Mali is a country in Africa, known for ancient Timbuktu and the Niger River. It has a population of nearly 26 million, making it the 58th largest country in the world. Its capital is Bamako. Mali has a agricultural economy with growing gold mining sector.

Mali is a large, landlocked country in West Africa with more than 1.24 million square kilometers (480,000 square miles) of land. In 2012, an armed conflict broke out and Tuareg rebels took control, declaring secession of a new state, Azawad. While it was recaptured, negotiations are expected to take place. Mali is considered an Islamic society, with over 90% of the population practicing Islam. Most Muslim people in Mali are Sunni, but there are also Ahmadiyya and Shia communities present. The small non-muslim population is split pretty evenly between Christians, and those practicing indigenous beliefs.

The people of Mali are comprised of several sub-Saharan ethnic groups. The largest is the Bambara, accounting for 37% of the population. While the official language of Mali is French, 80% of people speak Bambara and there are at least 40 African languages in use. The Bambara, Sonike, Khassonke and Malinke are part of the larger Mande group, which accounts for half of the country’s population. Other large ethnic groups include the Fula (17%), Voltaic (12%), Songhai (6%) and the Tuareg and Moor (10%).