Mali is a landlocked country in Western Africa. From the 11th century, the Malian Empire ruled in the upper Niger basin, extending its realm right to the Atlantic coast. Mali’s imperial influence declined in the seventeenth century as other powers in the region gained prominence. 

Did you know? 

When the Malian emperor, Mansa Musa, made his famous pilgrimage to Mecca in the fourteenth century, he traveled with over 70,000 people and up to 50 pounds of gold. He built a mosque every Friday on his entire trip. Mansa Musa left so much gold to the people along his way, he inadvertently caused inflation in the regions he passed. 

In the nineteenth century, France was taking an increasingly interest while Islamic religious wars had led to creation of theocratic states in the region. 

In 1898, during the so-called ‘Scramble for Africa’, France conquered Mali, making it a part of French Sudan. 

In April 1959 the French Sudan merged with Senegal to form the Mali Federation. A transfer of power agreement was signed with France on 4 April 1960, which led to formal independence on 20 June 1960. 

Mali’s Great Mosque of Djenne is the largest mudbrick building in the world. 

The Mali Federation proved to be very short-lived and broke up on 20 August 1960, when Senegal proclaimed its independence. #Mali