DANU Strategic Forecasting Group
May 27th 2016
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Mali’s
Geographic Makeup
By Liliana Pirlea
Location: Mali is a landlocked country located in West Africa. Mali is the
8th largest country in Africa and the 24th largest country in the world.
Bordering countries: Mali borders with Senegal and Mauritania (West),
Algeria (North), Niger (East), and Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and
Guinea (South).
Population density: The total land area
is 1217103 Km2 (469926 sq. miles) and
the population density in Mali is 15 per
Km2 (39 people per mi2). The
population density varies from north to south mostly due to the
presence of the capital and fertile soil in the south, and the
unsecure situation and arid area in the north. At the present date,
according to the latest UN estimates, the Malian population is
18066219. The Malian population is equivalent to 0.24% of the
total world population and it ranks number 62 in the list of countries by population. Within the
Malian society 36.9 % of the population is urban based (6824390 people in 2016).
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Topography: Mali has a relief dominated by flat surfaces at an average altitude of 200 metres, and
the hills hardly exceed 1000 metres in altitude. Its topography varies according to geology and natural region. The country is characterised by fourteen topographic regions divided into three natural
zones: the cultivated Sudanese in the south, the semiarid Sahelian in the centre, and the arid Saharan in the north. The major river in Mali is the Niger (1693 km) which is important for the Malian
economy as it provides water, fish, and transportation. The second most important river within the
state is the Senegal River (1050 km) which separates Mali from Senegal. The central and southern
areas are characterised by more fertile soils, whilst the North is characterised by the presence of the
Saharan desert.
Natural resources: The Malian soil contains: gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum and granite. Moreover, the country obtains its energy from hydropower. According to the US
government, natural resources such as bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin and copper are recognised, but not exploited.
Climate: Mali generally has a warm subtropical, and dry climate. About half of the Malian territory is
occupied by the Saharan Desert. Within the country, only 2 to 4% of Mali is arable and capable of
producing farm crops. As the country has little marked relief, its climate depends on factors such as
wind, rainfall and temperature. The northern part of the country (Saharan zone) is hyper-arid and desertified, with water as its limiting factor. The rainfall (0 to 250 mm annually) is low, random or accidental as a consequence an aridity aggravated by the Harmattan.
The Harmattan is a hot and dry wind that blows from the northeast or east in the Western Sahara
and is strongest in late fall and winter (late November to mid-March). It usually carries large
amounts of dust, which it transports hundreds of kilometres out over the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, the
dust often interferes with aircraft operations and settles on the decks of ships.
The central part of the country is arid with rainfall between 250 and 550 mm. It is characterised by a
long dry season of 9 to 11 months. The main activity is subsistence agriculture. The southern part of
the country is semi-arid to sub-humid. The rainfall is between 550 and 1,100 mm. As a result of a
more abundant rainfall, the agricultural activities are more intensive here with a certain guarantee of
success.
Geographical implication for security: Mali's borders were artificially created in 1960 from the division of colonial French West Africa. For this reason, the country is divided into two geographically
distinct regions: the fertile and populated south and the arid north. Those two regions are separated
by the Niger River. The south is populated by the Bambara people who have ethnic ties with neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Senegal. On the other hand, the
North is populated by the Tuareg, a Berber nomadic group, with ethnic ties in Niger, Mauritania and
Algeria.
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Geographical Implications for security cont’d: The major challenge for the central government is to
control the northern area due to its vast size and distance from the capital. The Tuareg population,
over the years, have developed a separatist attitude, accusing the central government of disregard.
Also due to the presence of the massive desertified lands, it is extremely difficult for the central government to control the northern borders. The borders are the perfect passage for weapons, drugs
and refugees. This under governed space within the region has become a safe haven for Islamist
militants, primarily AQIM and affiliated groups, as well as smugglers of weapons and drugs. The
states in the region lack resources, and both financial and institutional capacity, to effectively control
organised militancy and criminality. Furthermore, a major problem is the impossibility to control and
secure a vast area such as the Sahel region, which lacks primary control infrastructures like checkpoints and border patrol sections.
Environmental challenges: The major environmental problem in Mali is the increasing desertification
of the country. The environment is threatened by soil erosion, deforestation and the loss of pastureland. Due to the presence of the major water reservoirs in the southern area, Mali has an inadequate water supply. According to statistics, only 74% of city inhabitants and 61% of people living in
rural areas have access to pure water. The country has 60 cu km of renewable water resources, of
which 97% are used for farming and 1% for industrial purposes.
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Resources:
Britannica. (2016) Harmattan. [Online] Available from:
http://www.britannica.com/science/harmattan. [Accessed: 19th May 2016].
CIA. (2016) Mali. [Online] Available from:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ml.html. [Accessed: 19th May
2016].
C o u l i b a l y, A . ( 2 0 0 3 ) M a l i . [ O n l i n e ] A v a i l a b l e f r o m :
http://www.fao.org/ag/agp/agpc/doc/counprof/Mali/mali.htm. [Accessed: 19th May 2016].
Enchantedlearning. (2016) Mali. [Online] Available from:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/africa/mali/. [Accessed: 19th May 2016].
Mapsoftheworld. (2015) Where is Mali. [Online] Available from:
http://www.mapsofworld.com/mali/mali-location-map.html. [Accessed: 19th May 2016].
Nationsencyclopedia. (2016) Mali – Environment. [Online] Available from:
http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Africa/Mali-ENVIRONMENT.html. [Accessed: 19th May 2016].
Stewart, D. (2013) what is next for Mali? The roots of conflict and challenges to stability. [Online]
Available from: http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pdffiles/PUB1185.pdf . [Accessed: 19th
May 2016].
S t r a t f o r. ( 2 0 1 2 ) M a l i ' s G e o g r a p h i c C h a l l e n g e . [ O n l i n e ] A v a i l a b l e f r o m :
https://www.stratfor.com/video/malis-geographic-challenge. [Accessed: 19th May 2016].
Worlddometers. (2016) Mali Population (LIVE). [Online] Available from:
http://www.worldometers.info/world-population/mali-population/. [Accessed: 19th May 2016].
Visual Images:
B o o f o f G K . ( 2 0 1 5 ) M a l i H i s t o r y a n d G e o g r a p h y. [ O n l i n e ] A v a i l a b l e f r o m :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdfAEuwk5K8. [Accessed: 19th May 2016].
Stratford Video. (2012) Mali's Geographic Challenge. [Online] Available from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFu0o8gzofA. [Accessed: 19th May 2016].
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Maps:
Mapsopensource. (2016)
Mali Capital Map. [Online] Available from:
http://www.mapsopensource.com/mali-capital-map.html. [Accessed: 19th May 2016].
Mapsopensource. (2016) Mali Location Map in Africa. [Online] Available from:
http://www.mapsopensource.com/mali-location-map-in-africa.html. [Accessed: 19th May 2016].
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