Mali Demographics

Population of Mali (2026)

View live population, charts & trends: Population of Mali

Mali Population
25,932,275
see live
Yearly Change
+2.91%
Global Share
0.31%
Global Rank
58

Median Age

The median age in Mali is 15.9 years (2026).

Fertility in Mali

A Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.1 represents the Replacement-Level Fertility : the average number of children per woman needed for each generation to exactly replace itself without needing international immigration. A value below 2.1 will cause the native population to decline


Total Fertility Rate (TFR)
5.33
(Live Births per Woman, 2026)

Life Expectancy in Mali

See also: Countries in the world ranked by Life Expectancy

Both Sexes
61.1
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes combined)
Females
62.6
(life expectancy at birth, females)
Males
59.7
(life expectancy at birth, males)


Infant Mortality Rate and Deaths of Children under 5 Years Old in Mali


Infant Mortality
57.9
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
Deaths under age 5
89.1
(per 1,000 live births)


Mali Urban Population

Currently, 32.8% of the population of Mali is urban (8,510,626 people in 2026)


Population Density

The 2026 population density in Mali is 21 people per km² (55 people per mi2), calculated on a total land area of 1,220,190 km² (471,118 sq. miles).

Largest Cities and Localities in Mali

The 30 largest of 91 cities and localities, ranked by population estimates for July 1, 2023 (by National Institute of Statistics, Mali).

RankCity or LocalityPopulation
1Bamako4,170,005
2Sikasso434,717
3Kayes217,943
4Koutiala214,271
5Ségou194,273
6Kati185,954
7Gao141,929
8Mopti132,668
9San119,681
10Bougouni111,150
11Niono109,565
12Kita93,166
13Timbuktu84,821
14Koulikoro70,209
15Dougourakoro64,698
16Fana64,419
17Sévaré61,212
18Kadiolo56,286
19Nioro du Sahel53,387
20Bayaincl. Kangaré51,011
21Pelengana50,376
22Douentza45,099
23Ménaka43,746
24Sincina40,826
25Wenlenguena 138,749
26Zégoua38,385
27Diré36,553
28Bla35,776
29Koro35,345
30Yanfolila34,349
See all 91 cities and localities in Mali

See also

Sources

Definitions

Population Pyramid

A Population pyramid (also called "Age-Sex Pyramid") is a graphical representation of the age and sex of a population.

Types:

  • Expansive - pyramid with a wide base (larger percentage of people in younger age groups, indicating high birth rates and high fertility rates) and narrow top (high death rate and lower life expectancies). It suggests a growing population. Example: Nigeria Population Pyramid
  • Constrictive - pyramid with a narrow base (lower percentage of younger people, indicating declining birth rates with each succeeding age group getting smaller than the previous one). Example: United States
  • Stationary - with a somewhat equal proportion of the population in each age group. The population is stable, neither increasing nor decreasing.

Stages:

Population pyramid stages

Dependency Ratio

There are three types of age dependency ratio: Youth, Elderly, and Total. All three ratios are commonly multiplied by 100.

Youth Dependency Ratio

Definition: population ages 0-15 divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 0-15] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Elderly dependency ratio

Definition: population ages 65-plus divided by the population ages 16-64.

Formula: ([Population ages 65-plus] ÷ [Population ages 16-64]) × 100

Total dependency ratio

Definition: sum of the youth and old-age ratios.

Formula: (([Population ages 0-15] + [Population ages 65-plus]) ÷ [Population ages 16-64] ) × 100

NOTE: Dependency Ratio does not take into account labor force participation rates by age group. Some portion of the population counted as "working age" may actually be unemployed or not in the labor force whereas some portion of the "dependent" population may be employed and not necessarily economically dependent.