Geography People Government Economy Communicat's Transportation Military Transnational Issues . Economic activity is largely confined to the riverine area irrigated by the Niger.
Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm commodities.
Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export. In 1997, the government continued its successful implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign investment.