Mali
Africa · Bamako · ML
Mali is the huge landlocked country of the West African interior where the great empires of the Sahel once ruled from the legendary cities of the Timbuktu and the Gao, and where the Niger river and the mud architecture of the old trading towns carry the deep history of the region. The capital of the Bamako, set on the banks of the Niger at the edge of the highlands, is one of the musical capitals of Africa, with the festivals and the performers that made the Malian music famous across the world. The north of the country, with the desert city of the Timbuktu and the great mosque of the Djenné, the emblem of the mud architecture of the whole region, is currently unsafe to visit because of the conflict and the instability, and the wider country demands the most careful reading of the current situation. The music, the craftsmanship and the legendary hospitality wait for better days.
Overview
Mali is a country in Africa. Its capital is Bamako and the international dialling code is +223. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include French. Local currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF). We also list 1 city in Mali: Bamako.
The Great Mosque of the Djenne and the Mud Architecture
The great mosque of the Djenné, the largest mud building in the world and the masterpiece of the architecture of the Sahel, rises from the market square of the old trading town in its monumental form of the adobe walls and the wooden beams, rebuilt by the community in the great plastering festival of every year. The town of the Djenné, the ancient sister of the Timbuktu, preserves the dense quarters of the mud houses, the tombs of the marabouts and the market of the Monday, one of the greatest markets of the region, and the whole town is a world heritage of the Sudano-Sahelian genius. The festival of the plastering, the crépissage when the whole town renews the facade of the great mosque, is one of the most extraordinary cultural spectacles of Africa.
The Timbuktu and the Legends of the Desert Cities
The legendary city of the Timbuktu, the fabled terminus of the caravans and the intellectual capital of the medieval Sahel, stands at the edge of the desert at the bend of the giant river, and its three great mosques and its manuscripts made it the byword for the remotest glamour of the old world. The city, at the height of its renown the seat of the universities and the libraries of the gold age of the empire, preserved and recently restored its manuscript collections, the treasure of the desert scholarship, and the mud mosques of the Djingareyber and the Sankore anchor the sacred and the learned heart of the town. The current instability and the desert encroachment have closed the city to the travellers, and the legendary Timbuktu waits.
The Music of the Bamako and the Festivals of the Region
The capital of the country, the Bamako spread across the banks of the Niger at the foot of the green hills, is one of the great musical cities of the world, the home of the kora, the ngoni and the griot tradition that produced the globally famous musicians of the country. The nightclubs and the recording studios of the capital, the festivals of the extremes of the north and the south that bring the performers of the whole Sahel together, and the street music of the everyday life carry the living, extraordinary musical heritage of the Mandeng culture. The craft markets of the city, the bogolan mud-cloth paintings and the carvings of the artisans, and the food stalls the evenings anchor the vivid, creative life of the capital.
The Valley of the Niger and the Boats of the River
The great river of the country, the Niger that crosses the whole interior of the territory, is the artery of the life of the region, and the boats and the pirogues that ply its waters carry the trade, the people and the goods of the enormous inland delta. The towns of the river, from the market towns of the Mopti with their boatyard life to the delta villages of the Bozo fishermen with their reed houses and their fish-drying racks, hold the riverine culture of the interior. The floods of the river, the rising water that transforms the huge delta into the pastures and the rice fields of the season, drive the whole cycle of the life of the region, and the river trips between the towns give the essential, slow experience of the Malian interior.
The Current Conditions and the Careful Planning of the Visit
The current situation of the country, after the conflict and the instability that have gripped the north and the wider region, makes the travel dangerous and unpredictable, and the wise traveller must treat any journey with the deepest caution, following the current official advice with the greatest seriousness. The north of the country, encompassing the Timbuktu and the Gao and the wider areas of the desert, is unsafe, and even the south of the country, from the capital and the tourist towns of the interior, demands the realistic and the informed planning of every step. The heritage of the country, its architecture, its music and its hospitality, is among the great treasures of the continent, and it waits, patiently, for the day when the peace returns.
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- Capital
- Bamako
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Languages
- French
- Calling code
- +223
- Internet TLD
- ml
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Mali.
Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Mali?
Bamako is the capital of Mali, and the country sits in Africa.
What currency is used in Mali?
You pay with West African CFA franc (XOF) in Mali. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Mali?
The languages we list for Mali are French. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Mali?
The dialling code for Mali is +223 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which cities in Mali do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Mali: Bamako (capital).