Africa · Western Africa
Mali Demographics
Mali has a fast-growing population, high fertility, a very young age structure, and a rising urban share. The 2024 World Bank WDI midyear estimate is 24,478,595 people; a UN WPP 2024-based 2025 presentation places the population near 25.2 million.
Core historical series use World Bank WDI midyear estimates retrieved through FRED. Age distribution and sex-balance values for 2025 use PopulationPyramids.org as a UN WPP 2024 presentation. Urbanization uses World Bank WDI / UN World Urbanization Prospects.
Last updated: July 2, 2026
Core Demographic Indicators
Detailed Demographic Indicators
| Indicator | Value | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 24,478,595 | 2024 | World Bank WDI midyear estimate |
| Population growth rate | 2.94% | 2024 | World Bank WDI |
| Median age | 16.8 years | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 5.51 births per woman | 2024 | World Bank WDI |
| Life expectancy at birth | 60.7 years | 2024 | World Bank WDI |
| Urban population share | 46.93% | 2024 | World Bank WDI / UN World Urbanization Prospects |
| Urban population | 11,488,784 | 2024 | World Bank WDI / UN World Urbanization Prospects |
| Population aged 0-14 | 11,294,982 (46.1%) | 2024 | World Bank WDI; count calculated from WDI share and total |
| Population aged 15-64 | 12,600,039 (51.5%) | 2024 | World Bank WDI; count calculated from WDI share and total |
| Population aged 65+ | 583,574 (2.4%) | 2024 | World Bank WDI; count calculated from WDI share and total |
| Net migration | -200,000 | 2017 | World Bank WDI, five-year interval series |
| Male population | 12,711,643 | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| Female population | 12,487,190 | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| Sex ratio | 101.8 males per 100 females | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| Total dependency ratio | 92.9 dependents per 100 working-age people | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| Population density | 20.06 people per sq km | 2024 | Statbase presentation of UN WPP 2024 |
Table analysis
- The 2024 WDI population estimate is 24,478,595, with annual growth at 2.94%.
- The age structure remains young: 46.1% of the 2024 population is aged 0-14, while 2.4% is aged 65+.
- The 2024 fertility rate is 5.51 births per woman, far above the broad replacement-level benchmark of 2.1.
- Net migration is not an annual 2024 value in the extracted WDI series; the visible value is the 2017 five-year interval.
Population Trend
Mali Population Trend
Selected World Bank WDI midyear estimates from 1960 to 2024.
Source: World Bank WDI via FRED. Population values are de facto midyear estimates and are not census counts.
Trend analysis
- Population rose from 5,402,550 in 1960 to 24,478,595 in 2024.
- The 2024 estimate is about 4.5 times the 1960 estimate.
- The WDI series moves from 11.6 million in 2000 to 24.5 million in 2024.
Population History and Indicator Series
The table keeps selected long-run WDI rows plus the latest annual rows visible in HTML. Yearly change is calculated from consecutive WDI population values; 1960 has no prior WDI value in this table.
