Geography of Mali (original) (raw)

**Location:**Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

**Geographic coordinates:**17 00 N, 4 00 W

**Map references:**Africa

Area:
_total:_1.24 million km�
_land:_1.22 million km�
_water:_20,000 km�

**Area - comparative:**slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
_total:_7,243 km
_border countries:_Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea 858 km, C�te d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km, Senegal 419 km

**Coastline:**0 km (landlocked)

**Maritime claims:**none (landlocked)

**Climate:**subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

**Terrain:**mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeast

Elevation extremes:
_lowest point:_Senegal River 23 m
_highest point:_Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Natural resources: gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, hydropower
note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are known but not exploited

Land use:
_arable land:_2%
_permanent crops:_0%
_permanent pastures:_25%
_forests and woodland:_6%
_other:_67% (1993 est.)

**Irrigated land:**780 km� (1993 est.)

**Natural hazards:**hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring droughts

**Environment - current issues:**deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
_signed, but not ratified:_Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Nuclear Test Ban

Geography - note: landlocked

See also : Mali