The Five Themes of Geography within Mali

Brad, Brittany C., Kelly, Megan, Natalie TE 401 Section 7Social Studies MethodsMichigan State University

Location

The Absolute Location of Mali

13ºN, 4ºW

The relative location of Mali

• Western Africa, Southwest of Algeria

Place

Physical/human characteristics of Mali

• Physical characteristics include:• African • 27% urban • 73% rural

• Human characteristics include:• Female life expectancy:

50• Male life expectancy: 47• 7.1 children per woman

Human-Environment

Relationships

Human Interactions of Mali

How humans interact with this environment:

• Use the Niger River for bathing, household cleaning and trading

• Are experiencing effects from deforestation, soil erosion, desertification, inadequate supplies of drinking water and poaching

• 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing

Movement

Trade and religious ideas of Mali

• Trade:• Exports-Cotton, gold,

livestock: 323 Million• Imports-Petroleum,

machinery and equipment, construction materials, food and textiles: 1.858 Billion

• Niger River used as transportation for trading

• Trade Partners- China, Pakistan, Thailand, Italy, Germany, India, Bangladesh, France, Senegal, Cote D’ivoire

• Religious ideas:• 90% Islam• 9% Indigenous beliefs• 1% Christian

Region

Mali’s Regions:

• Divided into three natural zones

1. The Southern, cultivated Sudanese

2. The Central, semiarid Sahelian

3. The Northern, arid Saharan

Our Slogan of Mali

“ ‘Dirt’ Poor ”