mobile View, to the German Version tap the flag

 

Mali

 

Contents

Flag

Historical Flags

Meaning/Origin of the Flag

Coat of Arms

Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

Aircraft Roundel

Map

Numbers and Facts

History

Origin of the Country's Name



Flag

Flagge Fahne flag Mali
National flag,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Flags of the World




hoch/up


Historical Flags

Flagge Fahne flag Sudan Mali
1958–1959,
Flag of the Autonomous Republic of Sudan,
Source, by: Flags of the World




Flagge Fahne flag Mali Föderation federation
1959–1961,
Flag of the Mali Federation and national flag of Mali,
Source, by: Flags of the World



hoch/up


Meaning/Origin of the Flag

The today's flag of Mali was introduced on 1st of March 1961 (by other sources on 20th of January 1961). It was designed by the example of the French Tricolor in the Pan-African colours green, yellow and red. The flags of many French colonies in Africa which became independent in the same time are similar. The colours are interpreted specially for Mali as follows: Green stands for the vegetation, yellow for the purity and the natural resources, red for the bravery and the for the achievement of independence given blood. The colours of the flag seem to be defined as follows: green = Pantone 2271, yellow = Pantone 115 und red = Pantone 3546. Mobido Keita, the former President of Mali, supported for Kwame Nkrumah's idea of an union of African states, and expressed this by the use of the colours red, yellow, green and black after the example of the flag of Ghana. The initial flag of Mali was introduced on 4th of April in 1959 for the Federation of Mali and Senegal. It was designed by the example of the French Tricolor with three vertical stripes in the Pan-African colours green, yellow and red and contained furthermore the black depiction of a stylized human, a so-named Kanaga, like it was proposed by Leopold Senghor the Chief of State of Senegal. The Kanaga is a important symbol for the worldview and philosophy of the people in this part of Africa. After thr separation of Senegal Mali maintained this symbol, but only until the 1st of March in 1961, because the 85% of Muslims in the country rejected this symbol. Senegal substituted the Kanaga by a green star. The colours green, yellow and red are the Pan-African colours. The Pan-African-Movement had its beginnings perhaps in 1900, which wants to emphasize the common goals of all black people. The colour-triad green-yellow-red, which are used by many African and even American countries in their flags after independence, stands for the political unity of Africa, of all black People. The first country was Ghana in 1957. As the origin, the colours of Ethiopia (Abessinia), the oldest independent state in Africa, apply.

Source: Die Welt der Flaggen, Flaggen Wappen Hymnen, Flags of the World, Wikipedia (EN), Volker Preuß

hoch/up


Coat of Arms


Wappen coat of arms Mali
since 1973,
Coat of arms of Mali,
Source: Corel Draw 4


Wappen coat of arms Mali
1961–1973
Coat of arms of Mali,
Source: Corel Draw 4

hoch/up


Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

The coat of arms of Mali is a seal. Until 1973 the colored design – seals always know a black-white version as well – was made in the colours of the flag. The seal is circular and showed until 1973 a red, green bordered disk. In the green border the name of the state and the motto of the state: "Republique du Mali – un peuple, un but, une foi" → "Republic of Mali – one nation, one Goal, one Belief". In the upper part of the red disk a silvery dove (symbol for the peace) underneath a stylized golden representation of a city (symbol for the ancient Empire of Mali), two to the left and to the right stretched golden bows and below a rising golden sun (symbol for hope). In the year 1973 the seal was changed. The disk is currently single-coloured blue. The dove is golden now and the city symbol was changed a little bit and the bows are silvery now and the rising sun became appreciably stylized. The inscription remained unchanged.

Source: Flaggen Wappen Hymnen, Flaggen und Coat of arms of the Welt, Wikipedia (DE), Flags of the World

hoch/up


Aircraft Roundel


Flugzeugkokarde Kokarde aircraft roundel Mali
Aircraft Roundel,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)

hoch/up


Map

Location:

Source: CIA World Factbook

Map of the country:

Source: CIA World Factbook

hoch/up


Numbers and Facts

Area: 478.839 square miles

Inhabitants: 19.550.000 (2020), thereof 35% Bambara (Mande), 10% Fulbe, 9% Senufo (Volta), 8% Sarakolle (Sudan), 7% Songhai (Sudan), 6% Tuareg, 5% Malinke (Mande), 5% Dogon (Sudan), 2% Bwa/Bobo (Volta), 3% Moors

Religions: 90% Sunni Muslims, 5% Catholics

Density of Population: 41 inh./sq.mi.

