Before the Country of Mali...

During a time of empires and flourishment, Mali rose to the top. The Mali Empire, part of the ingenius Saharan trade route of the early years, skillifully grew until it became a major power.  It advanced in trade with gold and salt and became an economic powerhouse of that African area. Then, many years later, Mali(then known as the Sudanese republic)  and Senegal combined to form the Mali Federation. Senegal then withdrew, leaving the newely independent country of Mali to itself.

Dictatorship ceased in 1991 as a result of a military coup, led by the present president Amadou Toure, allowing for Mali's emergence as one of the strongest democracies in Africa. President Alpha Konare then won Mali's first democratic presidential election in 1992 and was reelected in 1997. Konare stepped down from presidency in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou Toure, who was now in his second term. 

From here, Poverty becomes a major aspect and challenge of everyday Malian life.