at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 102.05 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 8
male: 111.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 92.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 50.35 years
country comparison to the world: 207
male: 48.38 years
female: 52.38 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
7.29 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 2
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.5% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
100,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
5,800 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Malian(s)
adjective: Malian
Ethnic groups:
Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%,
Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%
Religions:
Muslim 90%, Christian 1%, indigenous beliefs 9%
Languages:
French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 46.4%
male: 53.5%
female: 39.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 7 years
male: 8 years
female: 5 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
4.5% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 87
Government ::Mali
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Mali
conventional short form: Mali
local long form: Republique de Mali
local short form: Mali
former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Bamako
geographic coordinates: 12 39 N, 8 00 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
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; 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 Modibo SIDIBE (since 28 September
2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held on 29 April 2007
(next to be held in April 2012); prime minister appointed by the
president
election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE reelected president; percent
of vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 71.2%, Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA 19.2%,
other 9.6%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats;
members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 1 and 22 July 2007 (next to be held in July
2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
ADP coalition 113 (including ADEMA 51, URD 34, MPR 8, CNID 7, UDD 3,
and other 10), FDR coalition 15 (including RPM 11, PARENA 4), SADI
4, independent 15
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance for Democratic Change (political group comprised mainly of
Tuareg from Mali's northern region); African Solidarity for
Democracy and Independence or SADI [Oumar MARIKO, secretary
general]; Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP (a coalition of
political parties including ADEMA and URD formed in December 2006 to
support the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); Alliance for
Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE]; Convergence 2007 [Soumeylou
Boubeye MAIGA]; Front for Democracy and the Republic or FDR (a
coalition of political parties including RPM and PARENA formed to
oppose the presidential candidacy of Amadou TOURE); National
Congress for Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL]; Party
for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Mady KONATE]; Party for National
Renewal or PARENA [Tiebile DRAME]; Patriotic Movement for Renewal or
MPR [Choguel MAIGA]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Amadou
Ali NIANGADOU]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA];
Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Basir
GOLOGO]; Union for Democracy and Development or UDD [Moussa Balla
COULIBALY]; Union for Republic and Democracy or URD [Soumaila CISSE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
other: the army; Islamic authorities; rebels in the northern region;
state-run cotton company CMDT; tuaregs
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ITSO,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNAMID,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional),
WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP
chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950
FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gillian A. MILOVANOVIC
embassy: located just off the Roi Bin Fahad Aziz Bridge just west of
the Bamako central district
mailing address: ACI 2000, Rue 243, Porte 297, Bamako
telephone: [223] 270-2300
FAX: [223] 270-2479
Flag description:
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red;
uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Economy ::Mali
Economy - overview:
Mali is among the 25 poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its
land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal
distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the
riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is
nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and
fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm
commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable
to fluctuations in world prices for gold and cotton, its main
exports. The government has continued its successful implementation
of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that is helping
the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali
has invested in tourism and a tractor assembly factory. Mali's
adherence to economic reform and the 50% devaluation of the CFA
franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic growth to a 5% average
in 1996-2008. Worker remittances and external trade routes for the
landlocked country have been jeopardized by continued unrest in
neighboring Cote d'Ivoire, however, Mali is building a road network
that will connect it to all adjacent countries and it has a railway
line to Senegal.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$14.75 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
$14.04 billion (2007 est.)
$13.65 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$8.774 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.1% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
2.8% (2007 est.)
5.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,100 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 209
$1,100 (2007 est.)
$1,100 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 45%
industry: 17%
services: 38% (2001 est.)
Labor force:
3.241 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
30% (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Population below poverty line:
36.1% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 30.5% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.1 (2001)
country comparison to the world: 60
50.5 (1994)
Budget:
revenues: $1.5 billion
expenditures: $1.8 billion (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
Central bank discount rate:
4.75% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 122
4.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA%
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$1.58 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$697.1 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$1.099 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats
Industries:
food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
515 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Electricity - consumption:
479 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing
electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Oil - consumption:
5,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
Oil - imports:
4,402 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 152
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
Current account balance:
-$446 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
Exports:
$294 million (2006)
country comparison to the world: 175
Exports - commodities:
cotton, gold, livestock
Exports - partners:
China 26.7%, Thailand 10.7%, Denmark 6.4%, Pakistan 5.2%, Morocco 5%
(2008)
Imports:
$2.358 billion (2006)
country comparison to the world: 146
Imports - commodities:
petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials,
foodstuffs, textiles
Imports - partners:
Senegal 13.1%, France 11.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 11.2%, China 5.9% (2008)
Debt - external:
$2.8 billion (2002)
country comparison to the world: 129
Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 447.81
(2008 est.), 493.51 (2007), 522.59 (2006), 527.47 (2005), 528.29
(2004)
note: since 1 January 1999, the West African CFA franc (XOF) has
been pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 CFA francs per euro;
West African CFA franc (XOF) coins and banknotes are not accepted in
countries using Central African CFA francs (XAF), and vice versa,
even though the two currencies trade at par
Communications ::Mali
Telephones - main lines in use:
82,800 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 148
Telephones - mobile cellular:
3.267 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 103
Telephone system:
general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving;
provides only minimal service
domestic: fixed-line subscribership remains less than 1 per 100
persons; increasing use of local radio loops to extend network
coverage to remote areas; mobile-cellular subscribership has
increased sharply to about 25 per 100 persons
international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Indian Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 230 (27 regional and government stations, and 203 private
stations), shortwave 1 (2001)
Television broadcast stations:
2 (plus repeaters) (2007)
Internet country code:
.ml
Internet hosts:
519 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 171
Internet users:
200,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 136
Transportation ::Mali
Airports:
22 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 134
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 14
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 3 (2009)
Railways:
total: 593 km
country comparison to the world: 112
narrow gauge: 593 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 18,709 km
country comparison to the world: 114
paved: 3,368 km
unpaved: 15,341 km (2004)
Waterways:
1,800 km (2008)
country comparison to the world: 46
Ports and terminals:
Koulikoro
Military ::Mali
Military branches:
Malian Armed Forces: Army, Republic of Mali Air Force (Force
Aerienne de la Republique du Mali, FARM), National Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
conscript service obligation - 2 years (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,603,700
females age 16-49: 2,441,776 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,649,772
females age 16-49: 1,579,601 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 147,846
female: 140,543 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.9% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 87
Transnational Issues ::Mali
Disputes - international:
none
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 6,300 (Mauritania) (2007)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Malta (Europe)
Introduction ::Malta
Background:
Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The
island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and
remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A
decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the
island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a
financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU
member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008.
