Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mali
conventional short form: Mali
local short form: Mali
former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic
local long form: Republique de Mali
Government type:
republic
Capital:
Bamako
Administrative divisions:
8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal,
Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou
Independence:
22 September 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 22 September (1960)
Constitution:
adopted 12 January 1992
Legal system:
based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review
of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was formally
established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed Mohamed Ag HAMANI (since 9
June 2002)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(two-term limit); election last held 12 May 2002 (next to be held NA
May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE elected president; percent of
vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 64.4%, Soumaila CISSE 35.6%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 July and 28 July 2002 (next to be held NA
July 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
Hope 2002 coalition 66, ADEMA 51, other 30
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda Traore KEITA, party
chairman]; Block of Alternative for the Renewal of Africa or BARA
[Yoro DIAKITE]; Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou
Bakary SANGARE, chairman]; Hope 2002 [leader NA]; Movement for the
Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA
[Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO]; National Congress for
Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for
Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for
National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME,
secretary general]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali
GNANGADO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA,
chairman]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Bonbasor KEITA, chairman];
Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou
TOURE, secretary general]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress
or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary general]; Union for Democracy and
Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement and
Fronts of Azawad or MFUA
International organization participation:
ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC,
OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603
telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950
chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Vicki HUDDLESTONE
embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako
mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako
telephone: [223] (2) 223-833
FAX: [223] (2) 223-712
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia