Mali is a non-coastal country in West Africa, enclosed by Algeria, Niger, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Senegal, and Mauritania. Mali is a rising nation, and remains one of the poorest countries in the world. However, it has some unbelievable tourist attractions, including four UNESCO World-Heritage sites. And, certainly, there's Timbuktu! The country's fiscal structure centers on agriculture and fishing. Some of Mali's natural assets include gold, uranium, and salt. Mali is considered to be one of the poorest countries in the world. After a long era of one-party rule, a 1991 coup led to the writing of a new constitution and the founding of Mali as a self-governing, multi-party state. Talk: French is the authorized language, but Bambara along with numerous other African languages are spoken by 80% of the population. Few people speak French outside bigger towns, and even Bambara gets rare in some regions. Very few people speak English.

Learn: Mali has several musical instruments you can learn. In particular it is a admired place to learn how to play different drums like Bongo. Culture & Religion: Festival in the Desert takes place in January. It is held on the sand west of Timbuktu. Three days of amazing music, under the stars and the moon, tiny tents, camel races, and more music and dancing. Malian musical traditions are derived from the griots, which are known as "Keeper of Memories". Malian music is diverse and has several different genres. Just under half the population is less than 15 years old. The great majority of Malians are Muslim, some also practice indigenous beliefs, and a tiny number are Christian. Around 10% of the population is nomadic. Most Malians work in agriculture and fishing.

Buy: There is abundance of great crafts in Mali. Different ethnic groups have their own, trademark masks. There are several great musical instruments; blankets; bogolas (a type of blanket); silver jewelery, and leather goods. The Touareg people, in particular, craft great silver and leather goods, including jewelery, daggers, spears, swords, and boxes. Buying some local music makes also a good souvenir -- some of the world's best musicians are from Mali. Climate & Geography: The country's climate ranges from sub-tropical in the south to dry in the north. Most of the country receives slight rainfall; droughts are common. Late June to early December is the rainy season. During this time, flooding of the Niger River is frequent. The country has substantial natural resources, with gold, uranium, phosphates, kaolinite, salt and limestone being most widely exploited. Mali faces plentiful environmental challenges, including desertification, deforestation, soil erosion, and insufficient supplies of drinkable water.