PopulationTracker

Mali population

Current population of Mali

26,005,492

Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures

Births today
567
Deaths today
122
Change today (UTC)
+416
World rank
58th of 218
0.31% of world population
Population
25,198,821
2025 estimate
Annual growth
+2.90%
2025
Density
19 /km²
2023
Land area
1,220,190 km²
Urban population
32%
2025
Median age
15.7 yrs
2025 (UN WPP)
Fertility rate
5.51
births per woman, 2024
Life expectancy
60.7 yrs
2024
Net migration
−48,019
2025
Capital
Bamako
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa

Population of Mali: overview

Mali has a population of 25,198,821 according to the latest official estimates (2025), the 58th largest in the world. Mali is part of the Sub-Saharan Africa region and its capital is Bamako.

The population is growing rapidly, at 2.90% per year — among the fastest rates recorded anywhere. In absolute terms that meant roughly 720,226 additional people over the past year. That growth comes despite net emigration of about 48,019 people in 2025.

The country is sparsely settled, with only about 19 people per km², spread across 1,220,190 km² of land. The country remains predominantly rural, though cities are growing: 32% of residents are urban.

With a median age of just 15.7 years, Mali has one of the youngest populations in the world. Fertility remains high at 5.51 children per woman. Life expectancy at birth is 60.7 years (2024).

The UN projects strong growth ahead: 46.15 million people by 2050, about 83% more than today. The 2030 projection is 29,002,865.

Mali population, 1960–2025 and projections

010M20M30M40M50M19601980200020202040projected2025: 25.2M1960: 5,402,5501961: 5,482,2831962: 5,563,9171963: 5,646,6051964: 5,730,1251965: 5,815,4871966: 5,902,2041967: 5,990,9061968: 6,082,9791969: 6,177,7041970: 6,276,4721971: 6,377,9441972: 6,483,7261973: 6,597,1061974: 6,715,4361975: 6,837,2611976: 6,960,9791977: 7,090,9791978: 7,229,6511979: 7,375,2661980: 7,530,5151981: 7,692,7661982: 7,860,1941983: 8,034,4001984: 8,208,5991985: 8,374,6631986: 8,531,2771987: 8,681,1641988: 8,833,9961989: 8,999,9381990: 9,178,8301991: 9,362,8881992: 9,553,5401993: 9,754,7861994: 9,967,0311995: 10,185,3651996: 10,407,2781997: 10,646,4951998: 10,919,5731999: 11,227,4152000: 11,559,2902001: 11,912,1582002: 12,288,0502003: 12,684,9552004: 13,102,4092005: 13,538,6472006: 13,990,1392007: 14,457,7752008: 14,940,7822009: 15,435,5392010: 15,945,1982011: 16,469,0492012: 16,957,0332013: 17,459,6152014: 18,020,2672015: 18,593,0222016: 19,191,2892017: 19,813,0112018: 20,442,0302019: 21,068,4052020: 21,713,8362021: 22,388,6302022: 23,072,6402023: 23,769,1272024: 24,478,5952025: 25,198,8212030: 29,002,8652050: 46,154,079
Population of Mali by year
YearPopulationGrowth rateAnnual change
202525,198,821+2.90%+720,226
202424,478,595+2.94%+709,468
202323,769,127+2.97%+696,487
202223,072,640+3.01%+684,010
202122,388,630+3.06%+674,794
202021,713,836+3.02%+645,431
201921,068,405+3.02%+626,375
201820,442,030+3.13%+629,019
201719,813,011+3.19%+621,722
201619,191,289+3.17%+598,267
201518,593,022+3.13%+572,755
201418,020,267+3.16%+560,652
201015,945,198+3.25%+509,659
200513,538,647+3.28%+436,238
200011,559,290+2.91%+331,875
199510,185,365+2.17%+218,334
19909,178,830+1.97%+178,892
19858,374,663+2.00%+166,064
19807,530,515+2.08%+155,249
19756,837,261+1.80%+121,825
19706,276,472+1.59%+98,768
19655,815,487+1.48%+85,362
19605,402,550––

Recent years annually, earlier years at five-year steps. Annual change compares against the immediately preceding year.

Mali population forecast

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant.

Projected population of Mali
YearProjected populationvs today
203029,002,865+15.1%
205046,154,079+83.2%

Mali population pyramid (2025)

Age and sex structure from UN World Population Prospects 2024: 45.8% of Mali's population is under 15, 51.8% is of working age (15–64), and 2.4% is 65 or older. Hover any bar for the group's size.

MaleFemale
0%2%2%4%4%6%6%8%8%10%10%0-4 male: 2,193,809 (8.7%)0-4 female: 2,149,486 (8.5%)0-45-9 male: 1,925,323 (7.6%)5-9 female: 1,884,795 (7.5%)10-14 male: 1,712,666 (6.8%)10-14 female: 1,673,445 (6.6%)10-1415-19 male: 1,456,085 (5.8%)15-19 female: 1,420,039 (5.6%)20-24 male: 1,169,862 (4.6%)20-24 female: 1,139,802 (4.5%)20-2425-29 male: 910,428 (3.6%)25-29 female: 885,419 (3.5%)30-34 male: 742,965 (2.9%)30-34 female: 723,394 (2.9%)30-3435-39 male: 636,768 (2.5%)35-39 female: 617,650 (2.5%)40-44 male: 544,270 (2.2%)40-44 female: 527,319 (2.1%)40-4445-49 male: 435,639 (1.7%)45-49 female: 425,267 (1.7%)50-54 male: 321,228 (1.3%)50-54 female: 315,947 (1.3%)50-5455-59 male: 226,980 (0.9%)55-59 female: 230,208 (0.9%)60-64 male: 162,525 (0.6%)60-64 female: 172,034 (0.7%)60-6465-69 male: 117,930 (0.5%)65-69 female: 131,338 (0.5%)70-74 male: 81,192 (0.3%)70-74 female: 95,618 (0.4%)70-7475-79 male: 46,664 (0.2%)75-79 female: 58,277 (0.2%)80-84 male: 21,186 (0.1%)80-84 female: 28,340 (0.1%)80-8485-89 male: 5,421 (0.0%)85-89 female: 7,636 (0.0%)90-94 male: 676 (0.0%)90-94 female: 1,118 (0.0%)90-9495-99 male: 19 (0.0%)95-99 female: 53 (0.0%)100+ male: 0 (0.0%)100+ female: 0 (0.0%)100+

Mali population FAQ

What is the population of Mali in 2026?

Mali's population is estimated at about 26.01 million in 2026, extrapolated from the latest official figure of 25,198,821 (2025). Mali ranks 58th in the world by population.

Is the population of Mali growing or shrinking?

Mali's population is growing at about 2.90% per year, an increase of roughly 720,226 people over the past year.

How densely populated is Mali?

Mali has about 19 people per square kilometre across a land area of 1,220,190 km².

What share of the world's population lives in Mali?

Mali is home to about 0.31% of the world's population.

What is Mali's projected population in 2050?

United Nations medium-variant projections put Mali's population at 46,154,079 in 2050, passing through 29,002,865 in 2030.

What is the median age in Mali?

The median age in Mali is 15.7 years (2025 estimate) — half the population is younger and half older than that.

Sources: World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0); median age and projections from UN World Population Prospects 2024. Live figures are estimates extrapolated from the latest official data — see methodology.