| Year | Population | Yearly change | Growth rate | Fertility rate | Life expectancy | Age 0-14 | Age 15-64 | Age 65+ | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5,402,550 | Data not available | Data not available | 7.02 | 30.5 | 40.3% | 57.0% | 2.7% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1965 | 5,815,487 | 85,362 | 1.48% | 7.08 | 31.5 | 40.7% | 56.5% | 2.8% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1970 | 6,276,472 | 98,768 | 1.59% | 7.18 | 33.4 | 41.3% | 55.6% | 3.1% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1975 | 6,837,261 | 121,825 | 1.80% | 7.25 | 36.5 | 42.4% | 54.3% | 3.3% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1980 | 7,530,515 | 155,249 | 2.08% | 7.37 | 40.3 | 43.9% | 52.5% | 3.6% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1985 | 8,374,663 | 166,064 | 2.00% | 7.26 | 43.9 | 45.3% | 51.0% | 3.7% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1990 | 9,178,830 | 178,892 | 1.97% | 7.31 | 46.5 | 46.8% | 49.5% | 3.7% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1995 | 10,185,365 | 218,334 | 2.17% | 7.05 | 48.3 | 47.1% | 49.4% | 3.5% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2000 | 11,559,290 | 331,875 | 2.91% | 6.89 | 50.6 | 46.6% | 50.2% | 3.2% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2005 | 13,538,647 | 436,238 | 3.28% | 6.71 | 53.8 | 46.4% | 50.6% | 2.9% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2010 | 15,945,198 | 509,659 | 3.25% | 6.58 | 56.0 | 47.1% | 50.1% | 2.8% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2015 | 18,593,022 | 572,755 | 3.13% | 6.38 | 57.9 | 48.0% | 49.4% | 2.6% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2020 | 21,713,836 | 645,431 | 3.02% | 5.85 | 58.9 | 47.3% | 50.2% | 2.5% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2021 | 22,388,630 | 674,794 | 3.06% | 5.78 | 59.1 | 47.0% | 50.5% | 2.5% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2022 | 23,072,640 | 684,010 | 3.01% | 5.69 | 60.0 | 46.8% | 50.8% | 2.4% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2023 | 23,769,127 | 696,487 | 2.97% | 5.61 | 60.4 | 46.5% | 51.1% | 2.4% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2024 | 24,478,595 | 709,468 | 2.94% | 5.51 | 60.7 | 46.1% | 51.5% | 2.4% | World Bank WDI via FRED |
Table analysis
- The selected WDI rows show population rising from 5.4 million in 1960 to 24.5 million in 2024.
- Annual growth is 2.94% in 2024, compared with 1.48% in 1965.
- Fertility moves from 7.02 births per woman in 1960 to 5.51 in 2024.
- Life expectancy rises from 30.5 years in 1960 to 60.7 years in 2024.
Growth, Fertility and Longevity
Annual Population Growth Rate
Selected WDI growth-rate values from 1961 to 2024.
Source: World Bank WDI via FRED. Unit: annual percent change.
Chart analysis
- Growth is 1.47% in 1961 and 2.94% in 2024 in the selected WDI points.
- The selected series is above 3% in 2010, 2015, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
- The 2024 value remains high even after easing from the post-2000 peak years.
Fertility Rate Compared With Replacement Level
Total fertility rate versus the broad 2.1 births-per-woman benchmark.
Source: World Bank WDI via FRED. The replacement-level line is a broad benchmark and is not a source-estimated value for Mali.
Chart analysis
- The fertility rate is 5.51 births per woman in 2024.
- The value is below the 1980 value of 7.37, but still well above 2.1.
- The WDI series shows a gradual decline after the early 1980s, not a drop to replacement level.
Life Expectancy at Birth
Selected WDI total life expectancy values from 1960 to 2024.
Source: World Bank WDI via FRED. Values are total life expectancy at birth in years.
Chart analysis
- Life expectancy rises from 30.5 years in 1960 to 60.7 years in 2024.
- The selected WDI values show a small dip around 2020 compared with 2019, then a return to 60.0 years in 2022 and 60.7 years in 2024.
- This chart uses total life expectancy only; male and female life expectancy are not plotted because the extracted WDI sex-specific series was not used in this page.
Age Structure and Urbanization
Broad Age Structure
World Bank WDI age-group shares for 2024.
Source: World Bank WDI via FRED. Age-group counts in the table are calculated from WDI shares and WDI total population.
| Age group | Population | Share | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-14 | 11,294,982 | 46.1% | 2024 | World Bank WDI; count calculated from share and total |
| 15-64 | 12,600,039 | 51.5% | 2024 | World Bank WDI; count calculated from share and total |
| 65+ | 583,574 | 2.4% | 2024 | World Bank WDI; count calculated from share and total |
Data analysis
- The largest broad group is ages 15-64 with 12,600,039 people, or 51.5% of the 2024 population.
- Ages 0-14 account for 11,294,982 people, or 46.1%.
- Ages 65+ account for 583,574 people, or 2.4%.
- This is a broad age-structure view, not a population pyramid.
Urban and Rural Population Split
World Bank WDI / UN WUP residence distribution for 2024.
Source: World Bank WDI / UN World Urbanization Prospects. Urban areas follow national statistical definitions used in the UN urbanization series.
| Residence | Population | Share | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Urban | 11,488,784 | 46.93% | 2024 | World Bank WDI / UN WUP |
| Rural | 12,989,811 | 53.07% | 2024 | Rural value calculated from total population minus urban population |
Data analysis
- The 2024 urban share is 46.93%, equal to 11,488,784 people in the cited WDI / UN WUP presentation.
