History of Mali in Timeline
Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa and the eighth-largest country in Africa. It shares borders with Algeria, Niger, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Senegal. As of 2024, its population is estimated at 23.29 million, with a significant portion (47.19%) under the age of 15. Bamako serves as its capital and largest city. While the country recognizes 13 official languages, Bambara is the most widely spoken.
1905: French Control
By 1905, most of the area of Mali was under firm French control as part of French Sudan.
November 1915: Anti-French Uprising
In November 1915, a large anti-French uprising broke out among the tribes in the regions of present-day Mali and Burkina Faso.
September 1916: Uprising Suppression
In September 1916, the last resistance of the anti-French uprising was suppressed.
November 1958: Autonomous Republic
On 24 November 1958, French Sudan became an autonomous republic within the French Community, changing its name to the Sudanese Republic.
January 1959: Mali Federation
In January 1959, Mali and Senegal united to become the Mali Federation.
June 1960: Independence from France
The Mali Federation gained independence from France on 20 June 1960.
August 1960: Senegal Withdraws
Senegal withdrew from the Mali Federation in August 1960.
September 1960: Republic of Mali Established
On 22 September 1960, the Sudanese Republic became the independent Republic of Mali, marking the country's Independence Day.
1960: Independence
In 1960, Mali achieved independence after a brief federation with Senegal as the Sudanese Republic. After Senegal's withdrawal, the Republic of Mali was established.
1960: Population Reported
In 1960, the population of Mali was reported to be about 4.1 million.
1962: Agreement with French Government
Since 1962, Mali is connected with the French government by agreement (creation of BCEAO) as a part of the "Franc Zone" (Zone Franc).
November 1968: Military Coup
On 19 November 1968, the Keïta regime was overthrown in a bloodless military coup led by Moussa Traoré, now commemorated as Liberation Day.
1968: Prix Renaudot Won by Yambo Ouologuem
In 1968, Yambo Ouologuem's "Le devoir de violence" won the Prix Renaudot but faced accusations of plagiarism.
1968: Drought Begins
In 1968, a devastating drought began, lasting until 1974.
1974: Drought Continues
A devastating drought that began in 1968 continued in 1974, causing famine and thousands of deaths.
1988: Economic Reform Agreements
In 1988, Mali began economic reform by signing agreements with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
1990: Opposition Movements Emerge
In 1990, cohesive opposition movements began to emerge, complicated by ethnic violence in the north.
January 1991: Student Protests
In January 1991, peaceful student protests were brutally suppressed.
March 1991: Massacre of Students
26 March 1991 marks the massacre of dozens of demonstrating students, leading to the arrest and conviction of Traoré.
March 1991: Mass Pro-Democracy Rallies
From 22 March through 26 March 1991, mass pro-democracy rallies and a nationwide strike occurred, known as the March Revolution.
1991: Democratic Uprising
In 1991, Amadou Toumani Touré led the military aspect of the democratic uprising.
1991: Relaxation of Mining Codes
In 1991, Mali relaxed the enforcement of mining codes, which led to renewed foreign interest and investment in the mining industry.
1991: Coup and Democratic Transition
In 1991, a coup led to a new constitution and the establishment of Mali as a democratic, multi-party state.
January 1992: Constitution of Mali
Mali was governed by the Constitution of 12 January 1992, which was amended in 1999, until the 2012 coup.
1992: Implementation of Economic Adjustment Programme
Between 1992 and 1995, Mali implemented an economic adjustment programme that resulted in economic growth and a reduction in financial imbalances.
1992: First Democratic Election
In 1992, Alpha Oumar Konaré won Mali's first democratic, multi-party presidential election.
May 1995: Mali Joins World Trade Organization
On 31 May 1995, Mali joined the World Trade Organization.
1996: Reform of Public Enterprises
During 1988 to 1996, Mali's government largely reformed public enterprises, privatizing, partially privatizing, and liquidating several enterprises.
1997: Konaré Re-elected
In 1997, Alpha Oumar Konaré was re-elected for a second term.
1999: Gold as Leading Export
Since 1999, the emergence of gold as Mali's leading export product has helped mitigate some of the negative impact of the cotton and Ivory Coast crises.
1999: Amendment of the Constitution
The Constitution of 12 January 1992 was amended in 1999.
2000: Access to Safe Drinking Water
In 2000, it was estimated that 62–65% of the population of Mali had access to safe drinking water.
2001: Female Genital Mutilation Rate
In 2001, an estimated 85%–91% of Mali's girls and women had undergone female genital mutilation.
2001: Government Health Expenditures
In 2001, the general government expenditures on health in Mali totaled about US$4 per capita.
2002: Cotton Production
During 2002, 620,000 tons of cotton were produced in Mali.
2002: Hydroelectric Power Production
In 2002, 700 GWh of hydroelectric power were produced in Mali.
2002: African Cup of Nations Hosted
In 2002, Mali hosted the African Cup of Nations, increasing the prominence of association football.
2002: GDP in 2002
In 2002, Mali's gross domestic product (GDP) amounted to US$3.4 billion.
