Bamako, Mali Travel facts

Welcome to Bamako, Mali!

To Timbuktu and Back

Mali has been a democracy since 1992. With only 18.5 million people, it is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Africa. This is partly because the northern third of the country is in the Sahara Desert,

where temperatures during the day can reach nearly 140° F.

Holidays - Mali celebrates several holidays each year — some religious, including Christmas, Easter, and the end of Ramadan — and some civic, such as Armed Forces Day, National Independence Day, and “National Complaints Day,” when citizens are able to bring complaints to the government without fear of reprisal. (This might sound strange in America, where complaining to the government is an inalienable right every day!)

Dance - Mali likes to dance.

It has a ballet company that performs worldwide. But the country is most famous for its traditional dancers, sometimes portraying animal spirits and donning masks that are as intricate and compelling as the dances themselves. Set to music that combines native traditional with elements of rock’n’roll, the dances tell stories that reflect Mali’s view of the world.

The Great Mosque in Djenné

is the world’s largest mud-built structure. Each year, thousands of residents give it a fresh coat of mud plaster during the crépissage de la Grand Mosquée. But Djenné is not quite as famous as Timbuktu, a formerly lush, thriving center of Arab-African commerce on the edge of the Sahara Desert.

Unfortunately, drought and desert encroachment have taken a toll on Timbuktu. But in its height, it was a center of learning, home to one of the world’s first universities. Its libraries still house some 700,000 ancient manuscripts — a reminder of its once-glorious past.

Fun Fact: Rock paintings

found in the region of Gao and Timbuktu are evidence that Mali was inhabited by people around 50,000 BC.

Now click here to read some facts about Algiers, Algeria.