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 city: 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
Environment
At nearly twice the size of France the landlocked republic of Mali is one of the largest West African countries but has fewer people per square mile than any other. It's shaped like a bow tie after a long night - twisted to a 45° angle and with the left side smaller than the right. It's 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 Saharan desert and a whopping chunk of the middle is a belt of arid semi-desert, the Sahel. 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 overtime to bury Mali under a tonne of sand and 65% of the country is now desert or semi-desert. The rapid desertification of Mali is due to on-going 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 the few lions, giraffes, buffalo and hippo that are there are all 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 hotter than hell, often reaching temperatures above 40°C (104°F). 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's scarcer than hens' teeth. Dusty Harmattan winds blowing off the desert between December and February covers the sandy cities with a fine layer of dust.
History
Mali is a country old enough to have rock paintings that date back to a time when the Sahara was a blossoming paradise but the first known empire in the region was the Empire of Ghana. This was destroyed in the 11th century by Muslim Berbers from Mauritania and Morocco who objected to the lukewarm manner in which the empire embraced Islam. By the middle of the 13th century, however, Sundiata Keita, leader of the Mandinka people, had strategically converted the empire to Islam and taken out a monopoly on the gold and salt trade. Under the influence of several progressive Mansas (Lords), Djenné and Timbuktu became the commercial Shangri-las of West Africa, with several mosques and a couple of universities being built as part of the push to create a great and powerful empire.
But to the east the Songhaï had established their own city around Gao. They were powerful and well organised and, more to the point, had been busy creating a professional army and a civil service while the Mali empire had been building universities. When push came to shove, the traders and students were no match for the soldiers and bureaucrats and the Songhaï Empire took over the Sahel. Their victory was short-lived, however, lasting a mere century before there was another bloody and losing encounter with the Moroccan Berbers. At the same time European ships were plying the coast of West Africa, thus circumventing the Saharan trade route and knocking the bottom out of the Sahel wealth. The city of Timbuktu was abandoned and began to acquire its out-of-the-way reputation.
In 1883 Mali became a French colony and although a few railways and irrigation systems were built Mali was always considered the poor cousin of other West African colonies. In June 1960 Mali finally gained its independence and merged with Senegal to form a federation but the honeymoon was short and turbulent and by August Senegal had seceded and Modibo Keita became the first president of the Mali Republic. Keita opted to play both sides of the political fence by retaining political and economic ties with France but relying heavily on Soviet military advice. In a fit of national pride Mali left the franc zone in 1962, established its own currency, and embarked on a series of disastrous socialist policies that sent the economy bust and caused a national tightening of the belt. These austere cost-cutting ventures proved to be highly unpopular and in 1968 Moussa Traoré took over the country in a bloodless coup.
Traoré ruled Mali from 1968 to 1991 but not always well and not always benevolently. Mali was a relatively peaceful republic in the 1970s and '80s, although there were several obligatory coup attempts and a well-publicised student strike in 1979. In 1991, however, all Traoré's sins came home to roost. His heavy-handed treatment of Tuareg rebels, his repeated refusals to consider political pluralism, and his open-fire policy toward strikers and rioters led Lt.Col Amadou Toumani Touré to take control of the country and appoint a civilian, Soumana Sacko, to head a transitional government. In 1992 multiparty elections were held and Alpha Konaré was invested as President.
Much of Mali's economic woes in the 1980s were due to a devastating drought that bought widespread famine in its wake. People and live-stock died, wells dried up, villages disappeared beneath the sand, swarms of locusts and rats ate what little food remained, trees were uprooted for fire wood and, as a final slap in the face, when it did rain it rained so violently that cattle, topsoil and vegetation were washed away. Mali has never fully recovered from these devastations although recent discoveries of deposits of gold may help the country from it knees.
Economic Profile
GDP: US$5.8 billion
GDP per head: $600
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
Culture
The largest tribe in Mali is the Bambara, who occupy many of the civil servant positions, but it is the Dogons and the Tuareg who practice a more traditional way of life.
The Tuareg, or 'blue men of the desert' (named for their indigo robes and turbans) are an ancient nomadic tribe still eking out a desert existence. They are a proud race of people, famous for their fighting abilities and artwork, now staring urbanisation and resettlement in the face. Drought and government policy are threatening their traditional way of life but Tuaregs and their camel-caravans still appear unexpectedly on the horizon before melting 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 of 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. Along the Niger fish dishes are popular and include Nile perch (or capitaine) either fried or grilled or, in more imaginative moments, stewed or baked.
