Africa is a land without peace, without fundamental human rights, a place where human life has no value and suffering is just part of living. In many places around the continent, hope is something that has not existed for generations, but in one of the five poorest nations on the planet, hope has been rekindled. The Republic of Mali is located on the western part of Africa. The northern half is Saharan desert and the southern half is savanna that, unfortunately, is being encroached upon by the desert. Not even four percent of the country is arable (United States 2). Many problems are present in Mali including poverty, famine, and lack of potable water. These issues are being addressed, though, by the government and other international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The Malian government and society are based on Islam. Unlike most Islamic states, however, it is a relatively peaceful country and lately has had relatively peaceful transfers of powers. This has allowed the people of Mali to progress toward a better and brighter future.
             Many different cultures co- exist peacefully in Mali. These include the ancient Mande peoples who include the Dogon tribe, the Peul, the Voltaic, and the Tuareg people. The Tuareg are the most interesting people living in Mali. They are called the blue men of the desert because of the cloths dyed in indigo that they wear. The men wear full face masks with beautiful designs on them to attract the women. The women do not wear the usual face masks as women in other Islamic cultures do. A married woman only wears a turban- like head covering that signifies that she cannot be loved by another man. The Mande, Peul, and Voltaic peoples originate from the Kingdom of Mali. Between 800 A.D. and 1550 A.D. the Kingdom of Mali was prosperous and very influential on the continent of Africa. At the height of its civilization the Mali Empire stretched through w...