Capital: Bamako, 1.809.106 inh. (2009)

official Language: French

other Languages: Bambara, Fulbe, ... Arabic

Currency: CFA-Franc BCEAO (XOF, F) = 100 Centimes

Time Zone: GMT

Source: Wikipedia (DE)

hoch/up


History

ca. 4.–9. cent. · Ghana Empire in the northwest

1076–1077 · conquest by the Almoravides, disintegration of the Ghana Empire, Islamization

1100 · foundation of Timbuktu by the Tuareg people

1235–ca. 1465 · Mali Empire

ca. 1465–1591 · Songhai Empire

1591 · Moroccan conquest

1760 · the Tuareg rule the country

1883–1898 · French conquest, establishment of the colonies Upper Senegal and Niger (later French-Sudan)

1895 · establishment of the Government General French West Africa

1902 · establishment of the colonial federation of French West Africa consisting of:
  1st Mauritania – French Sudan – Niger Colony – Upper Volta
  2nd Senegal
  3rd Dahomey
  4th Ivory Coast
  5th French Guinea

28th of November 1958 · proclamation of the Republic of Sudan, autonomy within the French Community

17th of January 1959 · confederation with Senegal to the Federation of Mali (Sudan and Senegal)

22nd of November 1960 · disintegration of the Federation of Mali, independence from France, Sudan adopes the name Mali

1961 · formation of the "Union of African States" (Mali, Ghana and Guinea)

1963 · disintegration of the "Union of African States"

1964 · elections

19th of November 1968 · military coup d'état

1969 · Lieutenant Moussa Traoré becomes premier

1979 · foundation of the unity-party UDPM, single party system, Moussa Traoré becomes President of the State

1985 · military quarrels with Upper Volta (Burkina Faso)

1990 · after riots state of emergency in the Tuareg area

1991 · riots

26th of March 1991 · overthrow of the premier Traoré

1992 · referendum about a new constitution, elections

1995 · end of the Tuareg revolt

2012 · in January 2012 outbreak of a renewed Tuareg rebellion, in March Kidal and Gao become conquered by the MNLA Militia (Movement Nationale de Libération de l'Azawad) and the Islamic Ansar-Dine Militia, on 1st of April in 2012 followed by Timbuktu

6th of April 2012 · Azawad declares its independence from Mali, the Islamic Ansar-Dine Mitia recognizes Azawad not, and expels in the following days the MNLA from Timbuktu

May to December 2012 · march of the Ansar-Dine Mitia and other Islamic groups towards Bamako, the Government of Mali asks for international help

January 2013 · invasion of French and African troops, counter-offensive, the Islamic groups become pushed towards the north

2020 · military coup

2021 · military coup

2022 · withdrawal of the French troops

Source: Atlas zur Geschichte, Wikipedia (D), Discovery '97, World Statesmen

hoch/up


Origin of the Country's Name

The name "Mali" goes back to the historical Mali Empire (1235-1465). The state people were the Malinke nation, who called the country "Manden Kurufa", in their language Mandinka. The word Mali thus goes back to the Malinke. The last Mali kings resided in seclusion on the upper reaches of the Niger River in the 16th century, while the Songhai Empire grew in importance. When the French began to develop the area of present-day Mali, they named the habitat on both sides of the Niger River after this river, i.e. "Niger". What later became French West Africa was administratively divided in 1902, with the riverine region to the east retaining the name Niger (to this day), and the riverine region to the west receiving the name French Sudan. The name "Sudan", from the Arabic "Bilād as-Sūdān" → Land of the Blacks, comes from the Arabic-Islamic cultural sphere and originally meant the entire christianised area of the savannah zone south of the Sahara desert. After independence, the country was no longer called French Sudan, but consequently only "Sudan". However, the country was part of the Mali Federation with Senegal. After both countries separated, the name "Mali" was transferred to the country, or retained if you will.

Source: 1.) Wikipedia (D), 2.) Wikipedia (D),Volker Preuß

hoch/up





to start page click here