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One of the world's poorest countries, Mali has one of
Africa's richest histories. The country's location along
the trans-Saharan trade routes leading from the Niger
River valley into North Africa gave rise to three
legendary African empires: Ghana, Mali and Songhai.
The cities of Timbuktu and DjennŽ were renowned
throughout the world as centers of Islamic scholarship.
But as attention moved to the Atlantic coast slave
trade, Mali's period of glory passed, and, by the late
19th century, it had become a colony of France. The
country saw its first democratic elections just nine years
ago, more than 30 years after winning independence
from France. Mali is made up mostly of desert; a
topographical feature that has severely hampered its
economic development and exposed Mali to crippling
droughts. Ten percent of the population is nomadic.
More than 50 percent is younger than 15. Mali's
economic survival is tied to world prices for cotton, its
primary export, and outside economic aid. The
government hopes that gold exports, fueled by foreign
mining companies, will make Mali one of sub-Saharan
Africa's largest gold producers.
Photo Caption: Central Mosque of Djenné, Mali Credit: Klebba/African Focus Database |
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