- The rural count in this table is calculated as total population minus urban population: 12,989,811.
- Urbanization values depend on national definitions used in the UN urbanization series, so cross-country comparisons need definition notes.
Migration Balance
Net Migration Intervals
World Bank WDI five-year interval values from 1962 to 2017.
Source: World Bank WDI via FRED. The extracted series is not an annual migration series and ends in 2017.
| Year | Net migration | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | -70,243 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1967 | -98,235 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1972 | -95,585 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1977 | -174,998 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1982 | -218,064 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1987 | -493,982 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1992 | -173,489 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 1997 | -141,950 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2002 | -67,110 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2007 | -100,823 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2012 | -302,449 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
| 2017 | -200,000 | World Bank WDI via FRED |
Data analysis
- All visible net migration interval values are negative in the extracted WDI series.
- The most negative visible interval is -493,982 in 1987.
- The 2017 interval value is -200,000; no 2024 net migration value is used from this extracted series.
Age-Sex Population Structure
The extracted source material provides verified total male/female balance and total 5-year age distribution, but not detailed 5-year age-by-sex counts. A population pyramid is therefore not produced.
Male and Female Population
UN WPP 2024-based 2025 presentation by sex.
Source: PopulationPyramids.org presentation of UN WPP 2024. Sex ratio: 101.8 males per 100 females.
| Group | Population | Share | Sex ratio | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 12,711,643 | 50.4% | Data not available | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| Female | 12,487,190 | 49.6% | Data not available | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| Total | 25,198,833 | 100.0% | 101.8 males per 100 females | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
Age-sex analysis
- The 2025 presentation shows 12,711,643 males and 12,487,190 females.
- The male share is 50.4% and the female share is 49.6%.
- The sex ratio is 101.8 males per 100 females.
- Age-specific male/female differences are not calculated because detailed 5-year age-by-sex counts were not available in the extracted dataset.
Five-Year Age Distribution
Total population by five-year age group, 2025.
Source: PopulationPyramids.org presentation of UN WPP 2024. This is a total age-distribution chart, not a population pyramid.
| Age group | Population | Share | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | 4,343,296 | 17.2% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 5-9 | 3,810,119 | 15.1% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 10-14 | 3,386,111 | 13.4% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 15-19 | 2,876,124 | 11.4% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 20-24 | 2,309,665 | 9.2% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 25-29 | 1,795,848 | 7.1% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 30-34 | 1,466,359 | 5.8% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 35-39 | 1,254,419 | 5.0% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 40-44 | 1,071,590 | 4.3% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 45-49 | 860,907 | 3.4% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 50-54 | 637,176 | 2.5% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 55-59 | 457,188 | 1.8% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 60-64 | 334,560 | 1.3% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 65-69 | 249,268 | 1.0% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 70-74 | 176,811 | 0.7% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 75-79 | 104,942 | 0.4% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 80-84 | 49,526 | 0.2% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 85-89 | 13,058 | 0.1% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 90-94 | 1,794 | 0.0% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
| 95-99 | 72 | 0.0% | 2025 | PopulationPyramids.org / UN WPP 2024 |
Age-sex analysis
- The largest five-year group is 0-4, with 4,343,296 people.
- The first three age groups, 0-4, 5-9 and 10-14, total 11,539,526 people.
- Only 595,471 people are aged 65+ in the 2025 presentation.
- The age-distribution data supports analysis of age concentration, but it does not support a male/female pyramid without age-by-sex counts.
Demographic Overview
The WDI midyear population estimate rises from 5.4 million in 1960 to 24.5 million in 2024, with the 2024 growth rate still near 3%.
Children aged 0-14 make up 46.1% of the 2024 population, while people aged 65+ account for 2.4%.
The 2024 fertility rate is 5.51 births per woman, below the values recorded around 1980 but far above 2.1.
The 2024 urban share is 46.93%, equal to 11.49 million urban residents in the cited WDI / UN WUP presentation.
