Mali
Mali is a nation of unusual interest and charm. Like Egypt, Mali is a country that is intimately related to a great river - in this case, the Niger. In addition, Mali is the location of some of the continent's most interesting cultural sites. Legendary Timbuktu is located here, and in the centre of the country is the magnificently dramatic Bandiagara escarpment, home to the fascinating culture of the Dogon.
Mali has a long and illustrious past as an integral part of great African empires. The first of these empires was the empire of Ghana, which from the 4th to the 11th century controlled the trans-Saharan caravan routes. Ghana fell under invasions by the Muslim Almoravids, but it was soon supplanted by the Mandinka empire of Mali. Mali reached its pinnacle of power and wealth during the 14th century, extending over almost all of West Africa and controlling virtually all of the rich trans-Saharan gold trade. It was during this period that Mali's great cities, Timbuktu and Djenne, became fabled centers of wealth, learning, and culture. Mali's power didn't last much longer. In the 15th century it fell to the Songhai, who had established their own capital at Gao. The Songhai held sway until the end of the 16th century, their empire collapsed under both internal and external pressures. The end of the Songhai empire also marked the conclusion of the region's history as a trading centre, for the trans-Saharan trade routes quickly lost their vitality after the establishment of sea routes by Europeans.
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