Mali population pyramid 2026
25,932,275 people in 2026 (projected). Mali’s pyramid grew younger for fifty years: fertility rose to over seven children per woman, and the median age fell from 19.5 in 1950 to 15.4 in 2000.
- 2026 population
- 25.9Mrank 58 of 237
- Median age
- 15.9 yearsoldest rank 232
- Fertility rate
- 5.33births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful2.3% age 65+
Mali population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Mali age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 45.4% of the population, while 2.3% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 52.2% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Mali’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 91.5: about 92 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (87.0 children and 4.5 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Mali’s population pyramid
Fertility that rose before it fell
Most pyramids age as countries develop. Mali’s did the opposite for half a century. The total fertility rate was already about 6.9 in 1950, rose to roughly 7.4 around 1980 and was still 6.9 in 2000, while mortality fell from extremely high levels: life expectancy climbed from under 29 years in 1950 to 46.5 in 1990 and about 60 in 2023, and infant mortality dropped from about 180 to 61 per 1,000 live births. With almost unchanged fertility and far more children surviving, each new cohort was much larger than the last, and the median age fell from 19.5 in 1950 to 15.4 in 2000. This is the early stage of the demographic transition, stretched over an unusually long period.
Fertility has now begun to decline, to about 5.3 in 2026, but Mali still sits near the top of the fertility rate by country ranking. Child mortality also remains high, with about 89 deaths before age five per 1,000 births, so part of the step between the 0–4 and 5–9 bands reflects children who do not survive as well as rising numbers of births.
Balanced sexes despite departures
Mali has a long tradition of emigration, to Côte d’Ivoire and other coastal West African countries and to France, and conflict in the north since 2012 has displaced many people into neighbouring states. The UN estimates a net outflow of about 1.7 million between 1950 and 1999 and 0.8 million between 2000 and 2023. Yet the chart shows no visible shortage of working-age men: there are about 102 to 103 men per 100 women at every age from 20 to 54. The gap in life expectancy between the sexes is also small, about three years, so women outnumber men only from the late fifties, and even at 80–84 there are still 75 men per 100 women. Whether the balance in younger adults reflects the pattern of migration or the way it is estimated cannot be settled from the chart alone.
Growth built into the base
Births in 2026, about one million, are nearly five times the number of deaths. Under the UN medium scenario the population rises from about 26 million in 2026 to 46 million in 2050 and roughly 79 million in 2100, still growing at the end of the century, with fertility falling to around replacement only by then. The current structure is closest to that of Niger, and the guide to expansive pyramids explains why such a broad base sustains growth for decades.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Mali’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
In the UN medium scenario births outnumber deaths in every year through 2100. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Mali is projected to record 1,005,407 births (about one birth every 31 seconds) and 213,845 deaths, a natural increase of 791,562. Net migration adds −52,609 people, ranking #180 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 18,200,438 births, 4,666,269 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −800,270. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −1,889,792 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 62.6 years29.8 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 59.7 years27.8 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 12.4 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 57.9per 1,000 births · 180 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 89.1per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 28.8 yearssex ratio at birth 103.2
Women in Mali are projected to live 2.9 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 180 to 57.9 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #9 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 28.8 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Mali
The median age of 15.9 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 5.33 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 61.1 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,932,275 | #58 | Largest first |
| Median age | 15.9 years | #232 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 5.33 | #6 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +2.9% | #9 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 61.1 years | #231 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 2.3% | #231 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Mali
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 4,434,980 | 17.1% | 2.2M / 2.2M |
| 2 | 5–9 | 3,878,588 | 15.0% | 2M / 1.9M |
| 3 | 10–14 | 3,468,756 | 13.4% | 1.8M / 1.7M |
| 4 | 15–19 | 2,974,110 | 11.5% | 1.5M / 1.5M |
| 5 | 20–24 | 2,406,194 | 9.3% | 1.2M / 1.2M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Mali has 13,078,952 males and 12,853,323 females. That is 101.8 males per 100 females, ranking #47 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 50.4% of the population and females for 49.6%. There are 225,629 more males than females overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 84.9 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 103.2 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, slightly below the typical value of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Mali has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 4,696,911 in 1950 to 25,932,275 in 2026, a change of 452%. Over the same span, median age moved from 19.5 to 15.9 years.
