANIZATION: 46.2% of total population (2023)

ETHNIC GROUPS:Bambara 33.3%, Fulani (Peuhl) 13.3%, Sarakole/Soninke/Marka 9.8%, Senufo/Manianka 9.6%, Malinke 8.8%, Dogon 8.7%, Sonrai 5.9%, Bobo 2.1%, Tuareg/Bella 1.7%, other Malian 6%, from members of Economic Community of West Africa 0.4%, other 0.3% (2018 est.)

RELIGIONS: Muslim 93.9%, Christian 2.8%, animist 0.7%, none 2.5% (2018 est.)

AGES:
0-14 years: 47.05% (male 5,054,927/female 4,995,605)

15-64 years: 49.88% (male 5,006,470/female 5,647,289)

65 years and over: 3.07% (2023 est.) (male 323,170/female 332,261)

GOVERNMENT TYPE:
Semi Presidential Republic

INDEPENDENCE:
September 22, 1960 (from France)

CHIEF OF STATE:Transition President Assimi GOITA (since 7 June 2021); note – an August 2020 coup d’etat deposed President Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA; on 21 September 2020, a group of 17 electors chosen by the Malian military junta, known as the National Committee for the Salvation of the People (CNSP) and led by Colonel Assimi GOITA, selected Bah NDAW as transition president; GOITA served as vice president of the transitional government which was inaugurated on 25 September 2020; Vice President GOITA seized power on 25 May 2021; NDAW resigned on 26 May 2021; on 6 June 2022, GOITA’s government announced a transition period of 24 months with a planned return to civilian rule by March 2024

head of government: Transition Prime Minister Choguel MAIGA (appointed by Transitional President Assimi GOITA on 7 June 2021)

note: former transition Prime Minister Moctar OUANE was arrested and detained by the military on 24 May 2021 and resigned on 26 May 2021

MILITARY STRENGTH:
information varies; approximately 20,000 active FAMa personnel (includes up to 2,000 Air Force); approximately 5,000 Gendarmerie; approximately 10,000 National Guard (2022)

SOURCE: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/mali/#military-and-security