01Free
The 30-second card
LanguageManinka, Dogon, Senufo, Kassonke, Hassaniya Arabic, Bambara, Fula, Tamasheq, Bobo, Soninke, Minyanka, Songhay, BozoSource: Wikidata · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗
Apps locals use
A translation app helps in an emergency, since few officials or medical staff speak English.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Money in Mali
West African CFA Franc · XOF
Ecobank cash machines accept both Visa and Mastercard for withdrawals.
A daytime taxi anywhere in Bamako should cost about CFA1,000, rising to around CFA1,500 after dark.
Branded bags of treated water from Bamako corner shops cost about CFA50, far cheaper than bottled water.
Bargain firmly for the ride back to the airport; it can cost well under the fixed airport-to-city rates.
Collect West African CFA Franc in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpenPublic holidays in the next 12 months
Fri, 25 Dec 2026 · Christmas Day
Fri, 1 Jan 2027 · New Year's Day
Wed, 20 Jan 2027 · Armed Forces Day
Mon, 8 Feb 2027–8 Mar · Ramadan (expected date)
Fri, 5 Mar 2027 · Leylatoul Qadr (Roughly Date)
Tue, 9 Mar 2027 · Korité (Roughly Date)
Tue, 9 Mar 2027 · Eid al-Fitr (expected date)
Thu, 25 Mar 2027 · Martyrs' Day
Mon, 29 Mar 2027 · Easter Monday
Sat, 1 May 2027 · Workers' Day
Sun, 16 May 2027 · Tabaski (Roughly Date)
Sun, 16 May 2027 · Eid al-Adha (expected date)
Tue, 25 May 2027 · Africa Day
Mon, 14 Jun 2027 · Ashura (Roughly Date)
Sat, 14 Aug 2027 · Mawloud (Roughly Date)
Sat, 21 Aug 2027 · Baptism of the Prophet (Roughly Date)
Wed, 22 Sept 2027 · Independence Day
02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover Mali say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
Travel warning
Calm
Caution
Serious
Don’t go ●
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 13 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Do not travel
Calm
Caution
Serious
Don’t go ●
Level 4 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 7 Jun 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 7 Jun 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
Advises against all travel
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 10 Jul 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 10 Jul 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Scams to know
Fake airport taxi drivers and guides
Arrange an airport transfer in advance and ignore touts offering rides or guiding.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Fake police asking drivers for money
Ask for identification and insist on a receipt for any payment.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Officials asking for small payments
Keep papers in order and stay calm if an official asks for a fee.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Yellow fever proof needed on arrival. Hep A/B, typhoid, polio booster, meningitis jabs advised. Malaria risk.
Vaccinations
Proof of yellow fever vaccination is required on arrival; hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, a polio booster and routine shots are recommended, plus meningococcal vaccine for the dry season.
Malaria
RiskTalk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: CDC
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
04Travel layer
In the app: the travel layer
The travel layer
Read a country like someone who’s been there.
What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use
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Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $30.1 billionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $1,193Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | gold, cotton, oil seeds, fertilizers, gum resins (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 25.2 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 16.5 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 63.2 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Muslim 93.9%, Christian 2.8%, animist 0.7%, none 2.5% (2018 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2018 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 1,240,192 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | subtropical to arid; hot and dry (February to June); rainy, humid, and mild (June to November); cool and dry (November to February)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in south, rugged hills in northeastSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | semi-presidential republicSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +223Source: libphonenumber · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
CDC · 24 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗U.S. Department of State · 25 Oct 2026 ↗Umm al-Qura calendar (computed with ICU) · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).
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