马利(Mali)
正式名称马利共和国（Republic of Mali）
西非国家。面积1,248,574平方公里。人口11,009,000（2001）。首都︰巴马科。班巴拉人占该国人口的1/3，其他族群包括富拉尼人、柏柏尔人和摩尔人。语言︰法语（官方语）、土语和方言、阿拉伯语。宗教︰伊斯兰教（90%）、传统宗教。货币︰非洲金融共同体法郎（CFAF）。马利的地区地势大都平坦。北部平原向撒哈拉沙漠延伸。上尼日河流域位南部，尼日河近1/3河段流往马利。可耕地仅占全国土地总面积的2%左右。牧场和草地约占土地总面积的1/4。马利的矿产资源有铁矿砂、铝矾土、石油、黄金、镍和铜，大部分尚未开采。农业是最大产业，主要作物有粟、高粱、玉米和水稻。经济作物有棉花和花生。政府形式为共和国，一院制。国家元首为总统；政府首脑为总理。
马利在史前时代就有人类居住。该地区位於穿越撒哈拉的商道上，12世纪马林克人在尼日河上游和中游地区建立马利帝国。15世纪，廷巴克图－加奥地区的桑海帝国取得统治地位，1591年摩洛哥侵入此地区；廷巴克图（今通布图）受摩尔人统治达两世纪之久。19世纪中叶，该地区被法国人占领，并成为法属西部非洲的一部分。1946年该地区称为法属苏丹，成为法兰西联邦的一个海外领地。1958年宣布成立苏丹共和国；与塞内加尔（1959～1960）结成马里联邦。塞内加尔退出後，1960年宣布成立独立的马利共和国。1968和1991年政府被军事政变推翻。1990年代期间举行选举，1997年举行第二次选举，但政治上仍不稳定。
English version：
Mali
Country, West Africa. Area: 482,077 sq mi (1,248,574 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 9,940,000. Capital: Bamako. The Bambara constitute about one-third of the country's total population. Other ethnic groups include the Fulani, the Berbers, and the Moors. Languages: French (official), indigenous languages and dialects, Arabic. Religions: Islam (90%), traditional beliefs, Christianity. Currency: CFA franc. Mali's terrain is largely flat, and in the northern part of the country its plains stretch into the Sahara. The Upper Niger River basin is situated in the south, and nearly one-third of the total length of the Niger River flows through Mali. Only about 2% of Mali's total land area is considered arable. Its mineral reserves, which are largely unexploited, include iron ore, bauxite, petroleum, gold, nickel, and copper. Agriculture is the largest industry; staple crops include millet, sorghum, corn (maize), and rice; cash crops include cotton and peanuts. It is a republic with one legislative house; its head of state is the president, and the head of government is the prime minister. Inhabited since prehistoric times, the region was situated on a caravan route across the Sahara. In the 12th century the Malinke empire of Mali was founded on the Upper and Middle Niger. In the 15th century the Songhai empire in the Timbuktu-Gao region gained control. In 1591 Morocco invaded the area, and Timbuktu (now Tombouctou) remained under the Moors for two centuries. In the mid-19th century the French conquered the area, which became part of French West Africa. In 1946 the area, known as the French Sudan, became an overseas territory of the French Union. In 1958 it was proclaimed the Sudanese Republic, and joined with Senegal (1959-60) to form the Mali Federation. Senegal seceded, and in 1960 the independent Republic of Mali was formed. The government was overthrown by military coups in 1968 and 1991. During the 1990s elections were held, the second time in 1997, but political instability continued.
