Mali

Exact population: 11,716,829 (July 2006 est.)
Literacy: Total population: 46.4%; male: 53.5%; female: 39.6%
Ethnicities: Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%
Land boundaries: Total: 7,243 km; border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km
Terrain: Mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast
Extremes: Lowest point: Senegal River 23 m; highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m
Imports: France 14.5%, Senegal 9.8%, Cote d''Ivoire 7.6% (2004)
Exports: China 31.2%, Pakistan 9.9%, Thailand 6.9%, Italy 6.9%, Germany 5.1%, India 4.7%, Bangladesh 4.4% (2004)
Industries: Food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Source: CIA World Factbook