2002: Improvement of Relations with the West
Since the institution of a democratic form of government in 2002, Mali's relations with the West in general and with the United States in particular have improved significantly.
2003: Decline in Cotton Prices
Cotton prices declined significantly in Mali during 2003.
2005: GDP Growth
In 2005, Mali's GDP increased to US$5.8 billion, which amounts to an approximately 17.6% annual growth rate.
2005: Concession of Railroad Company
In 2005, the Malian government conceded a railroad company to the Savage Corporation.
2006: Female Genital Mutilation Rate
In 2006, an estimated 85%–91% of Mali's girls and women had undergone female genital mutilation.
2007: National Assembly Elections
Following the 2007 elections, the Alliance for Democracy and Progress held 113 of 160 seats in the National Assembly.
2008: Privatization Expectations
In 2008, Societé de Telecommunications du Mali (SOTELMA) and the Cotton Ginning Company (CMDT) were expected to be privatized.
2008: Women's Basketball Team at Beijing Olympics
In 2008, the Mali women's national basketball team, led by Hamchetou Maiga, competed at the Beijing Olympics.
2009: Language Census
In 2009, a census revealed that Bambara was spoken by 51.5% of the population in Mali, followed by Fula (8.3%) and Dogon (6.6%).
2010: Women in Parliament
In 2010, out of 147 members of Parliament in Mali, 15 were women.
January 2012: Tuareg Rebellion
In January 2012, a Tuareg rebellion began in northern Mali, led by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA).
March 2012: Military Coup
In March 2012, a military coup complicated the conflict in northern Mali.
2012: Sharia Rule Imposition
After the 2012 imposition of sharia rule in northern Mali, the country was listed high on the Christian persecution index.
2012: Uranium Mineralized Zone Identified
In 2012, a further uranium mineralized north zone was identified in Mali.
2012: Increased Gender-Based Violence
In 2012, the conflict in northern Mali increased cases of kidnappings and rapes.
2012: Slavery Persists
In the Tuareg Rebellion of 2012, ex-slaves were a vulnerable population with reports of some slaves being recaptured by their former masters.
2012: Suspension from African Union
Mali was active in regional organizations such as the African Union until its suspension over the 2012 Malian coup d'état.
January 2013: Operation Serval
In January 2013, the French military launched Operation Serval in response to territorial gains by rebels.
January 2013: French Armed Forces Intervene
On 11 January 2013, the French Armed Forces intervened in Mali at the request of the interim government.
July 2013: Presidential Elections
Presidential elections were held on 28 July 2013, with a second-round run-off held on 11 August.
August 2013: Keita Elected President
In August 2013, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita was elected as the new president of Mali.
December 2013: Legislative Elections
Legislative elections were held on 24 November and 15 December 2013.
2013: Defense Accords with France
In 2013, Mali concluded defense accords with France, which were later broken in 2022.
2013: Demographic Health Survey on Domestic Violence
In 2013, the Demographic Health Survey for Mali indicated that 76% of women and 54% of men believed physical harm towards women was acceptable in certain situations.
2015: Peace Agreement Threatened
A UN panel warned in 2022 that the 2015 peace agreement between the government and pro-independence groups was threatened by potential confrontation.
2015: Escalating Conflict in Mopti
Since 2015, conflict has escalated in the central Mali province of Mopti between agricultural communities and the pastoral Fula people.
January 2016: Creation of New Regions
Since January 2016, the implementation of the two newest regions, Taoudénit and Ménaka, has been ongoing.
2016: Dogon Militia Created
In 2016, the Dogon group Dan Na Ambassagou was created.
2016: Decentralization Efforts Begin
The initiative to add nine new regions in 2023 continues the decentralization efforts that began with the creation of the Taoudénit and Ménaka regions in 2016.
2017: Gender Inequality Index Ranking
In 2017, Mali ranked 157th out of 160 countries in the gender inequality index as reported by the United Nations Development Programme.
2017: Primary school enrollment rate
In 2017, the primary school enrolment rate in Mali was 61%, with 65% of males and 58% of females attending.
July 2018: Presidential Election First Round
In the 2018 Malian presidential election held on 29 July 2018, no candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the first round.
August 2018: Keïta Re-elected
On 12 August 2018, Keïta was re-elected with 67% of the vote.
September 2018: Ceasefire Negotiated
In September 2018, a unilateral ceasefire was negotiated with Dan Na Ambassagou.
2018: Ethnic Groups
According to 2018 estimates, the largest ethnic groups in Mali are Bambara (33.3%), Fulani (13.3%), and Sarakole/Soninke/Marka (9.8%).
2018: Beach Volleyball Continental Cup
Mali's men's national team in beach volleyball competed at the 2018–2020 CAVB Beach Volleyball Continental Cup.
January 2019: Atrocities Against Civilians Documented
From January 2019 until November, Human Rights Watch documented atrocities against civilians in Central Mali.
March 2019: Massacre of Fula Villagers
In March 2019, the Dan Na Ambassagou group was blamed for the massacre of 160 Fula villagers.
October 2019: Jihadist Attacks
During the first week of October 2019, jihadist attacks killed more than 25 Mali soldiers.
