Mali: flag, capital, currency and history
Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a country in Western Africa, Africa. Its capital is Bamako. The currency is the West African CFA franc. Languages spoken include French.
Quick facts about Mali
- Official name
- Republic of Mali
- Capital
- Bamako
- Region
- Africa, Western Africa
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF, Fr)
- Languages
- French
- Calling code
- +223
- Internet domain
- .ml
- Area
- 1,240,192 km² (478,841 sq mi)
- Land borders
- Algeria, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal
- Demonym
- Malian
- National day
- Independence Day, September 22
Flag of Mali
Download the flag of Mali as a scalable SVG or as a PNG in three sizes. The flag emoji is 🇲🇱.
History of Mali
The territory of Mali lay within a succession of West African empires, including Ghana, the Mali Empire founded in the 13th century, and Songhai. The Mali Empire's ruler Mansa Musa made a famous pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, and Timbuktu became a centre of trade and Islamic learning. A Moroccan force defeated Songhai in 1591. France conquered the region in the late 19th century and ruled it as French Sudan. Mali became independent on 22 September 1960 after the brief Mali Federation with Senegal. Military coups have occurred in 1968, 1991, 2012, 2020 and 2021.
Key dates
- c. 1235Sundiata Keita defeats the Sosso at Kirina, founding the Mali Empire.
- 1324Mansa Musa travels on pilgrimage to Mecca.
- 1591A Moroccan army defeats the Songhai Empire at Tondibi.
- 1890sFrance conquers the region and organises it as French Sudan.
- 1960Mali becomes independent on 22 September after the Mali Federation breaks up.
- 1968A military coup removes the first president, Modibo Keita.
- 1991A coup ends the military government, and Mali moves toward multiparty democracy.
A short overview, not a full history. Dates are given for well-documented events only.
Currency of Mali
Mali uses the West African CFA franc (XOF, Fr). Use our free currency converter to check exchange rates.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Mali?
The capital of Mali is Bamako.
What currency does Mali use?
Mali uses the West African CFA franc (XOF, symbol Fr).
What languages are spoken in Mali?
Languages used in Mali include French.
What is the calling code of Mali?
The international calling code of Mali is +223. Its internet domain is .ml.
Which countries border Mali?
Mali shares land borders with Algeria, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal.
On which continent is Mali?
Mali is in Africa, in the region of Western Africa.
What is the national day of Mali?
Mali marks Independence Day on September 22.
Neighbours of Mali
More countries in Western Africa
Country data from the open mledoze/countries dataset (ODbL), with corrections. Flags from flag-icons (MIT).