Independence Day is observed in Mali on 22nd September. Also known as Republic Day, Mali commemorates the independence of Mali from the Mali Federation in 1960.
Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa. The Malian Empire governed the upper Niger basin beginning in the 11th century and stretching all the way to the Atlantic coast. Mali's imperial dominance waned in the seventeenth century, as other regional kingdoms rose to prominence.
In the nineteenth century, France became increasingly interested, while Islamic religious battles resulted in the establishment of theocratic regimes in the region.
During the so-called 'Scramble for Africa', France invaded Mali and incorporated it into French Sudan in 1898.
In April 1959, the French Sudan and Senegal joined to establish the Mali Federation. On 4 April 1960, a transfer of power agreement was signed with France, resulting in nominal independence on June 20, 1960.
The Mali Federation was short-lived, disbanding on August 20, 1960, after Senegal declared independence.
A month later, on September 22, 1960, French Sudan proclaimed independence from the Mali Federation, establishing the Republic of Mali.
