Mali

the Republic Mali occupies 1240  thousand both  sq. km is the second state on the square in the Western Africa. Till 1958 was colony France (the French Sudan). The State language - French. In XII-XV centuries of Mali was the powerful empire embracing huge terrains. It ìîãóùåñòâî  it was defined by a rule on a crossroads of trading pathes of Africa and began to die away after discovering of shipping lanes round continent and moving of the centres of trade on coasts. Remoteness from the sea and now hinders country development.

Mali - the country of deserts and savannahs with the levelled down landform: average altitudes fluctuate from 200 to 300  m below a sea level. The north is occupied by stony deserts the Western and the Central Sahara, in the east of adjoining on plateau Iforas (altitude to 853 , in the south mounts Mandingo (altitude to 1155  are had;). A country climate tropical continental, hot and dry. Heats - to 35  are all year long kept from 20-24; °C. From November till June the hot and dry northeast wind harmattan, from July till October - wet winds from Atlantic overtops. The precipitation in a rainy season in the south attains 1500  mm, and in the north happen years at all without rains. Discriminate three seasons: dry cool (December-February), dry hot and rainy.

The Main rivers Malis - Senegal which upper courses irrigate the country southwest, and Niger originating in the next Guinea and the crossing Mali from the West to the east throughout 1600 km. The overhead Niger leaks in a narrow rocky valley, abounding with rapids and thresholds, and on the average flow passes through vsholmlennye plains, extending to 1-2  km and forming numerous sleeves, loches and islets.

The North of the country is deprived the rivers and occupied petrous, galechnymi and sand deserts. Only during a season of rains the land for some weeks is covered with a carpet from the rapidly growing plants-efemerov amplely blossoming and pleasing an eye by variety of paints. The fauna is presented in the core by reptiles, and from large mammals here it is possible to see an antelope addaks both gazelles dorka and the lady. On plateau Iforas there are monkeys, and in region Sahelja (to the south from Sahara) there are ostriches, giraffes, an antelope oriks, among predators - cheetahs, striped hyenas, genets. Vegetation Sahelja also is more diverse and is presented opustynennoj by savannah with separate bunches of palm trees, acacias and baobabs. The deserted north is not invaded almost: during a wet season here there are only nomadic breeders tuaregi and Arabs with flocks of camels, though in Sahele tuaregi and ôóëüáå  breed also sheep and goats.

To the south Sahelja the extensive Sudanese savannah with high grasses and groves of bushes and arbours with magnificent krone was drew through, the oily arbour karite and sejba is especially characteristic for this locality. Numerous antelopes Here live, there are elephants, lions, leopards, and in Niger - river horses and crocodiles. The world of auks is diverse and rich. At the same time, in a valley of Niger life is venenated with the numerous mosquitoes some of them tolerate exciters of dangerous diseases. Sudanese savannah - agricultural edge: here cultivate rice, a cotton plant, a peanut, the animal husbandry is educed also.

At Mali bunks more 8,6  million persons and the population sweepingly grows. The basic population of the south - representatives of the people bambara, senufo, dogony and others. 70  population % practise Islam, nearby 25 % - the others adhere to traditional convictions, 5 % - christians.

In the south all large cities are had also: country Bamako capital, industrial centres Kayess (it is considered the most hot city on the Earth), Mopti. The most ancient cities of the country - Gao (it is based in VII century) and Dzhenne (is known with 800  year). A pearl of Sahara name the city of Tombouctou based in XI century. The population of these small cities is occupied in the core earthenware and other traditional handcrafts.