Mali is one of the largest countries in Africa and in its territory is the legendary city of Timbuktu. Country rich in history and ethnic and cultural diversity is located in northwest Africa. Join us to know 20 Curiosities of Mali . Discover more of this country.
20 Curiosities of Mali
With no access to the sea, it is the eighth largest country on the African continent. The desert to the north and the savannah to the southwest cover its geography that hides important riches in gold, uranium and salt. However, its population is one of the poorest in Africa, dedicated especially to agriculture. We will divide these curiosities of Mali o Mali in sections to facilitate reading. We hope you like them!
Geographical and political Mali curiosities
1. Mali is one of the hottest countries in the world as it is crossed by the thermal equator. With scarce rainfall, droughts are very frequent.
2. One of the curiosities of Mali is that it has three very different areas. The first is the Saharan zone, which is very arid in the north, the second semi-arid in the Sahel, and the third, where crops abound and the majority of the country's population lives.
3. The territory of Mali is crossed by the Senegal and Niger rivers that make the south of the country the most fertile region.
4. By rock paintings found, it is believed that the Mali region was already inhabited in 50,000 BC. Millennia later three important empires settled down in the territory: the one of Ghana, the one of Songhai and the one of Mali. Mathematics, astronomy, art and literature flourished in them.
5. The political situation in Mali is very complicated. It was a French colony since the 19th century, a century later it joined the Sudan to achieve the independence of France and in 1960 it became the Federation of Mali. In 1991 it became a democratic state. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the northern Tuareg tribes have led various rebellions merging finally with the Ansar Dine Islamic group. France and the United Nations helped since 2013 in the fight against that group and in 2015 a peace treaty was signed. Despite this, it is considered that Mali is still an insecure country as new Islamist groups have emerged.
6. Southern Mali is mined gold galore. It is the third largest gold producer in Africa after South Africa and Ghana.
7. Women have an average of 6 children, which makes their birth rate the third highest in the world.
8. Mali is a transit country and currently channels a large part of the illegal migration to Europe, which is why human trafficking in its territory is increasing.
9. Although it is a country without coastline, fishing is one of its main sources of wealth with more than 200 species of fish.
10. The Niger River has an interior delta with seventeen bird protection areas, ten of which include wetlands. The species of herons that you can see in the inner delta of the Niger are remarkable.
Flag of Mali
11. The Mali flag It has three stripes: green, yellow and red. The green is for the fertility of the earth, the yellow symbolizes the gold and the purity of this mineral and the red represents the blood shed during the independence of France.
Capital of Mali
12. Bamako is the capital of Mali . It has an approximate population of 1.7 million inhabitants and is on the banks of the Niger River. One of its attractions are the colorful markets that fill its streets.
13. North of Bamako, the capital of Mali, is the largest national park and reserve: the Bouche du Baoulé National Park. Other important parks are those of Wongo and Kouroufring and the Bafing Biosphere Reserve, which houses the Bafing Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
Timbuktu and Djenné
14. Timbuktu is a city of legend with centuries of history and three important mosques. It was an obligatory step for salt caravans and for centuries salt was worth almost as much as gold.
15. Another of the curiosities of Mali It is the Great Mosque of Djenné, the largest adobe building in the world.
Language of Mali
16. The language of Mali official is French, however the language of Mali The most talked about is the Bambara. In addition there are a dozen other national languages.
Traditions of Mali
17. The traditions of Mali They are very varied since in the country you can find more than ten ethnic groups; among them the Bambara (34%), the Fulani (15%), the Sarakole (11%) or the Senufo (10%), which are the most numerous.
18. Among the traditions of Mali there is the clothes that they use daily and that receives the name of "boubous". They are loose tunics, very colorful and comfortable. The traditional fabric is called "bogalanfini" and is only woven in this part of Africa . It is handmade and dyed with mud. The women use matching fabrics with the tunics to cover their heads.
Food from Mali
19. The Mali food It is based on millet and rice, to which in the north they add couscous. They usually water the vegetables with sauces made with vegetables such as spinach or peanuts.
20. In addition to the Mali food You can try the typical drink that is the Djablani. It is made with hibiscus juice or baobab mixed with ginger. Apparently it's very, very refreshing.
Mali has important issues to resolve before becoming a modern country. Among them the female genital mutilation and the protection of children's rights.
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Images: Ferdinand Reus ,