Mali - a landlocked republic in northwestern Africa; achieved independence from France in 1960; Mali was a center of West African civilization for more than 4,000 yearsBamako - the capital of Mali; located in the south on the Niger Timbuktu - a city in central Mali near the Niger river; formerly famous for its gold trade Africa - the second largest continent; located south of Europe and bordered to the west by the South Atlantic and to the east by the Indian Ocean Malian - a native or inhabitant of Mali |