|
MALI
Mali is not the place to go for safaris, wild animals, or natural forests.
What it does have is a variety of surreal landscapes, beautiful artwork,
unique mosques made entirely of mud, pink sandstone villages carved into
cliff faces, and undulating desert dunes that look like scenes from Lawrence
of Arabia. All this and the chance to say that you've been to Timbuktu and
back.
Unfortunately Mali is rapidly being swallowed up by the desert and is still suffering from the aftereffects of a drought
of biblical proportions. This has contributed to making it one of the five poorest
countries in the world with a high infant mortality rate, extensive malnutrition, low
levels of literacy, and a short life expectancy. Malians are by nature and circumstance a
stoic and enduring race. Their passion for their homeland and traditional way of life may
now be sustainable with the discovery of deposits of gold potentially large enough
to lift the country ou of its economic doldrums.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
| Full Country Name |
Republic of Mali |
| Area |
1,240,140 sq km
(483,654 sq mi) |
| Population |
10,800,000 |
| Capital |
Bamako |
| People |
Bambara,
Tuareg, Dogon, Songhaï, Senoufou, Fulani |
| Language |
French,
The main African languages are Bambara, Songhaï, Tuareg and Arabic |
| Religion |
Muslim
90%, traditional African religion 9%, Christian 1% |
| Government |
Republic |
| President |
Alpha
Oumar Konaré |
ECONOMY
| GDP |
US$5.8
Billion |
| GDP per
Head |
$300 |
| Annual
Growth |
3.2% |
|
Inflation |
12.7% |
| Major
Industries |
Cotton,
Livestock, Gold Mining and Fishing |
| Major
Trading partners |
France, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Germany and
Switzerland |
ENVIRONMENT
At nearly twice the size of France, the
land locked Republic of Mali is one of the largest West African countries,
but it has fewer people per square mile than any other country. It is hemmed
in by Niger, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire and Liberia on its eastern edge;
Guinea and Senegal to the south; Mauritania to the west; and Algeria to the
north. The northern region of Mali is nearly all made up of the Saharan
desert, the middle is a belt of arid semi-desert- the Sahel- and in the
south the rainfall is sufficient for cultivation. Mali's major geographical
feature is the Niger River, which runs right up to the edge of the Sahara
before turning right and heading back to the ocean. In the upper southern
region the Niger and Bani rivers join to form a rich inland delta but it is
only in the lower southern regions where rainfall is reliable that the
dryness gives way to small pockets of natural forest. Climate and
environment are working together to bury Mali under sand and 65% of the
country is now desert or semi-desert. The rapid desertification is due to
ongoing droughts, over-grazing, topsoil erosion, harsh desert winds, and the
scavenging of trees for firewood. It's hardly surprising, therefore, that
Mali is almost totally without lush forests or abundant wildlife.
In fact, Baoule National Park, 130km (80mi) northwest of Bamako, is about
the only bit of green you'll see in the country, and a few Lions, Giraffes,
Buffalo and Hippo that are there, look a bit lonely. Although it cools down
a little toward the end of the year, the temperature in Mali, particularly
in the north, is either hot or very hot, often reaching temperatures above
40ºC
(104ºF).
The humid rainy season is June to September although this really only
applies to the south. In the Sahel rain can be variable, and in the north it
is very scarce. Dusty Harmattan winds, blowing off the desert between
December and February, cover the cities with a fine layer of sand.
CULTURE
The largest tribe in Mali is the Bambara, many of whom are civil
servants.The Dogons and the Tuareg practice a more traditional way of life.
The Tuareg, or 'blue men of the desert' (thus named for their indigo robes
and turbans) are an ancient nomadic tribe who still eke out a desert
existence. They are a proud race of people, famous for their fighting
abilities and artwork, but who are now staring urbanisation and resettlement
in the face. Drought and government policies are threatening their
traditional way of life. Tuaregs and their camel-caravans sometimes still
appear unexpectedly on the horizon before merging into the desert again. The
Dogons are incredibly industrious farmers living on the edges of a long
narrow escarpment in the inland delta. Their homeland, the Pays Dogon, has
been designated a World Heritage site because of its cultural significance.
The Dogon are also famous for their artistic abilities and elaborate masks.
The traditional music of Mali is based on the songs of the jalis (or
griots), a distinct caste in the social structure since the days of
the Mali Empire. The choice instrument for the jalis is the kora, a
harp-lute string instrument with 21 strings stretched over a long neck of
rosewood and plucked with the thumb and index finger of each hand. Jalis
music has been actively encouraged by official policy that values African
music over western influences. Mali's most famous musician, Salif Keita, is
an ambassador for griot music and although he now resides in Paris, there
have been rumours that he occasionally turns up to play with the legendary
Rail Band in Bamako.
The food in Mali is similar to that found in Senegal. On the menu can be
found poulet yassa (grilled chicken in chilli sauce), riz yollof (vegetables
or meat cooked in a sauce of oil and tomato) and couscous (semolina steamed
with meat and vegetables). Along the Niger, fish dishes are popular and
include Nile perch (orcapitaine) either fried, grilled, stewed or baked.
|
Peul girls,
Northern Bandiagara Escarpmenti
Granarie
|
