Map of the Mali Empire

Illustration

by Simeon Netchev
published on 29 April 2024

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Map of the Mali Empire — A map illustrating the rise and extent of the Mali Empire (c. 1235 - 1672) as it reached its height in the 13th century as one of the most powerful and wealthy states in West Africa. Spanning a vast territory that included modern-day Mali, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, and Mauritania, the Mali Empire was renowned for its abundant gold reserves and control over trans-Saharan trade routes.

Under leaders like Mansa Musa, the Mali Empire became one of the wealthiest empires in the world, known for its grand cities, such as Timbuktu and Gao, and its patronage of Islamic scholarship, art, and architecture. Its efficient administration, strong centralized government, and skilled military forces bolstered the empire's prosperity and influence. However, internal strife, external pressures, and the rise of neighboring states (most notably - the Songhai Empire) eventually led to its gradual decline and fall by the late 16th century.

I would like to thank @Martin_Maansson for his extensive research, inspiration, and amazing map of the medieval trade routes.

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About the Author

Simeon Netchev

Simeon is a freelance visual designer and history teacher passionate about the human stories behind past events. He believes every image should tell a story and spark interaction, while each map leads on a journey, blending imagination with education.

License & Copyright

Uploaded by Simeon Netchev, published on 29 April 2024. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs. This licence only allows others to download this content and share it with others as long as the author is credited, but they can't change the content in any way or use it commercially. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.

Related Images

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External Links

The Mali Empire

nationalgeographic.org

Mali Empire and Djenne Figures

si.edu

Medieval Trade Routes Map

easyzoom.com

Cite This Work

APA Style

Netchev, S. (2024, April 29). Map of the Mali Empire. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/18903/map-of-the-mali-empire/

Chicago Style

Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Mali Empire." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified April 29, 2024. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/18903/map-of-the-mali-empire/.

MLA Style

Netchev, Simeon. "Map of the Mali Empire." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 29 Apr 2024. Web. 03 Mar 2025.