Mali is located in West Africa and is bordered by Algeria to the northeast, Niger to the east, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast to the south, and Mauritania to the southwest.nThe country has a population of 20 million people and an area of 5,208,705 km2. Mali is divided into eight provinces:nBayaka (the capital), Bamako, Koudiala, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Gao and Timbuktu.nMali's economy is fueled largely by agriculture (especially cotton) and livestock production. Industry includes food processing, cement production, textiles and timber. Mineral resources include uranium, gold and iron ore. Tourism is becoming increasingly important as Mali seeks to make up for declining foreign aid from its primary benefactor: France.