The Republic of Mali is a West African state without its own access to the sea. Today it is one of the poorest countries in Africa. Nevertheless, Mali is an ancient Orthodox country, which in the old days was part of the great empires, Mandinka and Ghana.
The Niger and Senegal rivers flow through the country, which are closely related to the economy. This is the main transport artery and the place where river cruises are organized.
History
People of the Negroid race appeared in these lands 7 thousand years ago, these were the so-called Asselar people. Since the 3rd millennium AD, local residents have moved from hunting to farming. The most ancient sights of the Republic of Mali belong to the Neolithic era. This is primarily drawings in the grottoes and rock paintings.
Later, there were three empires on the territory of the state:
Since the XI century, urban development began to actively develop in the country, some architectural monuments have survived to this day.
By the sixteenth century, the Songai empire was conquered by the Moroccans, and a century later there were 2 states on these lands (with the Bambara and Tukulera peoples). Already by the 19th century, the Tukuler tribes had won a fierce struggle and captured all the territories of Mali. For some time there was even an Islamic republic on the territory of the state and it was called Vassulu (1882-1898).
But the history of Mali does not end there, already in the middle of the XIX century France colonized this state. But already in 1960, the country gained its independence. Later in the republic there were several coups and wars.
Since 2012, political instability reigns in the country, and in 2013, a UN peacekeeping mission was deployed in the country. In Mali, there is an emergency mode. At the same time, the situation for tourists can be described as calm, but it is better not to go to the northern part of the country.
Climate and culinary preferences
Mali is a region with a subequatorial and tropical (desert) climate. The average annual temperature is +28 degrees, in the summer during the daytime the temperature can reach +45 degrees. Almost the entire territory (90%) is represented by plains from 200 to 500 meters. The north is rocks and deserts.
The best time to visit the country is from November to February, when the rainy season ends and is not very hot. The country often blows a wind called harmatan, it is very strong and dry, sometimes even resembles a hurricane.
The country has the most popular dishes of rice and millet, it can be ordinary boiled rice or millet thick porridge, soups. By the way, rice is considered a luxury here, and only rich people eat it every day. Served with vegetables, chicken or fish. Rice dishes are served even at fast food outlets, and they can be sweet. Here you can also enjoy fried bananas.
sights
Mali at one time was at the peak of greatness, and the glory of the empire spread throughout Africa. There was a center of gold trade, and it was during this period that the most significant architectural creations appeared today.
Jenna Mosque
In some sources it is also called great. The religious building appeared around the 13th century and is located on the island of the same name (Bani River).
This is a real monument in Mali, and according to archaeologists, it is also the oldest settlement in all of West Africa. Over the centuries, the building has undergone a number of changes, the last reconstruction was carried out in 1907.
The mosque was built from a mixture of clay, manure, husks of rice and hay, here this material is called banco and is considered to be short-lived. Its service life is only a few years. Annual rains almost completely erode such structures. However, the city has an interesting tradition, every man is obliged to take part in the annual restoration of the mosque and only after that repair his own housing.
Outwardly, the attraction of Mali resembles a clay colossus and has 3 minarets of 11 meters high. On holidays, minarets are decorated with ostrich eggs, which are considered a symbol of purity and fertility.
Dogon Country
In fact, most tourists travel to the country to see this particular attraction of Mali. This settlement is hidden in the rocky ledges of Bandiagar. The village is located more than 1.5 hundred kilometers, so you can walk here for a long time, moving from one ancient settlement to another. These are clay houses with conical roofs. And the entire ledge of the mountain is indented with caves where the graves are located. The Dogons worshiped the star Sirius, created unique masks that could reach 10 meters in height, and danced strange dances. Today, some villages are inhabited, and here you can see how local people live, adhering to ancient traditions. First of all, it is the village of Sangha.
Baule national park
130 kilometers from the capital, the city of Bamako, is a unique attraction of Mali - a national park. It can be described as an oasis in the desert. The total area is 350 thousand hectares. It is in the park that you can see lions and hippos, elephants and gazelles. Shrubs, gallery forests and deciduous trees grow here. Today, the park is under the protection of UNESCO, and they created it to preserve the fauna of the region, which for many years was destroyed by poachers. Although to date, many animal populations have not been restored.
Bridge of martyrs
Walking along Bamako, you can see that the city is divided into two parts by the Niger River. Here its waters are quiet, and palm trees grow on the banks.
Perhaps the martyrs bridge itself is not some kind of special attraction, but from it you can admire the architecture of Mali, an extraordinary nature. Almost one of the hotels of the city and the only high-rise building - BCEAO Tower are located on one of the shores (the northern part of the bridge). It has only 20 floors, but still it is the tallest skyscraper in western Africa.