The extracted WDI net migration series is interval-based and ends in 2017; it should not be read as a 2024 annual value.
WDI historical estimates, UN WPP-based 2025 age tables and urbanization definitions are kept separate where their measures differ.
Data Sources and Methodology
Values are rounded for display. Counts calculated from shares use the visible total population and percentage values, then round to whole persons. Historical estimates, projections and presentation-layer model values are not merged into one trend line.
| Source | Year or release | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| World Bank World Development Indicators via FRED | 1960-2024; some series start in 1961 or use five-year intervals | Total population, annual growth, fertility, life expectancy, broad age shares and net migration. |
| World Bank WDI / UN World Urbanization Prospects | 2024 | Urban population share, urban population count and the urban-area definition note. |
| UN DESA Population Division, World Population Prospects 2024 | 2024 revision | Source lineage for UN-based age distribution and sex balance values presented by PopulationPyramids.org; used as model-estimate context, not mixed into the WDI historical line. |
| PopulationPyramids.org presentation of UN WPP 2024 | 2025 | Median age, male/female totals, sex ratio, dependency ratios and 5-year total age distribution. |
| Statbase presentation of UN WPP 2024 | 2024-2025 | Population density values used in the indicator table and source notes. |
Method note
- World Bank WDI is the primary source for the historical annual series used in charts and the history table.
- PopulationPyramids.org is used only as a presentation of UN WPP 2024 values for 2025 sex balance and five-year age distribution.
- Urbanization values use the UN urban-area series compiled in World Bank WDI; definitions depend on national statistical criteria.
- Projection values beyond the visible source values are not extended or interpolated.
Indicator Definitions
| Indicator | Definition | Unit | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | De facto midyear population estimate used by World Bank WDI. | Persons | Resident and de facto measures may differ from census counts. |
| Yearly change | Difference between the current WDI population value and the previous WDI population value. | Persons | Calculated from the visible WDI population series. |
| Population growth rate | Annual percentage change in total population. | Percent | WDI growth series begins in 1961 for Mali. |
| Total fertility rate | Average number of births a woman would have under current age-specific fertility rates. | Births per woman | The 2.1 replacement-level benchmark is a broad comparison point, not a country-specific threshold. |
| Life expectancy at birth | Average years a newborn would live if current mortality rates applied through life. | Years | Total value differs from male and female values. |
| Urban population share | People living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices and compiled in the UN urbanization series. | Percent | Urban definitions can differ across countries. |
| Net migration | Net number of migrants over the interval used by the WDI series. | Persons | The extracted WDI series is five-year interval data through 2017. |
| Sex ratio | Number of males per 100 females. | Ratio | The 2025 value uses PopulationPyramids.org presentation of UN WPP 2024. |
| Dependency ratio | People aged 0-14 and 65+ per 100 people aged 15-64. | Ratio | Broad age groups use model estimates. |
| Population density | Population divided by land area in square kilometers. | People per sq km | The value used here is from a UN WPP-based presentation. |
Methodological Safety Note
Methodological Safety Note: Population estimates can differ by source because resident population, de facto midyear estimates, census counts and model estimates do not measure the same thing. The WDI population series used here is a midyear de facto estimate. Projection and presentation-layer values based on UN WPP 2024 are kept separate from observed or estimated annual WDI series. Urban population depends on national urban definitions compiled by the UN urbanization series. Net migration in the extracted WDI table is a five-year interval series, not an annual 2024 value. Fertility is compared with the broad 2.1 replacement-level benchmark only as a reference. Sex ratio means males per 100 females. Detailed 5-year age-by-sex counts were not available in the extracted data, so no population pyramid is produced.
Data Notes
What is Mali’s population in the main historical series?
The World Bank WDI midyear estimate used for the main historical series is 24,478,595 in 2024.
Why does the page also show a 2025 population value?
The 2025 value comes from a UN WPP 2024-based presentation used for age and sex distribution. It is not mixed into the WDI historical line chart.
Is the age chart a population pyramid?
No. The extracted dataset provides total five-year age groups but not detailed 5-year male/female counts, so the page does not produce a population pyramid.
How should the net migration value be read?
The visible WDI net migration series is interval-based and ends in 2017. The value -200,000 should not be read as a 2024 annual migration estimate.