Mali+Geography

Mali Geography
 * =History = || =Geography= || =Culture= || =Economics= || =Politics= || =Class Activities= || =Resources = ||

Mali is a county in West Africa shaped a bit like a butterfly, leaning to the northwest with a much smaller left wing than right wing. It is a landlocked country four-fifths the size of Alaska, or slightly less than twice the size of Texas. In square kilometers it is 1.24 million sq km, West Africa's biggest country. It is bordered by seven other states: Guinea, Algeria lies to the north and northeast, Niger to the east, Burkina Faso to the southeast and, with the Ivory Coast, to the south. On the west are Senegal and Mauritania.The lowest point in Mali is the Senegal River at 23m and the highest point is at Hombori Tondo which measures 1,155m.



Mali's territory encompasses three natural zones: the southern cultivated Sudanese zone, central semiarid Sahelian zone, and northern arid Saharan zone. Most of Mali, the larger northwestern region of the country which extends into the Sahara, is almost entirely arid desert or semidesert. Desert or semi-desert covers about 65 percent of the country’s area. In the central region, known as the Sahel, life follows the Niger River's annual flood cycle, with high water between August and November. In the southwestern area, rainfall and rivers are more plentiful, and this region is a bit more lush than the rest of the country. Although most of Mali experiences only a small amount of rainfall, the rainy season in the south extends from June through September.

Mali's single most important geographic feature is undoubtedly the great Niger River, which crosses both the Sahel and the southeastern section of the country. The Niger and Senegal are Mali’s two largest rivers. The Niger, like the Nile, is both a critical source of sustenance and a major transportation route.The Niger River creates a large and fertile inland delta  as it arcs northeast through Mali from Guinea before turning south and eventually emptying into the Gulf of Guinea. The Niger is generally described as Mali’s lifeblood, a source of food, drinking water, irrigation, and transportation.

**Climate**
Mali's climate ranges from subtropical in the south to arid in the north. The country is mostly dry, with 4–5 months of rainy season. In Bamako temperatures generally range from 60.8 to 102.2 °F. January is the coldest month, with temperatures ranging from 60.8 to 91.4 °F, and April is the hottest month, with temperatures averaging 93.2 to 102.2 °F. Annual precipitation in Bamako averages 44.1 in. The driest months are December and January with zero rainfall. The wettest month is August, which averages 8.7 in of rainfall. Flooding of the Niger River occurs regularly in the rainy season: June/July–November/December. However most of the country receives very little rainfall, and droughts are a repeated problem. During dry seasons, a hot, dust-laden haze is common.

**Natural Resources**
The natural resources in Mali consist of: bauxite, copper, diamonds, gold, gypsum, iron ore, kaolin, limestone, lithium, manganese, phosphates, salt, silver, uranium, and zinc. Mali also has plentiful hydro-power.

**Population**
The following link shows a map of world populations, as well as a chart of country populations.

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Resources <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">http://www.fao.org/ag/AGP/AGPC/doc/Counprof/Mali/mali.htm