The under-15 share changed from 39.7% to 45.4%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 2.8% to 2.3%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Mali’s population is projected to grow by about 78%, reaching 46,154,079 in 2050. The median age changes from 15.9 to 20.2 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 1.2 percentage points to 3.5%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 36.7%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 79,354,048. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4,696,911 | 19.5 | 6.87 | 28.7 | 244,036 | 170,858 | −3,673 | +1.5% |
| 1960 | 5,402,550 | 18.8 | 7.02 | 30.5 | 274,365 | 185,562 | −10,314 | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 6,276,472 | 18.3 | 7.18 | 33.4 | 316,615 | 197,665 | −17,479 | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 7,530,514 | 17.0 | 7.37 | 40.3 | 380,828 | 190,264 | −30,156 | +2.1% |
| 1990 | 9,178,830 | 15.4 | 7.31 | 46.5 | 431,832 | 179,531 | −68,668 | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 11,559,290 | 15.4 | 6.89 | 50.6 | 544,335 | 185,184 | −17,395 | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 15,945,198 | 15.3 | 6.58 | 56.0 | 747,705 | 193,248 | −34,483 | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 21,713,836 | 15.1 | 5.85 | 58.9 | 889,380 | 206,314 | −14,962 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | 23,769,127 | 15.5 | 5.61 | 60.4 | 951,445 | 205,047 | −39,953 | +3.0% |
| 2024* | 24,478,595 | 15.6 | 5.51 | 60.7 | 967,695 | 208,323 | −46,880 | +2.9% |
| 2026* | 25,932,275 | 15.9 | 5.33 | 61.1 | 1,005,407 | 213,845 | −52,609 | +2.9% |
| 2030* | 29,002,865 | 16.5 | 4.96 | 61.9 | 1,081,148 | 226,154 | −62,042 | +2.7% |
| 2040* | 37,413,643 | 18.2 | 4.05 | 63.8 | 1,205,462 | 259,125 | −78,716 | +2.3% |
| 2050* | 46,154,079 | 20.2 | 3.37 | 65.4 | 1,273,182 | 305,619 | −91,101 | +1.9% |
| 2060* | 54,787,470 | 22.8 | 2.89 | 66.8 | 1,314,602 | 368,295 | −98,323 | +1.6% |
| 2070* | 62,919,460 | 25.4 | 2.58 | 68.1 | 1,320,762 | 443,601 | −106,451 | +1.2% |
| 2080* | 69,994,175 | 28.0 | 2.36 | 69.2 | 1,292,501 | 543,405 | −117,117 | +0.9% |
| 2090* | 75,539,858 | 30.5 | 2.20 | 70.4 | 1,253,481 | 663,277 | −122,336 | +0.6% |
| 2100* | 79,354,048 | 32.8 | 2.08 | 71.5 | 1,197,468 | 776,536 | −116,849 | +0.4% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 2,239,311 | 2,195,669 | 4,434,980 | 17.1% |
| 5–9 | 1,959,887 | 1,918,701 | 3,878,588 | 15.0% |
| 10–14 | 1,753,938 | 1,714,818 | 3,468,756 | 13.4% |
| 15–19 | 1,505,419 | 1,468,691 | 2,974,110 | 11.5% |
| 20–24 | 1,218,270 | 1,187,924 | 2,406,194 | 9.3% |
| 25–29 | 949,571 | 924,418 | 1,873,989 | 7.2% |
| 30–34 | 763,490 | 743,450 | 1,506,940 | 5.8% |
| 35–39 | 650,034 | 631,808 | 1,281,842 | 4.9% |
| 40–44 | 558,696 | 541,529 | 1,100,225 | 4.2% |
| 45–49 | 454,680 | 444,365 | 899,045 | 3.5% |
| 50–54 | 338,880 | 333,408 | 672,288 | 2.6% |
| 55–59 | 238,947 | 241,738 | 480,685 | 1.9% |
| 60–64 | 168,625 | 177,946 | 346,571 | 1.3% |
| 65–69 | 120,876 | 134,161 | 255,037 | 1.0% |
| 70–74 | 82,602 | 97,010 | 179,612 | 0.7% |
| 75–79 | 47,773 | 59,510 | 107,283 | 0.4% |
| 80–84 | 21,460 | 28,791 | 50,251 | 0.2% |
| 85–89 | 5,750 | 8,148 | 13,898 | 0.1% |
| 90–94 | 716 | 1,176 | 1,892 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 26 | 65 | 91 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Mali’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Niger99% overlap · median age 15.7
- Mozambique98% overlap · median age 16.6
- Chad97% overlap · median age 15.7
- Somalia97% overlap · median age 15.6
- Democratic Republic of the Congo97% overlap · median age 15.9
- Angola97% overlap · median age 16.7
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Mali.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Mali Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/mali/
MLA
“Mali Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/mali/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Mali Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/mali/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Mali in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Mali's population in 2026 is projected at 25,932,275.
What is the median age in Mali?
The projected median age in Mali in 2026 is 15.9 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Mali?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 5.33 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Mali's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 78%, from 25.9M to 46.2M.
What share of Mali is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 2.3% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 3.5%.
How many babies are born in Mali each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 1,005,407 births and 213,845 deaths in 2026, about one birth every 31 seconds. Births exceed deaths by 791,562.
What is life expectancy in Mali for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 62.6 years for women and 59.7 years for men, a gap of 2.9 years in favour of women.
Does Mali have more immigrants or emigrants?
Mali is projected to lose about 52,609 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −800,270.
What is the sex ratio in Mali?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 101.8 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.