MALI
Republic of Mali
République du Mali
CAPITAL : Bamako
FLAG : The flag is a tricolor of green, yellow, and red vertical stripes.
ANTHEM : National Anthem begins "At thy call, O Mali."
MONETARY UNIT : The Malian franc ( MF ), a paper currency that had been floating with the French franc, was replaced in June 1984 by the French Community Franc (CFA Fr) at a ratio of MF 2 = CFA Fr1. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 CFA francs and notes of 50, 100, 500, 1,000, 5,000, and 10,000 CFA francs. CFA Fr1 = $0.00167 (or $1 = CFA Fr 6597.577) as of May 2003.
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES : The metric system is the legal standard.
HOLIDAYS : New Year's Day, 1 January; Armed Forces Day, 20 January; Democracy Day, 26 March; Labor Day, 1 May; Africa Day, 25 May; Independence Day, 22 September; Christmas, 25 December. Movable religious holidays include 'Id al-Fitr, 'Id al-'Adha', Milad an-Nabi, and Easter Monday.
TIME : GMT.
RELIGIONS
It is estimated that about 90% of the people are Muslims, the vast majority being Sunnis. About 5% of the population are Christian, with a fairly even split between Protestants and Catholics. Most of the remainder practice indigenous religions. The constitution provides for freedom of religion and defines the country as a secular state.
INSURANCE
There were at least six insurance companies in Mali in 1995, the largest being the National Fund of Insurance and Reinsurance, a state company. Third-party motor insurance is compulsory.
DEPENDENCIES
Mali has no territories or colonies.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bingen, James R. Food Production and Rural Development in the Sahel: Lessons from Mali's Operation Riz-Segou. Boulder, Colo.: Westview, 1985.
Davies, Susanna. Adaptable Livelihoods: Coping With Food Insecurity in the Malian Sahel. New York: St. Martin's, 1996.
Djata, Sundiata A. The Bamana Empire by the Niger: Kingdom, Jihad, and Colonization, 1712–1920. Princeton, N.J.: Markus Wiener, 1997.
Hanson, John H. Migration, Jihad, and Muslim Authority in West Africa: The Futanke Colonies in Karta. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1996.
Imperato, Pascal J. (ed.). Historical Dictionary of Mali. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow, 1996.
——. Historical Dictionary of Mali. [computer file] Boulder, Colo.: netLibrary, Inc., 2000.
——. Mali: A Search for Direction. Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 1989.
Insoll, Timothy. Islam, Archaeology, and History: Gao Region (Mali) ca. AD 900–1250. Oxford: Tempus Reparatum, 1996.
Mann, Kenny. Ghana, Mali, Songhay: The Western Sudan. Parsippany, N.J.: Dillon Press, 1996.
Perinbam, B. Marie. Family Identity and the State in the Bamako Kafu, c.1800–c.1900. Boulder, Colo.: Westview, 1997.
