The Mali–Mauritania border is 2,236 km (1,389 m) in length and runs from the

tripoint A tripoint, trijunction, triple point, or tri-border area is a geographical point at which the boundaries of three countries or subnational entities meet. There are 175 international tripoints as of 2020. Nearly half are situated in rivers, l ...

with

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

in the north to the tripoint with

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 � ...

in the south-west.

Description

The border starts in the north at the tripoint with Algeria, and then proceeds westwards in a straight line along the

25th parallel north The 25th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 25 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, North America and the Atlantic Ocean. The northernmost section of the bor ...

for 172 km (107 m). It then turns south-east in a long straight segment of some 955 km (593 m), followed by a much shorter straight line further to the south-east for 34 km (21 m), and a straight line to south-west for 94 km (59 m), before veering sharply to the west along a horizontal line for some 409 km (254 m). The border then briefly shifts northwards, creating a small protrusion of Malian territory encompassing the towns of Labidi and Debai Amati. Following this, the border then continues westwards via series of irregular lines, as well as following some streams such as the Oumm el Bohoro and the Ouadou. It eventually reaches the Kolinbiné River, which it follows down to confluence with the

Senegal River ,french: Fleuve Sénégal) , name_etymology = , image = Senegal River Saint Louis.jpg , image_size = , image_caption = Fishermen on the bank of the Senegal River estuary at the outskirts of Saint-Louis, Senegal ...

; the boundary then follows the latter west to the tripoint with Senegal.

History

The 1880s saw an intense competition between the European powers for territories in Africa, a process known as the

Scramble for Africa The Scramble for Africa, also called the Partition of Africa, or Conquest of Africa, was the invasion, annexation, division, and colonisation of Africa, colonization of most of Africa by seven Western Europe, Western European powers during a ...

. The process culminated in the

Berlin Conference The Berlin Conference of 1884–1885, also known as the Congo Conference (, ) or West Africa Conference (, ), regulated European colonisation and trade in Africa during the New Imperialism period and coincided with Germany's sudden emergence ...

of 1884, in which the European nations concerned agreed upon their respective territorial claims and the rules of engagements going forward. As a result of this

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

gained control the upper valley of the

Niger River The Niger River ( ; ) is the main river of West Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in south-eastern Guinea near the Sierra Leone border. It runs in a crescent shape through ...

(roughly equivalent to the areas of modern Mali and Niger). France occupied this area in 1900, followed by Mauritania in 1903–4. Mali (then referred to as

French Sudan French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with France ...

) was originally included, along with modern Niger and Burkina Faso, within the

Upper Senegal and Niger Upper Senegal and Niger () was a colony in French West Africa, created on 21 October 1904 from colonial Senegambia and Niger by the decree "For the Reorganisation of the general government of French West Africa". At its creation, the "Colony of ...

colony, however it was later split off and, along with Mauritania, became a constituent of the federal colony of

French West Africa French West Africa (french: Afrique-Occidentale française, ) was a federation of eight French colonial territories in West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea (now Guinea), Ivory Coast, Upper Volta (now Burki ...

(''Afrique occidentale française'', abbreviated AOF). AOFMap1936

Mauritania had been largely 'pacified' by 1912, and an initial border between Mali and Mauritania was then drawn on 23 April 1913; this line was drastically different to the current border, with Mali encompassing the entirety of what is now south-east Mauritania (''see map right''). A decree of 5 July 1944 altered the border to roughly its current position. Another decree of October 1944 would have transferred further territory to Mauritania in the south, however this was never enacted. As the movement for decolonisation grew in the post-

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

era, France gradually granted more political rights and representation for their sub-Saharan African colonies, culminating in the granting of broad internal autonomy to French West Africa in 1958 within the framework of the

French Community The French Community (1958–1960; french: Communauté française) was the constitutional organization set up in 1958 between France and its remaining African colonies, then in the process of decolonization. It replaced the French Union, which ...

. Eventually, in 1960, both Mauritania and Mali were granted full independence. On 16 February 1963 the two states signed a boundary treaty at

Kayes Kayes (Bambara language, Bambara: ߞߊߦߌ tr. ''Kayi'', Soninke language, Soninké: ''Xaayi'') is a city in western Mali on the Sénégal River with a population of 127,368 at the 2009 census. Kayes is the capital of the Kayes Region, administ ...

, modifying the boundary slightly. In recent years the border region has become very insecure, due to a rise in terrorism and the war in northern Mali, prompting Mauritania to declare the border a 'no-go zone' in 2017.

Settlements near the border

Mali

* Aguerakten * Beidat * Bona Hamadi * Mame * Farkeli * Kassakare * Ballé * Bineou * Diandioume * Debai Amate * Labidi * Djeli-Mahe * Takoutala * Kemiss *

Diongaga Diongaga is a small town and principal settlement of the ''commune'' of Diafounou Diongaga in the Cercle of Yélimané in the Kayes Region of south-western Mali, located just south of the border Borders are usually defined as geographical b ...

* Tafara * Davo * Seliferi * Melgue *

Lany Tounka Lany Tounka (or Lani Tounka) is a small town and main settlement (''chef-lieu'') of the commune of Sony in the Cercle of Kayes in the Kayes Region of south-western Mali.. The town lies on the south bank of the Senegal River 73 km northwe ...

Tafacirga Tafacirga (or Tafasirga) is a village and commune in the Cercle of Kayes in the Kayes Region of south-western Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaa ...

Mauritania

* Medala * Koussana * Terbekou *

Bousteila Bousteila ( ar, بوصطيلة) is a commune and town in Mauritania. It is located in the Timbedra department within the south-eastern region of Hodh Ech Chargui. Mauritania's southern border with Mali Mali (; ), officially the Republic o ...

* Moribougou * Koriga * Kersiniane * Kalinioro

References