MALI
West Africa presents a diversity of ethnies bound since the root. For example, the Bambara who are great nomads by their trading activities will be called Dioula in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast.
Mali has nearly 15 different ethnies geographically deride according to their activities in the territory. The Mandingue group (originally from the Mandingue hill is the majority ( near 50% of the population)

The Bambara: A distortion of the word Bama-na meaning “united by the speech”; descending from the Mandingue sovereignty, they are farmers; living between Bamako and Ségou; they are mixed in the other ethnies everywhere in the territory.

The Malinké: Descending from the Mandingue great kings as Soundiata Keïta, Soumangourou or Soumaworo Kanté, they are in majority farmers and remain billeted at the east and south-east of the country even to the frontier Senegal.

The Sarakolé: Are by tradition great travellers, we remark today that 50% of the Malian abroad (above all in France) are Sarakolé. They live in Kayes region and divide their customs with the Malinké.

The Bozo and Somono: this ethnic group is presented by culture and tradition as the son of water. fishermen very gifted, they occupy in full the Niger and Bani rivers.

The Khassonké: People of Khasso and farmers border upon to the Malinké and Sarakolé between Kayes and Bafoulabé.

The Khassonké: People of Khasso and farmers border upon to the Malinké and Sarakolé between Kayes and Bafoulabé.

The Dogon: Worldly known, they taken refuge in the cliff of Bandiagara and remove now without danger on the plain even to the frontier of Burkina at the east of the country. The other ethnies represent 40% of the population.

The Maures: sprung from a cross-breeding between blacks and Berbers, they live in the region of Nara, Niono, Léré… towards the Mauritanian’s frontier.

The peulh: Pastor nomads they more in the centre region (Mopti) towards the north (Gao) of the country.

The Touaregh: So nomad as the Peulh, they stay at the north of the Tombouctou and Gao. They commercialised their merchandise (exchange of salt against cereal) by caravan of camels and dromedaries towards the side of the country.

The Songhaï or Sonraï: Coming from one of the greatest empire (the Songhaï empire), they occupy entirely the town of Gao and people the valley of Niger river: Macina and Say.

The Bella: Coming from the bordering Niger, they were used during a long time as slaves by the Touaregh y com families and continue today to be under their domination but rather paid..

The Bobo, Sénoufo and Minianka: participate to the 10 % of the population and living in the south of the region (the most damp of the country) making frontier with Burkina and Côte d’Ivoire. Mali is classed the 2nd great producer of cotton with their grace.