Economy - overview:
Among the 25 poorest countries in the world, landlocked Mali depends on gold mining and agricultural exports for revenue. The country's fiscal status fluctuates with gold and agricultural commodity prices and the harvest; cotton and gold exports make up around 80% of export earnings. Mali remains dependent on foreign aid.Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger River; about 65% of Mali’s land area is desert or semidesert. About 10% of the population is nomadic and about 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities. The government subsidizes the production of cereals to decrease the country’s dependence on imported foodstuffs and to reduce its vulnerability to food price shocks.Mali is developing its iron ore extraction industry to diversify foreign exchange earnings away from gold, but the pace will depend on global price trends. Although the political coup in 2012 slowed Mali’s growth, the economy has since bounced back, with GDP growth above 5% in 2014-17, although physical insecurity, high population growth, corruption, weak infrastructure, and low levels of human capital continue to constrain economic development. Higher rainfall helped to boost cotton output in 2017, and the country’s 2017 budget increased spending more than 10%, much of which was devoted to infrastructure and agriculture. Corruption and political turmoil are strong downside risks in 2018 and beyond.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$40.98 billion (2017 est.) $38.91 billion (2016 est.) $36.78 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 117

GDP (official exchange rate):
$15 billion (2016 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2017 est.) 5.8% (2016 est.) 6% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,200 (2017 est.) $2,100 (2016 est.) $2,100 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 203

Gross national saving:
13% of GDP (2017 est.) 10.3% of GDP (2016 est.) 12.1% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 71.9%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 17%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 18.8%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 20.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -28.3% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 40.9%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 18.9%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 40.2% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:
food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:
4.7% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
6.447 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry and services: 20% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:
8.1% (2016 est.) 8.1% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
36.1% (2005 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.5%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 25.8% (2010 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
40.1 (2001) 50.5 (1994)
country comparison to the world: 61
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $3.068 billion
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $3.584 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
20.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-3.4% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
28% of GDP (2017 est.) 29.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 168
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.2% (2017 est.) -1.8% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
16% (31 December 2010) 4.25% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 7
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
9% (31 December 2017 est.) 5.3% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$3.023 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $2.687 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$4.439 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $3.858 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$3.39 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $2.931 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$1.045 billion (2017 est.) -$996 million (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$3.036 billion (2017 est.) $2.803 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
cotton, gold, livestock

Exports - partners:
Switzerland 30.4%, India 12.2%, Ukraine 5.1%, China 5.1%, Burkina Faso 4.9%, Senegal 4.3%, France 4%, South Africa 4% (2016)

Imports:
$3.891 billion (2017 est.) $3.443 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
Senegal 12.2%, China 12.2%, France 10.3%, Benin 8.6%, Cote dIvoire 8.4% (2016)

Debt - external:
$4.296 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $3.981 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$3.494 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $3.266 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 110
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$72.2 million (31 December 2017 est.) $62.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 605.3 (2017 est.) 593.01 (2016 est.) 593.01 (2015 est.) 591.45 (2014 est.) 494.42 (2013 est.)