Events
The most captivating event on the Mali calendar is the crossing of the cattle at Diafarabé. Every year during December, in a tradition that goes back 160 years, Diafarabé gears up to cope with a sudden influx of cattle and herders as they converge on the river bank. It's a time for celebrations and festivities as herders are reunited with friends and family after several long months in the desert. Local chiefs and elders meet before the big event and the order of the crossing is decided by the processes of fair play and democracy. The cattle are then led to the grass that is (both proverbially and literally) always greener on the other side.
The Dogons are famous for their masks and during the five-day Fête des Masques in April many of them are used in ritual ceremonies that go back more than 1000 years. The most famous of these ceremonies is the Sigui, which only occurs once every 60 years, and is probably connected to the Dogon agrarian calendar. This calendar has an eerie Twilight Zone mystique to it: it's thought to be based on the orbital cycles of a white dwarf star that is invisible to the naked eye. It was only discovered in the 1960s by a high powered telescope, despite the fact that the Dogons had been been using the star as a seasonal marker for more than a millennium.
Facts for the Traveller
Visas: Visas are required for all except French nationals
Health risks: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required, and one for cholera is strongly advised. Malaria precautions should be taken.
Time: GMT/UTC
Electricity: 220 volts, 50Hz
Weights & measures: Metric (see conversion
table)
Money & Costs
Currency: West African CFA franc (CFA)
Relative costs:
- Budget meal: US$1-2
- Moderate restaurant meal: US$3-6
- Top-end restaurant meal: US$7-10
- Budget room: US$2-6
- Moderate hotel: US$13-30
- Top-end hotel: US$48-70
The CFA is fixed against the French franc but in recent years the exchange rate has almost doubled making Mali a reasonably cheap destination. You can get away with spending as little as US$10 a day but this often means grungy rooms, lax security and beef brochettes from the food stalls. If you'd like self-contained rooms, air-conditioning, and the odd meal of steak or chawarmas you can expect to pay US$30-40, while staying in grand old colonial-style hotels and dining out on pigeon and perch will set you back about US$100 a day.
There are a number of banks in Bamako that change money but all of them charge high commissions. If you're coming from Burkina Faso, Niger, or Senegal you're better off changing your money in those countries as the commission rate is lower. Most money transactions in Mali take time, the patience of Job, and a little bit of pleading and cajoling, particularly if you have denominations other than French francs. It is possible to get cash from Visa cards in Bamako but don't expect the process to be easy.
As in most West African countries a 10% tip is expected in better class restaurants.
When to Go
The very best time to visit Mali is November, before the heat hits in March and after the wet humid season. Trips down the Niger are also a good bet in November as the river is usually high enough for passenger boats to get through. By December and January water levels are iffy and boat trips may be more of a hop from one sandbank to another if not cancelled altogether. November, though, is also the high tourist season so if you prefer to sacrifice a bit of comfort for peace and quiet, you could go in December for the crossing of the cattle at Diafarabé. In fact anytime from October through to February is a reasonable time to go but trying to get around Mali in the hot season from March to May is strictly for masochists.
Attractions
Bamako
You'd expect the capital city of one of the poorest countries in the world to be sullen and down-at-heel but Bamako is a brash cacophony of music, motorbikes, and people buying, selling and trading under the hot midday sun. Despite its problems it's got chutzpah.
Unfortunately the colonial-style Grand Marché Market burnt down in 1993. It's due to be rebuilt but until it is the stall holders are simply conducting business alfresco on the pavements and side streets around the old site. This greatly increases the chances of getting lost as all the streets begin to look the same but you can find everything here from indigo cloth to gold to tapes of African music. There's also a traditional medicine vendor should you find yourself running short of travel essentials such as porcupine quills, dried birds and monkey heads.
The Musée National is one of the best ethnographic museums in West Africa with architectural features inspired by the old-mud brick structures in Djenneé and a wide range of tapestries, masks, funeral objects, and weapons. The museum is desperately trying to hold onto its cultural treasures but is fighting an uphill battle against collectors illegally buying ancient terracotta figurines in Djenneé for next to nothing. Don't buy into this cultural devaluation: save your francs for the legal stuff.
Bamako is on the north bank of the Niger. The core city centre, where you'll find the main markets, shops, restaurants, and some hotels, is the triangle formed by Ave du Fleuve, Blvd du Peuple and Ave van Vollenhoven. The Grand Marché (or what used to be the Grand Marché before it burnt down) is in the centre of this triangle.
The Niger River Route
The Niger River is the life blood of Mali, entering at the southern end of the country and running into the interior as far as Gao before doing a sharp right hand turn and flowing back toward the ocean. Boats run up and down the river between August and November and it's one of the best ways to see the interior of the country. Most travellers find the journey fascinating, and it gives them a chance to experience the hurly-burly of port life along the river. Conditions on board tend to vary: at best it's still not quite shuffleboard and margaritas aboard the Love Boat; at worst it's a floating hellhole with no extra charged for the sweltering cabins, dirty toilets, food shortages, sandbankings, and cargo spread everywhere.