Geography ::Malta
Location:
Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily
(Italy)
Geographic coordinates:
35 50 N, 14 35 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 316 sq km
country comparison to the world: 207
land: 316 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
196.8 km (excludes 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm
Climate:
Mediterranean; mild, rainy winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain:
mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)
Natural resources:
limestone, salt, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 31.25%
permanent crops: 3.13%
other: 65.62% (2005)
Irrigated land:
20 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
0.07 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.02 cu km/yr (74%/1%/25%)
per capita: 50 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
NA
Environment - current issues:
limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on
desalination
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest
islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being
inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are
discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf
between their countries, particularly for oil exploration
People ::Malta
Population:
405,165 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.1% (male 33,526/female 31,780)
15-64 years: 69.4% (male 142,491/female 138,769)
65 years and over: 14.5% (male 25,406/female 33,193) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 39.5 years
male: 38.1 years
female: 40.9 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.4% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 163
Birth rate:
10.36 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
Death rate:
8.38 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
Net migration rate:
2.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
Urbanization:
urban population: 94% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 3.75 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 213
male: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.44 years
country comparison to the world: 29
male: 77.21 years
female: 81.8 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.51 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
fewer than 500 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 100 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Nationality:
noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
adjective: Maltese
Ethnic groups:
Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians with
strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 98%
Languages:
Maltese (official) 90.2%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%,
other 0.8% (2005 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 92.8%
male: 92%
female: 93.6% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 15 years (2005)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (2004)
country comparison to the world: 65
Government ::Malta
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Malta
conventional short form: Malta
local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta
local short form: Malta
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Valletta
geographic coordinates: 35 53 N, 14 30 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
none (administered directly from Valletta); note - local councils
carry out administrative orders
Independence:
21 September 1964 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 September (1964)
Constitution:
1964; amended many times
Legal system:
based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President George ABELA (since 4 April 2009)
head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
prime minister
elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a
five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on
12 January 2009 (next to be held by April 2014); following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of
a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
president for a five-year term; the deputy prime minister is
appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
election results: George ABELA elected president by the House of
Representatives
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives (normally 65 seats; members are
elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation
to serve five-year terms; note - the current Parliament is composed
of 69 seats; when the political party winning the plurality of votes
does not win a majority of seats, the constitution provides that a
sufficient number of seats will be added to Parliament to ensure
that the party that won the elections has a majority in Parliament)
elections: last held on 8 March 2008 (next to be held by March 2013)
election results: percent of vote by party - PN 49.3%, MLP 48.9%,
other 1.8%; seats by party - PN 35, MLP 34
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are
appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister
Political parties and leaders:
Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Arnold
CASSOLA]; Azzjoni Nazzjonaili or AN [Josi MUSCAT]; Malta Labor Party
or MLP [Joseph MUSCAT]; Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Alleanza Liberal-Demokratika Maltra or ALDM (for divorce, abortion,
gay marriage, the rights existent in other EU member states);
Alleanza Nazzionali Repubblikana or ANR (for traditional values,
anti-immigration); Alternattiva Demokratika (pro-environment);
Azzjoni Nazzjonali or AN (freedom to participate in democratic
government); Flimkien Ghal-Ambjent Ahjar (pro-environment);
Ghazdatal-Konsumaturi (consumer rights)
other: environmentalists
International organization participation:
Australia Group, C, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU,
WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Mark MICELI-FARRUGIA
chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611 through 3612
FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jason DAVIS
embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana,
VLT 01
mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, CMR01
telephone: [356] 2561 4000
FAX: [356] 21 243229
Flag description:
two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the upper
hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross, edged in
red
Economy ::Malta
Economy - overview: