Fun Facts About Mali - From Natural Wonders to Olympic Sports!

y">athlete, she had played in the United States.
Mali -- Home to Four World Heritage Sites!Economy
WildlifeDid you know- On the economic side, Mali is one of
Did you know- After decades of isolation, particularlythe Continent's leading cotton producers; cotton is a
from 1960 to 1992, Mali is trying to consolidate itskey export.
tourist industry. Since the mid-1990s, the La Boucle duSoccer
Baolé Nature Reserve has become one ofDid you know- Soccer has always been popular in the
the nation's greatest tourist attractions, alongsidecountry. The sport was introduced by the French.
other regional wonders like Djenné andFrederic Konoute, who holds dual Malian-French
Timbuktu. With one of the most beautiful landscapescitizenship, is one of the country's most prominent
in Mali, this nature reserve is home to much of thesoccer players.
country's biodiversity. Nowadays, thousands ofDemocracy
tourists come to see elephants, lions, leopards,Did you know- Like most of sub-Saharan Africa,
giraffes and several reptiles. In the meantime, it isMalihas not had a democratic government until 1992.
haven for birdwatchers.That year,a new Constitution was established with
Geographythe aim of achieving a parliamentary democracy in
Did you know- Mali is a landlocked country located inthe country. After 15 years, Mali has become one of
the interior of West Africa.This country coversthe best democratic societiesin the Third World. It
479,000 square miles (1, 248,574 square kilometers).also has a good human rights record. For this reason,
Curiously, it is surrounded by seven French-speakingamong many others, Mali has won praise from some
nations: Mauritania (dictatorship) and Algeria (ainternational organizations in the world. Historically, the
multiparty democracy) to the north, Burkina Fasocountry had two dictatorships. By the early 1960s, a
(formerly Upper Volta), Cote d'Ivoire (once namedpro-Chinese dictatorshipwas established by the
Ivory Coast) and Guinea (a military dictatorship) tocountry's ruler Modibo Keita, who ruled Mali for eight
the south, Niger (second-poorest nation in the world)years (1960-68). Then, this regime was replaced by a
to the east and Senegal (one of Africa's most stablepro-Soviet dictatorship until 1991. Subsequently, Mali's
democracies since the 1960s) to the west. Mali is aruler Amadou Toumani Toure was one of the leaders
land of plains, valleys, plateaus, deserts and rainof the 1992 constitution, the backbone of democracy
forests. The Niger and the Senegal are Mali's chiefin the nation. That year, Alpha Oumar Konarè,
rivers. Bamako is the capital and largest city.a champion of the free market, won the first polls to
National Wondersbe held in Mali and marked the end of almost 42
Did you know- Curiously, this vast nation has fouryears of anti-democratic rule. Less than three years
World Heritage Sites:after his election, Mali became a new country. In the
-Old Towns of Djennémeantime, it saw investment in construction,
-Timbuktuagriculture, tourism and mining.
-Cliff of BandiagaDiplomatic Relations
-Tomb of AskiaDid you know- Since the mid-1990s, the modern
Ancient Historystate of Mali has close relations with France,
Did you know- Present-day Mali was the ancestralEnglish-speaking West Africa, China, and the United
home of the Mali Empire, one of the most powerfulStates of America. On September 28, 1960, it joined
kingdoms in West Africa in the 15th century.the United Nations.
BasketballCinematography
Did you know- After winning the AfricanDid you know- Mali is home to Souleymane Cisse, a
Tournament, the national women's team, inspired bywell-known film director in West Africa. Among his
Hamchètou Maiga, finished 12th at the 2008movies are: "Work" (1978), "Wind" (1982), and "Light"
Summer Olympics in Beijing, the capital city of the(1984-87), as well as "Time" (1995), and "Tell Me
People's Republic of China. Before becoming OlympicWho You Are" (2009).