Geography of Mali
The capital Bamako, approximately 1,000,000 inhabitants.
The country covers an area of 1,241,300 km2 without access to the sea It is the largest country in West Africa. It is the border with seven countries: Algeria to the north, Ivory Coast and Guinea in the south; Burkina south-east; Mauritania and Senegal in the west, Niger to the east.
Mali is divided into 8 administrative regions and one district. The country of the Interior is quite hilly:
The plateau manding southwest (400 to 800 m) ends on the west by the cliffs of Tambaoura and expanses of the plains and the Falémé Diourou extending in turn by the Kaarta.
The eastern Bandiangara cliffs, escarpments and termination incised nicks, the plateau is strewn Dogon from the lowlands of Macina to Mount Hombori where ridges rise to 1155 m, which dominate the full Gourma.
To the north and northwest of great ergs cover uplands and lowlands of the loop of Niger. At the extreme north of the country, successive plateaus, strewn by the stones: these are the ergs. A coat of sand successor to the plains: the Adrar des Iforas in which successive dunes (crystalline solid Hoggar). The plains and plateaus share the rest of the country Gourma and the Azaouad.
In the south the Sudanian zone is covered by a patchwork of savannah, woodland and gallery forest.
Mali is watered by two major rivers that have their source in the Fouta Djalon in Guinea.
The Senegal River, in its race hampered by falling Gouina and Félou Receives Falémé its right bank.
The River Niger (4700 km, including 1700 in Mali.) Offers several opportunities excursion, as the body of water Sélingué. Niger is navigable over 1,308 km and is divided into several branches: the Interior in the Delta is flooded Macina from September to December. The plain of 20,000 km2 in the fall becomes a vast prairie dotted with lakes: Lake Debo, Galado lake. Faguibine Lake, 150 km from Timbuktu, extends over 650 km2 and is very fish.
The climate is characterized by Malian three seasons:
A dry season from March to June.
A rainy season or winter from June to September.
An off - or cold season from October to February with a Saharan wind dries, the Harmattan.
The temperature varies between 24 ° C in January and 35 ° C in May. In the Niger Delta the climate is softened by the flooding of land 300 km long and 100 km wide.
People
The Mali has about 12 million inhabitants, with an average density of 7.4 people per square kilometre.
The different ethnic groups are:
The group Manding: Bambara, Malinke, Dioula.
The group Voltaic: Mossi, Bobo, Minianka, Senoufo.
The group Soudanien: Sarakole, Songhoï, Dogon, Bozo.
Nomads: Fulani, Tuareg, Maures.
There are other ethnic groups such as the Toucouleur, Wolof, Khassonké or Ouassoulounké. The variety of ethnic groups reflects a diversity of languages, dialects and cultures.
The Bambara is the most widely spoken language. The French is the official language of Mali.
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