The Republic of Mali (capital city: Bamako) is one of the biggest countries in West Africa, covering some 1,250,000 km² (over twice the size of France, 5 times the size of Great Britain and 30 times the size of The Netherlands).
Mali is completely surrounded by land. The northern part of the country, where the Sahara desert stretches, is virtually uninhabited.
Mali has a population of well over 12 million, divided into 27 ethnic groups. The majority is Muslim, but there's also a Christian minority. All religions peacefully live side by side.
Official documents are in French, but 9 in 10 Malians cannot speak that language. The African Bambara language however is widely spoken. Mali is in the same time zone as the United Kingdom: GMT+0.
Malian people can be characterised as outgoing and friendly. Although they are among the poorest people in the world, they have an upbeat attitude towards adversity and they are strong and optimistic.
A woman from the Peul tribe, beautifully decorated with traditional jewelry and a mouth tattoo.