World Factbook
Mali
République de Mali
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: three equal vertical bands of green (left side), yellow, and red history: uses the colors of the Pan-African movement
note: the colors from left to right are the same as those of neighboring Senegal (which has an additional green central star) and the reverse of the flag of neighboring Guinea
Capital
name
Bamako
etymology
the origin of the name is unclear, but it comes from the Bambara language and can refer either to a crocodile or to a person's name
time difference
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
12 39 N, 8 00 W
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of Mali
dual citizenship recognized
yes
residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Constitution
history
several previous; latest drafted 13 October 2022 and submitted to Transition President Assimi GOITA; final draft completed 1 March 2023; approved by referendum 18 June 2023; validated by Constitutional Court 22 July 2023
Country name
former
French Sudan, Sudanese Republic, Mali Federation
etymology
name derives from the Mali Empire of the 13th to 16th centuries A.D.; the Mali name may come from a local ethnic group, the Malinke, whose name is derived from the words ma , meaning "mother," and dink , meaning "child" -- a reference to the matrilinear descent of Malinke families
local long form
République de Mali
local short form
Mali
conventional long form
Republic of Mali
conventional short form
Mali
Independence
22 September 1960 (from France)
Legal system
civil law system based on the French civil law model and influenced by customary law; Constitutional Court reviews legislative acts
Government type
semi-presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (consists of 19 judges organized into judicial, administrative, and accounting sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)
subordinate courts
Court of Appeal; High Court of Justice (jurisdiction limited to cases of high treason or criminal offenses by the president or ministers while in office); administrative courts (first instance and appeal); commercial courts; magistrate courts; labor courts; juvenile courts; special court of state security
judge selection and term of office
Supreme Court judges appointed by the Ministry of Justice to serve 5-year terms; Constitutional Court judges selected - 3 each by the president, the National Assembly, and the Supreme Council of the Magistracy; members serve single renewable 7-year terms
Executive branch
note
note: in 2022, the transition government adopted a charter allowing transition authorities to rule for up to 5 years; in July 2025, the military-appointed National Transitional Council (CNT) unanimously adopted a revised transitional charter that granted transitional president General Assimi GOITA a five-year presidential mandate, renewable indefinitely, following the earlier dissolution of all political parties in May
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
chief of state
Transition President Assimi GOITA (since 7 June 2021)
election results
2018 : Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA reelected president in second round; percent of vote in first round - Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA (RPM) 41.7%, Soumaila CISSE (URD) 17.8%, other 40.5%; percent of vote in second round - Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA 67.2%, Soumaila CISSE 32.8%
head of government
Transition Prime Minister Abdoulaye MAIGA (since 22 November 2024)
most recent election date
29 July 2018, with runoff on 12 August 2018
election/appointment process
president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president
National holiday
Independence Day, 22 September (1960)
National color(s)
green, yellow, red
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
4 (3 cultural, 1 mixed)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Old Towns of Djenné (c); Timbuktu (c); Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) (m); Tomb of Askia (c)
Political parties
African Solidarity for Democracy and Independence or SADI Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP-Maliba Alliance for Democracy in Mali-Pan-African Party for Liberty, Solidarity, and Justice or ADEMA-PASJ Alliance for the Solidarity of Mali-Convergence of Patriotic Forces or ASMA-CFP Convergence for the Development of Mali or CODEM Democratic Alliance for Peace or ADP-Maliba Movement for Mali or MPM Party for National Renewal (also Rebirth or Renaissance or PARENA) Rally for Mali or RPM Social Democratic Convention or CDS Union for Democracy and Development or UDD Union for Republic and Democracy or URD Yéléma
note 1: only parties with 2 or more seats in the last National Assembly parliamentary elections (30 March and 19 April 2020) included
note 2: the National Assembly was dissolved on 18 August 2020 following a military coup and replaced with a National Transition Council; currently 121 members, party affiliations unknown
Legislative branch
note
note 1: the National Assembly was dissolved on 18 August 2020 after a military coup; the transitional government created a Transitional National Council (CNT) that acts as the transitional government's legislative body; a new constitution was ratified in July 2023 that expanded the military junta's powers, and no plans for legislative elections have been announced note 2: coup leaders appointed a president and vice president; the president then apportioned CNT seats to various groups and political parties
chamber name
Transitional National Council (Conseil national de transition)
number of seats
147 (all appointed)
electoral system
plurality/majority
legislature name
Transitional National Council (Conseil national de transition)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
12/5/2020
expected date of next election
December 2030
percentage of women in chamber
30.1%
National anthem(s)
title
"Le Mali" (Mali)
history
adopted 1962
lyrics/music
Seydou Badian KOUYATE/Banzoumana SISSOKO
National symbol(s)
Great Mosque of Djenne
Administrative divisions
19 regions ( régions , singular - région ), 1 district*; Bamako*, Bandiagara, Bougouni, Dioila, Douentza, Gao, Kayes, Kidal, Kita, Koulikoro, Koutiala, Menaka, Mopti, Nara, Nioro, San, Segou, Sikasso, Taoudenni, Tombouctou (Timbuktu)
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 332-6603
chancery
2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 332-2249
chief of mission
Ambassador Sékou BERTHE (since 16 September 2022)
email address and website
administration@maliembassy.us https://www.maliembassy.us/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[223] 20-70-24-79
embassy
ACI 2000, Rue 243, (located off the Roi Bin Fahad Aziz Bridge west of the Bamako central district), Porte 297, Bamako
telephone
[223] 20-70-23-00
mailing address
2050 Bamako Place, Washington DC 20521-2050
chief of mission
Ambassador Rachna KORHONEN (since 16 March 2023)
email address and website
ACSBamako@state.gov https://ml.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU (suspended), CD, EITI (compliant country), FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSCA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOPS, UN Women, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, World Bank Group, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction