Overview: Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with about 80% 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 live as nomads and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in agriculture and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities.

GDP: $1.7 billion, per capita $180; real growth rate 9.6% (1986)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.0% (1985)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $154 million; expenditures $169 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1982)

Exports: $260 million (f.o.b., 1987); @m5commodities--livestock, peanuts, dried fish, cotton, skins; @m5partners--mostly franc zone and Western Europe

Imports: $493 million (f.o.b., 1987); @m5commodities--textiles, vehicles, petroleum products, machinery, sugar, cereals; @m5partners--mostly franc zone and Western Europe

External debt: $2.1 billion (December 1988 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: 92,000 kW capacity; 165 million kWh produced, 20 kWh per capita (1988)

Industries: small local consumer goods and processing, construction, phosphate, gold, fishing

Agriculture: millet, sorghum, rice, corn, peanuts; cash crops--peanuts, cotton, livestock

Aid: NA

Currency: Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (plural--francs); 1 CFA franc (CFAF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (CFAF) per US$1--312.52 (January 1989), 297.85 (1988), 300.54 (1987), 346.30 (1986), 449.26 (1985)

Fiscal year: calendar year

NOTE: The information regarding Mali on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Mali Economy 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Mali Economy 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.