Mali
- Capital:
- Bamako
- Continent:
- Africa
- Region(s):
- Western Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa
- Abbreviation:
- MLI
25,932,275
As of Jan 1, 2026 - Source
25,932,275
As of Jan 1, 2026 - Source
Mali's population is projected to be 78,380,621 by 2097.
Historical
Switch the toggle to see projected data.
| Year ↓ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 25,932,275 | 2.98% | 58 |
| 2025 | 25,198,821 | 3.02% | 58 |
| 2020 | 21,713,836 | 3.06% | 59 |
| 2019 | 21,068,405 | 3.06% | 59 |
| 2018 | 20,442,030 | 3.17% | 59 |
| 2017 | 19,813,011 | 3.24% | 60 |
| 2015 | 18,593,022 | 3.12% | 62 |
| 2010 | 15,945,198 | 3.33% | 65 |
| 2005 | 13,538,647 | 3.21% | 66 |
| 2000 | 11,559,290 | 2.56% | 68 |
| Year ↑ | Population | Change | Pop. Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 25,932,275 | 2.98% | 58 |
| 2032 | 30,618,889 | 2.79% | 55 |
| 2037 | 34,823,450 | 2.61% | 53 |
| 2042 | 39,151,279 | 2.37% | 51 |
| 2047 | 43,530,854 | 2.14% | 49 |
| 2052 | 47,903,086 | 1.93% | 45 |
| 2057 | 52,230,256 | 1.75% | 42 |
| 2062 | 56,469,741 | 1.57% | 42 |
| 2067 | 60,555,495 | 1.41% | 38 |
| 2072 | 64,444,735 | 1.25% | 36 |
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Bamako has a metropolitan area population of 5,163,564, comprising 19.91%% of Mali's total population.
| Rank | City | 2026 Pop. ↓ | % of National Pop. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bamako | 5,163,564 | 19.91% |
| 2 | Sikasso | 505,922 | 1.95% |
| 3 | Koutiala | 330,929 | 1.28% |
| 4 | Kayes | 295,542 | 1.14% |
| 5 | Mopti | 226,250 | 0.87% |
| 6 | Kalabancoro | 225,011 | 0.87% |
| 7 | Segou | 192,628 | 0.74% |
| 8 | Gao | 187,978 | 0.72% |
| 9 | Kati | 175,212 | 0.68% |
| 10 | Tombouctou | 127,813 | 0.49% |
As of 2026, Mali has a total population of 25,932,275, ranking as the 58th most populous nation in the world.
Mali has a net population change of approximately 2,024 people per day, driven by 2,753 births, 585 deaths, and net emigration of 144 people.
Mali represents 0.32% of the total global population and 1.64% of Africa's population.
Mali has a population density of 21.3 people per km² (approximately 55.0 per mi²), making it the 194th most densely populated country in the world.
Currently, 34.47% of the population resides in urban areas, a figure that is increasing annually.
*Rates last updated: June 16, 2026
As of 2026, the largest ethnicity in Mali is Bambara (33.3%) , followed by Fulani (Peuhl) (13.3%) .
As of 2026, Muslim is the largest religion in Mali, comprising 93.9% of the population.