The Empire of Mali was located in West Africa, mainly in the region of the upper and middle Niger River.

Basic location

The empire began in the Manding (Mandé) region around the upper Niger River, in what is now southwestern Mali and eastern Guinea. From this core, it expanded as a powerful trading state controlling key parts of the trans‑Saharan trade routes.

Extent at its height

At its peak, the Mali Empire stretched from the Atlantic coast in the west to central parts of the Sahara Desert in the north and inland savanna regions in the south. It covered territory that is now part of Mali, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Niger, Ivory Coast, and northern Ghana.

Key cities and regions

Important cities within the empire included Timbuktu and Gao near the Niger River, which were major centers of trade and Islamic learning. The capital was likely at or near Niani, on or near the modern border between Guinea and Mali, although historians debate the exact site.