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Mali
Successor to the medieval Ghana, Mali and Songhai empires of the western Sahel.
Overview
Modern Mali carries the memory of three great African empires — Ghana, Mali and Songhai — that controlled the trans-Saharan gold and salt trade and made Timbuktu a beacon of Islamic scholarship.
Basic Information
CapitalBamako
Population23 million
Area1,240,192 km²
CurrencyWest African CFA franc (XOF)
LanguagesFrench, Bambara
RegionSub-Saharan Africa
History Timeline
- c. 300 – 1200Ghana Empire
- 1235 – 1670Mali Empire
- 1464 – 1591Songhai Empire
- 1892 – 1960French Sudan
- 1960Independence
Ancient Peoples
- Soninke
- Mandé
- Songhai
Ancient Kingdoms
- Ghana Empire
- Mali Empire
- Songhai Empire
Empires
- Mali Empire
- Songhai Empire
- French colonial
Religions
- Sunni Islam
- Traditional religions
Culture
Djenné mudbrick architecture, Mandé griots, Tuareg desert traditions.
Language
French official; Bambara most spoken.
Important Battles
- Battle of Tondibi1591
Moroccan defeat of Songhai
Historical Figures
Sundiata Keita
c. 1235 – 1255
Founder of Mali Empire
Mansa Musa
1312 – 1337
Wealthy ruler
Archaeological Sites
- Djenné-Djenno
- Timbuktu
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Old Towns of Djenné
- Timbuktu
- Cliff of Bandiagara
- Tomb of Askia
Dynasties
- Keita
- Askia
Colonial Period
French Sudan 1892 – 1960.
Modern History
Republic troubled by insurgency in the north.