Mali explained to kids

Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali is the eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of 1,240,000 square kilometers (480,000 square miles). Mali is bordered by Algeria to the north, Niger to the east, Burkina Faso to the south, Guinea to the south-west, Senegal to the west, and Mauritania to the north-west. The capital of Mali is Bamako. The population of Mali is 18 million. Mali is a tropical country. The climate is hot and dry in the north, and hot and wet in the south. Mali is a poor country. The economy is mostly based on agriculture. Mali produces cotton, rice, millet, maize, peanuts, and livestock. Mali is also rich in gold and uranium. The official language of Mali is French. The country has many different ethnic groups, including the Mandinka, Soninke, Fulani, Dogon, and Tuareg. Islam is the main religion in Mali. Mali was part of the Mali Empire, which was a powerful West African empire. The Mali Empire was founded by Sundiata Keita in 1230. The Mali Empire reached its height under Mansa Musa, who ruled from 1312 to 1337. Mali declined in the late 1400s, and became a French colony in 1896. Mali gained independence from France in 1960. Since independence, Mali has had many problems. In 2012, rebels took over the north of the country, and declared an independent state called Azawad. In 2013, French troops intervened to help the Malian government retake control of the north. Mali is still struggling to achieve peace and stability.