e: 0-14 years: 47.2% (male 2,687,998; female 2,658,605)
15-64 years: 49.8% (male 2,698,789; female 2,950,276) 65 years and over:
3% (male 160,604; female 184,208) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.97% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 48.37 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 18.32 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.87 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 119.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 48.64 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 6.73 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 140,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 9,900 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Malian(s) adjective: Malian

Ethnic groups: Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic
12%, Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Religions: Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

Languages: French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 38% male: 45% female: 31% (1998 est.)

Government Mali

Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Mali conventional
short form: Mali local short form: Mali former: French Sudan and Sudanese
Republic local long form: Republique de Mali

Government type: republic

Capital: Bamako

Administrative divisions: 8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao,
Kayes, Kidal, Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Independence: 22 September 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Constitution: adopted 12 January 1992

Legal system: based on French civil law system and customary law;
judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which
was formally established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE
(since 8 June 2002) head of government: Prime Minister Modibo KEITA
(since 18 March 2002)
Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister elections: election
last held 12 May 2002 (next to be held NA Ma