Short facts about the geography of Mali

Location:

Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:

17 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total:  1.24 million sq km land:  1.22 million sq km water:  20,000 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

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

Coastline:

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:

none (landlocked)

Climate:

subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

Terrain:

mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Senegal River 23 m highest point:  Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Natural resources:

gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, hydropower note:  bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited

Land use:

arable land:  2% permanent crops:  0% permanent pastures:  25% forests and woodland:  6% other:  67% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

780 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:

hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts

Environment - current issues:

deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching

Environment - international agreements:

party to:  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified:  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note:

landlocked

Source: World Factbook