Mopti, lying on the inland delta, is one of the biggest cities along the Niger with one of the most vibrant ports and a large bustling market. It's also the centre of the local tourist industry and suffers from hard-sell overload. Travellers have reported being mercilessly harangued by local youths offering themselves as guides, or trying to off-load postcards and souvenirs and refusing to take no for an answer. Some of these entrepreneurs are not averse to a little bit of free enterprise so watch out for the scams that end up with you being parted from your money. Before Mopti is the junction town of San, which is quieter than the other places but has a traditional ambience that other towns seem to have lost. Gao is the last stop before the Niger turns and heads back to the ocean. It's well and truly in the Sahel and is extremely hot but has a picturesque market place, stunning sunsets and the Tomb of the Askia (a 16th century ruler), now used as a mosque.
Boats run from Koulikoro, 60km (37mi) east of Bamako, to the interior city of Gao, 925km (573mi) northeast of Bamako. Journeys may be anything from one day to a week long. In theory a boat leaves Koulikoro every Tuesday and arrives in Gao the following Monday stopping en route at a number of towns. The return journey begins in Gao every Thursday and arrives at Koulikoro a week later.
Falaise de Bandiagara
A hiking trek to the Dogon country, travelling the length of the Falaise de Bandiagara or Bandiagara Escarpment, is likely to be the highlight of any visit to Mali. The Dogon have a complex and elaborate culture and are well known for their art work. The treks are a great way to get a first hand look at the pink sandstone houses and granaries carved out of the cliff face, and to gather tips on gardening in very small spaces. The Dogon grow their crops in small plots on the cliff ledges.
If you are there in April you can see the spectacular five-day Fête des Masques which is the Dogon's major festival and involves liberal amounts of dancing and millet beer. The other regular event in Dogon life is market day, occuring every five days. These are lively affairs that don't get into full swing until around noon and are usually greased with a bit of a joke-telling session, some local gossip, and the ubiquitous millet beer.
The Bandiagara Escarpment is 135km (84mi) long and runs from Douentza in the north to near Bankas in the south. Bandiagara, Bankas and Sanga are all popular starting-points for hikers. Bandiagara and Bankas are both about 550km (340mi) northeast of Bamako, while Sanga is about another 40km (25mi) further north. To get to these jumping off points take a plane, bus or boat from Bamako to Mopti, and from Mopti a mini bus or bush taxi.
Off the Beaten Track
Djenné
Djenné is often missed by travellers because it lies off the main route between Bamako and Mopti but is well worth the visit. It lies on the Niger River delta and is particularly picturesque in the rainy season when it turns into an island surrounded by water. It claims to be the oldest city in West Africa and it appears that little has changed in centuries. Djenné has elevated the childish pastime of mud-pie making to an art form; they've built an entire town from the stuff. The mud houses with their thatched roofs and wooden window shutters and doors decorated with paint and metal objects give the town its other-wordly charm.
The much-photographed Djenné Mosque intensifies this air of strangeness. Built entirely out of mud, complete with turret-like projections, it rises from the desert floor like an over-acheiver's sandcastle. It is, not unnaturally, the largest mud structure in the world and is one of the finest examples of Sudanese architecture. The only drawback is that it tends to melt in the rain and major mud-pie sessions are required after the rainy season to keep it from disintegrating. Unfortunately, non-Muslim visitors were banned from the interior after a fashion photographer and a horde of models ran amok in its interior but you can still get an excellent view of the outer walls from the roof of the Petit Marché opposite the mosque.
Djenné is about 400km (248mi) from Bamako and can be reached by bus or pinasse (large motorised canoe).
Timbuktu
During the Empire of the Mali, Timbuktu was a major stop on the trans-Saharan route and a thriving centre of commerce. Its fortunes began to fall when the monopoly on the trans-Saharan route was broken and gradually the city was abandoned and left to the desert, thus acquiring its reputation as an inaccessible and remote outpost. It is in fact rather difficult to reach although not quite as impossible as legend would have it.
Timbuktu is smack dab in the middle of desert surrounded by nothing except more desert. Getting there may be the best part of it (that, and the T-shirt that reads,'I've been to Timbuktu and back again') because once you're there you may find that it doesn't have a hell a lot to offer apart from sand, and that it has plenty of. Sand is piling up on the outskirts of the city and you now have to step down from street level to get into many of the houses. Timbuktu has three of the oldest mosques in the world that you might consider visiting although the only thing going for them is their age. They're not particularly interesting or in good repair. The inappropriately named Grand Marché is in the Old Section of the city but it's not very large and doesn't sell many things. Despite the lack of major monuments Timbuktu does retain a faded sense of mystery and enigma and has a feel unlike that of any other town along the Niger.
