Religion

Islam was the official religion of the Malian kings. Malian dignitaries and nobles were known to go on extravagant pilgrimages to Mecca, the most famous of which was Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage where he distributed so much gold it crashed the gold trade at the time. For most of its existence, the urban populations of Mali - where high-ranking officials and royals lived - adhered to Islam. In more rural areas, the people still followed the traditional African religions that predated Islam in West Africa. 

Islam reached its greatest height of influence during the reign of Mansa Musa. His pilgrimage to Mecca brought the Islamic world’s attention to his empire. During his reign, there was an influx of Islamic institutions, traders, and scholars in Mali.

Economy

Mali was a renowned trade center. Its power in the trade world is largely credited to the strength of its agricultural industry. Mali was situated in a warm climate (located in West Africa) and possessed rich, fertile soil that made farming ideal. Many crops were grown, including sorghum, cotton, cola, and peanuts. In addition to a great farming industry, Mali was also widely known for its raw materials, and the gold and salt trades in Mali allowed it to be introduced to international markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, further expanding its power and strength on the world stage.

Although citizens were forbidden from using gold nuggets as the nuggets were all property of the king, they traded in the gold dust that was plentiful in Mali. Mali’s possession of the Niger river and the many caravans passing through the empire generated much income. The Malian empire had a flourishing slave trade. In fact, slaves were a major part of Mali’s economy. The taxes put on trade also greatly contributed to Mali’s wealth. Heavy taxes were implemented on all goods passing through the empire, whether they were exported or imported. The people of Mali also used their own currency, in the form of cowry shells.