Mali

Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mali is the eighth largest country in Africa, with an area of just over 1,240,000 square kilometres (480,000 sq mi). The population of Mali is 14.5 million. Its capital is Bamako.

Did you know that:
1. Mali is the biggest country in West Africa. It is roughly twice the size of Texas, the second largest American state.
2. Mali was the cradle of the Empire of Ghana, West Africa’s very first black empire.
3. Mali is one of the poorest nations in the world. Around 70% of Mali’s population earns less than a dollar per day.
4. The bogolanfini cloth, which is made from handcrafted cloth dyed with mud, is produced only in this part of Africa.
5. Mali’s Great Mosque of Djenne is the largest mudbrick building in the world.

Rwanda

Rwanda is a sovereign state in central and east Africa. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Did you know that:
1. Rwanda is also known as the Land of a Thousand Hills.
2. The main languages spoken in Rwanda are Kinyarwanda, English, Kiswahili and French.
3. Rwanda’s average life expectancy is 40 yrs.
4. Rwanda’s Parliament has more female members (56%) than any other parliament in the World.
5. Rwanda is only one of three countries in Africa where you can visit Mountain Gorillas in the Wild.
6. In Rwanda plastic bags are not allowed – you can use paper-bags, shopping bags but no plastic sacks and plastic bags.
7. In Rwanda flip-flops sandals are not allowed – they were banned in an effort to combat jiggers.