Rebecca+Mali+2A

=Mali= Located in Africa, Mali is in the Northwest region. From the seventh to the nineteenth centuries, parts of Mali were ruled by the kings of the Ghana, Malinke, Songhai, Bambara, and Toucouleur Empires. The Songhai Empire in the 15th and 16th centuries covered twice the territory of modern Mali. In the 14th century, Mali was the richest and largest West African empire. Tombouctou (Timbuktu) was a center of Islamic learning. Malians proudly remember this history through tale and song.

The Flag
The flag of Mali, adopted on March 1, 1961, consits of green, yellow, and red. These three colors are the pan-Africa colors and are often used in many of the continent's national flags. Green represnts nature, yellow stands for purity, and red represents the blood shed fighting for independence.

Languages
French Bambara Bomu Tieyaxo Bozo Toro So Dogon Maasina Fulfulde Hasanya Arabic Mamara Senoufo Kita Maninkakin Soninke Koyaboro Seni Songhay Syenara Senoufo Tamasheq Xaasongaxango Fula Songhai Arabic English
 * Mali has 18 different languages spoken. The official language is French.**

**Awesome Facts! **

 * Size of country in square miles (compare it to the United States)
 * Mali - 478,841 sq. miles USA - 3,794,101 sq. mi
 * Population density in people per square mile (compare it to the United States)
 * Mali - 28.81 people per sq. mile USA - 81.77 people per sq. mile
 * Gross Domestic Product per capita
 * Mali- $1,083 USA- $45,592
 * Life expectancy (compare it to the United States)
 *  Mali- Female- 49 Male- 47 USA- Female- 77 Male- 81
 * Infant mortality rate (compare it to the United States)
 * Mali- 102 per 1,000 USA- 6 per 1,000
 * Literacy Rate (compare it to the United States)
 * Mali- 27% USA- 99%
 * Religions practiced
 * 90% Muslim 5% Christian 5% Indigenous
 * Birth rate
 * Mali- 2003- 6.66- 2004- 6.5- 2005- 7.47- 2006- 7.42 -2007- 7.38- 2008- 7.34- 2009- 7.29- 2010- 6.54
 * Type of Government
 * Semi-presidential republic
 * Political Leader
 * Amadou Toumani Touré