in Africa

Mali

All about Mali Fun Science Facts for Kids - Image of the Bamako City in Mali
All about Mali Fun Science Facts for Kids - Image of the Bamako City in Mali

Mali is a landlocked country in Africa that anciently became wealthy because of its trade routes through the Sahara. From the 4th century, it was a great empire.

Fun Facts for Kids on Mali - the National Flag of Mali
Fun Facts for Kids on Mali – the National Flag of Mali

The French conquered Mali in the 19th century. After the country declared independence in 1960, it enjoyed several years of growth and prosperity. Recent civil war, though, has torn the country apart.

Many parts of Mali are desert lands, but the areas around the Niger River, which runs through Mali, are fertile farmlands. Here, farmers grow coffee, rice, grain, bananas and pineapple.

Fun Facts About Mali for Kids

  • The capital city of Mali is Bamako.
  • Bamako is the largest city in Mali and estimated to be the sixth fastest growing country in the world.
  • 15.8 million people live in Mali.
  • The country has 478,766 square miles of land.
  • The official language in Mali is French.
  • Another language used in Mali is Bambara, which is a native language to the country.
  • Most people are Muslim.
  • The life expectancy is 54 years.
  • 47 percent of adults can read.

Mali Vocabulary

  1. Landlock: surrounded by land with no access to the ocean
  2. Ancient: long ago
  3. Wealthy: rich
  4. Trade routes: roads traveled from one country to another to trade goods

All About Mali Video for Kids

Here’s the best kids video you can watch right now to learn more all about Mali:

Mali Q&A

Question: What ethnic groups lives in Mali?

Answer: One unique group is the Dogon people who live in the sandstone cliffs south of Timbuktu. These people have lived here for thousands of years, building houses out of clay. They worship many gods, including animals, and use sculpture to tell their history and beliefs.

Map of Mali

Here’s a map of the country of Mali and all its cities and villages. Zoom in to get into street level or zoom out to see other countries around Mali! You can see the terrain, but also see the roads, images of the buildings and even take a 3D tour through the streets of the cities of Mali, as though you are actually there!

 

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