Mali vs Senegal
Mali is 6.3 times larger than Senegal. Senegal would fit into Mali about 6.3 times.
MaliSenegalMali moved onto Senegal · Equal-area projection
6.3×
Mali is 6.3× the area of Senegal.
 Mali |  Senegal | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | ||
| AreaMali: 6.3× the area | 1,240,192 km²#23 of 194 | 196,722 km²#86 of 194 |
| Coastline | Landlocked | Has a coast |
| Land neighbours | 7 | 5 |
| People | ||
| PopulationMali: 1.33× the population | 25,198,821#58 of 194 · 2025 | 18,931,966#69 of 194 · 2025 |
| DensitySenegal: 4.74× the density | 20 / km²#165 of 194 | 96 / km²#94 of 194 |
| Urban populationSenegal: 1.73× the urban share | 32%#165 of 192 · 2025 | 56%#119 of 192 · 2025 |
| Fertility rateMali: 1.46× the births per woman | 5.51 per woman#6 of 192 · 2024 | 3.77 per woman#33 of 192 · 2024 |
| Population growthMali: 0.60 points higher | +2.90%#14 of 192 · 2025 | +2.30%#34 of 192 · 2025 |
| Birth rateMali: 1.35× the birth rate | 39.5 per 1,000#6 of 192 · 2024 | 29.2 per 1,000#34 of 192 · 2024 |
| Death rateMali: 1.55× the death rate | 8.5 per 1,000#63 of 192 · 2024 | 5.5 per 1,000#156 of 192 · 2024 |
| Children under 15Mali: 8.1 points higher | 45.8%#6 of 192 · 2025 | 37.7%#35 of 192 · 2025 |
| People over 65Senegal: 1.2 points higher | 2.4%#185 of 192 · 2025 | 3.6%#150 of 192 · 2025 |
| Net migrationSenegal: 1.2 per 1,000 higher | −1.9 per 1,000#142 of 192 · 2025 | −0.7 per 1,000#111 of 192 · 2025 |
| Refugees abroadMali: 29.9× the refugees for its size | 20.63 per 1,000#11 of 190 · 2025 | 0.69 per 1,000#68 of 190 · 2025 |
| Health & education | ||
| Life expectancySenegal: 8.2 years longer | 60.7 years#186 of 192 · 2024 | 68.9 years#137 of 192 · 2024 |
| Infant mortalityMali: 1.64× the infant mortality | 47.5 per 1,000 births#16 of 191 · 2024 | 28.9 per 1,000 births#49 of 191 · 2024 |
| DoctorsMali: 1.73× the doctors per person | 0.19 per 1,000#151 of 178 · 2023 | 0.11 per 1,000#166 of 178 · 2023 |
| University enrolment | — | 15.3%#120 of 145 · 2024 |
| Human Development IndexSenegal: 0.111 higher | 0.419#185 of 190 · 2023 | 0.530#166 of 190 · 2023 |
| Economy | ||
| GNI per capitaSenegal: 1.59× the income per person | $1,120#166 of 185 · 2025 | $1,780#153 of 185 · 2025 |
| GDPSenegal: 1.23× the economy | $30.07B2025 | $37.01B2025 |
| Income group | Low income | Lower-middle income |
| GDP per capita (PPP)Senegal: 1.56× the output per person | $3,503#166 of 184 · 2025 | $5,463#149 of 184 · 2025 |
| GDP growthSenegal: 1.1 points higher | +5.6%#38 of 187 · 2025 | +6.7%#21 of 187 · 2025 |
| InflationMali: 1.8 points higher | +3.3%#81 of 176 · 2025 | +1.5%#128 of 176 · 2025 |
| UnemploymentMali: 1.04× the unemployment | 2.8%#146 of 178 · 2025 | 2.7%#149 of 178 · 2025 |
| Extreme povertyMali: 2.02× the share in extreme poverty | 36.1%#25 of 149 · 2021 | 17.9%#38 of 149 · 2021 |
| Income inequality (Gini)Senegal: 0.5 higher | 35.7#66 of 149 · 2021 | 36.2#60 of 149 · 2021 |
| Jobs in agricultureMali: 33.4 points higher | 63.0% of jobs#12 of 178 · 2025 | 29.6% of jobs#61 of 178 · 2025 |
| Jobs in industrySenegal: 13.9 points higher | 8.6% of jobs#161 of 178 · 2025 | 22.5% of jobs#59 of 178 · 2025 |
| Jobs in servicesSenegal: 19.5 points higher | 28.4% of jobs#167 of 178 · 2025 | 47.9% of jobs#128 of 178 · 2025 |
| Foreign investmentMali: 2.7 points higher | 2.8% of GDP#68 of 184 · 2025 | 0.1% of GDP#158 of 184 · 2025 |
| ExportsSenegal: 10.4 points higher | 22.1% of GDP#124 of 168 · 2025 | 32.5% of GDP#91 of 168 · 2025 |
| Military spendingMali: 2.48× the military spending | 3.9% of GDP#14 of 155 · 2025 | 1.6% of GDP#84 of 155 · 2025 |
| Internet usersSenegal: 1.63× the share online | 37%#157 of 184 · 2024 | 60%#135 of 184 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptionsSenegal: 1.11× the mobile subscriptions | 112 per 100#107 of 191 · 2022 | 124 per 100#71 of 191 · 2024 |
