Mali Economy 2001

Economy - overview: Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its land area desert or semidesert. Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export. In 1997, the government continued its successful implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50% devaluation of the African franc in January 1994 have pushed up economic growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2000. Growth should remain around 5% in 2001-02, and inflation should stay less than 2%.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $9.1 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.8% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $850 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 46%
industry: 21%
services: 33% (1998)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 1.8%
highest 10%: 40.4% (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0.8% (2000 est.)

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and fishing 80% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $730 million
expenditures: $770 million, including capital expenditures of $320 million (1997 est.)

Industries: minor local consumer goods production and food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: NA

Electricity - production: 445 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 44.94%
hydro: 55.06%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 413.9 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats

Exports: $480 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: cotton 50%, gold, livestock (1999 est.)

Exports - partners: Italy 18%, Thailand 15%, Germany 7%, Portugal 4% (1999)

Imports: $575 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, construction materials, petroleum, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners: Cote d'Ivoire 19%, France 19%, Senegal 4%, Benelux 3% (1999)

Debt - external: $3 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: $596.4 million (1995)

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code: XOF

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

NOTE: The information regarding Mali on this page is re-published from the 2001 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Mali Economy 2001 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Mali Economy 2001 should be addressed to the CIA.