Crossroads of civilizations, center of three great empires, at the forefront of Africa's democracies, Mali is the largest country in West Africa, covering an area of 1.24 million square kilometers (approximately 479,000 square miles). It is located in the Saharan and Sahelian climatic zones, with desert in the north and, to the south, plateaus, savanna, and flood plains. Fed by two major rivers, the Niger and the Senegal, it is landlocked, surrounded by seven countries. Mali's geographic location and its dynamic history have predisposed it to play an important role in promoting African unity. Indeed, Mali's constitution is committed to ...