November 2019: Indelimane Attack
On 1 November 2019, the IS-GS militants killed at least 50 soldiers in the 2019 Indelimane attack in the Ménaka Region of Mali.
2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index Ranking
In 2019, Mali had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 7.16/10, ranking it 51st globally out of 172 countries.
2019: Al Qaeda Attack on UN Base
In early 2019, Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for an attack on a United Nations base in Mali that killed 10 peacekeepers from Chad.
February 2020: HRW Report on Civilian Casualties
In February 2020, Human Rights Watch documented atrocities against civilians in Central Mali and said that at least 456 civilians were killed from January 2019 until November.
June 2020: Popular Unrest
Popular unrest began on 5 June 2020 following irregularities in the March and April parliamentary elections.
August 2020: US Foreign Assistance
Before the August 2020 coup, U.S. foreign assistance to Mali exceeded $135 million in FY 2020, aiming to bolster fragile peace, democratic governance and regional security.
August 2020: Military Mutiny and Coup
On 18 August 2020, members of the military led by Colonel Assimi Goïta began a mutiny, arrested President Keïta and Prime Minister Cissé, and Keïta resigned.
September 2020: Tensions after handover of power
In September 2020, tensions between the civilian transitional government and the military ran high after the handover of power.
September 2020: Agreement on political transition
In September 2020, the CNSP agreed to an 18-month political transition to civilian rule and Bah N'daw was named interim president.
2020: Displacement due to Conflict
By 2020, more than 600,000 people had been displaced by the conflict in Mali.
2020: Beach Volleyball Continental Cup
Mali's men's national team in beach volleyball competed at the 2018–2020 CAVB Beach Volleyball Continental Cup.
May 2021: Arrest of Civilian Leaders
On 24 May 2021, President N'daw, Prime Minister Ouane, and Defence Minister Doucouré were detained in a military base after a cabinet reshuffle.
June 2021: Goïta Sworn in as Interim President
On 7 June 2021, Assimi Goïta was sworn into office as the new interim president of Mali.
2021: Estimated Population
In 2021, Mali's population was an estimated 21.9 million.
January 2022: Bambara becomes official language
In January 2022, the Mali government announced making Bambara the official language due to deteriorating relations with France.
January 2022: Border Closure and Ambassador Recall
On 10 January 2022, Mali closed its borders and recalled ambassadors to ECOWAS countries in response to sanctions for deferring elections.
February 2022: Expulsion of French Ambassador
On 4 February 2022, France's ambassador was expelled from Mali.
February 2022: Election Timetable Pushed Back
The transition government pushed back the timetable for a new election, initially to be held in February 2022, to February 2024.
March 2022: Massacre by Malian Troops and Wagner Group
According to Human Rights Watch, in March 2022, Malian troops and suspected Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group executed around 300 civilian men in central Mali.
2022: ISGS Gains Territory
In 2022, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara made major gains in the Mali War, occupying large areas in southeastern Mali.
February 2023: Russian Foreign Minister Visits Bamako
On 7 February 2023, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Bamako and pledged continued military assistance to Mali.
June 2023: Removal of French as Official Language
In June 2023, Mali removed French as an official language after a referendum approving a new constitution.
July 2023: French dropped as official language
In July 2023, French was dropped as an official language in Mali, becoming a working language, while 13 national languages became official.
September 2023: JNIM Attack on Niger River Vessel
On 7 September 2023, al-Qaeda linked JNIM militants attacked a vessel on the Niger River, resulting in at least 154 civilian deaths.
2023: ISGS Expands Control
By mid-2023, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara had doubled the territory it controlled since the establishment of the junta.
2023: Administrative Reorganization with Nine New Regions
Since 2023, Mali has added nine new regions to its administrative structure, bringing the total to 19 regions plus the district of Bamako.
February 2024: New Election Timetable
The transition government set the new election timetable for February 2024.
July 2024: Battle of Tinzaouaten
In July 2024, CSP-DPA rebels and JNIM militants killed dozens of Russian mercenaries and Malian government forces during the Battle of Tinzaouaten.
August 2024: Mali Severs Diplomatic Ties with Ukraine
On 5 August 2024, the Republic of Mali announced that it was severing diplomatic relations with Ukraine.
September 2024: JNIM Attacks in Bamako
On 17 September 2024, al-Qaeda linked JNIM militants attacked several locations across Bamako, killing at least 77 people and injuring 255 others.
2024: Criminalization of Homosexual Relations
In 2024, Mali officials approved a bill criminalising homosexual relations between same-sex couples.
2024: Population Statistics
In 2024, approximately 47% of Malians were 14 years old or younger. The birth rate in 2024 was 40 births per 1,000, and the death rate was 8.1 deaths per 1,000.
2024: Humanitarian Crisis
In 2024, approximately 7.1 million people in Mali, including over 3.8 million children, required urgent humanitarian assistance due to escalating conflict and climate crises.
2024: Life Expectancy Estimated
In 2024, the estimated life expectancy at birth in Mali is 63.2 years.
2024: Global Innovation Index Ranking
Mali was ranked 136th out of 139 in the Global Innovation Index in 2024.