| Energy & environment | ||
| Forest areaSenegal: 5.17× the forest share | 9% of land#158 of 192 · 2024 | 45% of land#55 of 192 · 2024 |
| CO₂ per personSenegal: 2.57× the CO₂ per person | 0.30 t a year#161 of 185 · 2024 | 0.77 t a year#136 of 185 · 2024 |
| Renewable energyMali: 35.7 points higher | 71.1%#28 of 190 · 2022 | 35.4%#68 of 190 · 2021 |
| Access to electricitySenegal: 33.4 points higher | 49.5%#178 of 192 · 2024 | 82.9%#145 of 192 · 2024 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5)Senegal: 1.17× the air pollution | 35.5 µg/m³#33 of 191 · 2023 | 41.6 µg/m³#21 of 191 · 2023 |
| Protected landSenegal: 20.0 points higher | 7.5% of land#159 of 191 · 2025 | 27.5% of land#47 of 191 · 2025 |
| Arable landSenegal: 14.4 points higher | 5.5% of land#126 of 190 · 2024 | 19.9% of land#54 of 190 · 2024 |
| Water stressSenegal: 2.04× the water stress | 8.0%#99 of 176 · 2022 | 16.3%#73 of 176 · 2022 |
| PrecipitationSenegal: 2.43× the rain and snow | 282 mm#155 of 180 · 2022 | 686 mm#115 of 180 · 2022 |
| Governance & safety | ||
| Political stabilitySenegal: 2.33 higher | −2.50#192 of 193 · 2025 | −0.17#117 of 193 · 2025 |
| Control of corruptionSenegal: 1.09 higher | −0.94#149 of 193 · 2025 | +0.15#73 of 193 · 2025 |
| State | ||
| Status | Independent state | Independent state |
| Government | Semi-presidential republic | Presidential republic |
| Capital | Bamako | Dakar |
| Currency | West African CFA franc (XOF) | West African CFA franc (XOF) |
| Official languages | Fula, Bambara, Soninke, Hassaniya Arabic, Songhay, Maninka, Dogon, Tamasheq, Senufo, Minyanka, Bozo, Kassonke, Bobo | French, Wolof, Balanta, Badyara |
| Traffic drives | On the right | On the right |
| Time zone | UTC | UTC |
| Calling code | +223 | +221 |
| Region | Western Africa, Africa | Western Africa, Africa |
Area: Wikidata. Population, income, health, economy, environment and governance: World Bank. Human Development Index: UNDP. Government: CIA World Factbook. Ranks among the 194 independent states. All sources
Why the map you grew up with disagrees
On a Mercator map, area grows with distance from the equator. Mali sits at about 17° N and is stretched to 1.1× its true area; Senegal at 14° N is stretched to 1.07×. Here the two are distorted about the same amount, so Mercator gets this pair roughly right. The figure above uses the Equal Earth projection, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
Questions about this pair
- Is Mali bigger than Senegal?
- Yes. Mali is 6.3 times larger than Senegal. Mali covers 1,240,192 km² and Senegal covers 196,722 km².
- How many times does Senegal fit into Mali?
- About 6.3 times: Mali has 6.3× the area of Senegal.
- Why do Mali and Senegal look different on Google Maps?
- Web maps use the Mercator projection, which stretches area with distance from the equator. Mali is drawn about 1.1× its true area there and Senegal about 1.07×. For this pair the distortion is similar, so Mercator gets the comparison roughly right. Kartavera uses Equal Earth, where every square kilometre is drawn the same size.
- Which has more people, Mali or Senegal?
- Mali: 25,198,821 people against 18,931,966. Density: Mali 20 per km², Senegal 96 per km².
- Which is richer, Mali or Senegal?
- By gross national income per person, Senegal: $1,780 against $1,120 (World Bank, Atlas method, 2025) — 1.59× as much.
- Where do people live longer, Mali or Senegal?
- In Senegal: life expectancy at birth is 68.9 years, against 60.7 — 8.2 years longer (World Bank, 2024).
- What kind of government do Mali and Senegal have?
- By constitution, as the CIA World Factbook describes them — Mali: semi-presidential republic; Senegal: presidential republic.