The best way to get to Timbuktu is by river, either by passenger boat or pinasse. If the river is too low for boats you can also take a bus or plane from Bamako. Timbuktu is 690km (430mi) from Bamako.
Ségou
Ségou, the main city of the Bambara tribe, is near the ruins of Mbelba, an ancient capital of Bambara. This leafy tree-lined city is an antidote to the dusty congested streets of Bamako and the pace of life is considerably calmer. Ségou, retains much of the faded glory of its French colonial origins and provides a good snapshot of what life would have been like in a French West African town. If you're there on a Monday check out the market which sells, among other things, the bright hand-woven fabrics for which the area is famous. While in Ségou you can take a day trip to Niono, known as the Venice of Mali for its system of canals and aquaducts. The mud mosque in Niono is almost as well photographed as the one in Djenné.
Ségou is 220km (130mi) northeast of Bamako along the Niger and can be reached by boat or bus. Bush taxis from Bamako to Ségou are less frequent but can be found.
Jenné-Jeno
The ruins of Jenné-Jeno are an archeological site gradually being excavated by a team of professionals. It was once a thriving capital but was abandoned in the 15th century for unknown reasons. It is now a barren plain carpeted by a thick layer of broken pottery and debris altough iron implements and jewellery have been discovered there suggesting it was one of the first places in Arica where iron was used.
Jenné-Jeno is three kilometres from Djenné so getting to the archeological site is a matter of travelling to Djenné and then getting a bush taxi the rest of the way.
Activities
One of the best things you can do in Mali is take a hiking trek along the Bandiagara Escarpment. Depending on your time, budget, and level of fitness you can do anything from a one-day to an eight-day trek along the cliff face. Guides are not essential but will make the going easier as they can negotiate prices for staying overnight in the villages and point out the right tracks to follow. A river trip down the Niger is also a must. Again the extent of the trip is entirely flexible and can last as long as the river, or as short as the time it takes you to get hot and bothered over the less than luxurious conditions.
Taking a camel ride out to the Tuareg camps in Timbuktu might be a bit of a cliché and cause involuntary humming of the theme song from Lawrence of Arabia, but if you've arrived in Timbuktu by boat or plane it will give you a taste of desert life. You might add a bit of spice to the excursion by staying overnight in a Tuareg camp and experiencing the desert by moonlight. Staying overnight is officially illegal for security reasons but can be achieved with a bit of discretion.
Getting There & Away
There are a number of European carriers that fly into Bamako Airport, but if you wish to fly in from the USA you need to transfer to a regional flight at Dakar or Abidjan. The airport is about 10km (6mi) from Bamako. Airport tax varies depending on where you're travelling to; within Mali it's about US$5 and for other African/international flights it's US$18.
Getting into Mali by road is always on the cards since it's a landlocked republic. With the exception of Algeria, you can bus into Mali from any direction although the comfort factor of the trip varies depending on the condition of the road and the time of the year. Bush taxis are a viable alternative for shorter trips, or a combination of bus and bush taxi. In some cases, such as between Mauritania and Mali, you might need to mix and match your travel modes, catching trucks and pick-ups between scheduled buses and bush taxis. Between Senegal and Mali express train is the transport of choice as the roads are in such bad condition. Apart from road and air, the other more exotic way to get into Mali is by boat, floating up the Niger from Guinea.
Getting Around
Getting around Mali is usually a matter of taking a passenger boat down the Niger (or a smaller pirogue or pinasse on shorter trips), or buses and bush taxis. Buses tend to be more popular than bush taxis for long hauls as they are cheaper and more reliable, although bush taxis may be the only choice available on shorter trips. The only train journey within Mali is between Bamako and Kayes but there are a number of flights out of Bamako to various destinations. Hiring a car to get aroud is not entirely impossible but you can get bogged down in a few difficulties. For a start you need insurance and a carnet de passage and buying petrol can sometimes be difficult.
Recommended Reading
- Lonely Planet's West Africa and Africa on a shoestring guides supply comprehensive, up-to-date information on travel within Mali.
- Mali Blues by acclaimed travel writer Lieve Joris paints a hauntingly beautiful picture of Mali and the Mali people who have survived so much. This book is a part of Lonely Planet's Journeys series.
- Conversations With Ogotemmeli : An Introduction to Dogon Religious Ideas by Marcel Griaule is a good introduction to the complex culture and religion of the Dogons.
- René Caillié was the first western explorer to reach Timbuktu and return to tell the tale. The Unveiling of Timbuctoo: The Astounding Adventures of Caillie by Galbraith Welch is an account of his trip.
Lonely Planet Guides
Travellers' Reports
On-line Info
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