🧳 Relocation & Expatriation
Practical guide to settling and living in Bamako, Mali
Bamako's Modibo Keïta International Airport (formerly Bamako-Sénou): location, terminal, key facts
Modibo Keïta International Airport, Mali's main airport, about 15 km south of central Bamako in Sénou: history since 1974, 3,200 m runway, terminal opened in 2016, 2026 works and official advice on departures.
Money in Mali: CFA franc, euro peg, banknotes and PI-SPI instant payments
The WAEMU CFA franc in Mali: fixed peg 1 euro = 655.957 FCFA, banknotes from 500 to 10,000 FCFA, coins, the 2019 reform, and PI-SPI, the BCEAO instant payment platform with free person-to-person transfers.
Bamako climate: temperatures, rainfall and the best time to visit, month by month
Bamako's climate according to the official 1991-2020 World Meteorological Organization normals (Bamako-Sénou station): 947 mm of rain a year, rainy season June to September, April the hottest month, December and January the coolest.
Electricity and water in Bamako: opening an EDM or SOMAGEP meter
Opening an EDM electricity or SOMAGEP water meter in Bamako according to the official portal: documents (owner or tenant), quote after a site visit, appointment within 15 days, meter fitted within 15 days of payment.
Public hospitals in Bamako: Gabriel Touré, Point G, Hôpital du Mali and specialist teaching hospitals
Bamako's public hospitals according to the Ministry of Health's 2022 statistical yearbook: beds, admissions, consultations, emergencies and bed occupancy at Gabriel Touré, Point G, Hôpital du Mali, IOTA, CNOS and Le Luxembourg.
Languages in Mali and Bamako: Bambara, French and national languages (2023 Constitution)
Since the Constitution of 22 July 2023, Mali's national languages are its official languages and French is the working language. Bambara is Bamako's lingua franca; share of speakers, French in Bamako, regional distribution.
Finding Housing in Bamako: rental prices by neighborhood
How much rent costs in Bamako by neighborhood: ACI 2000, Hippodrome, Badalabougou, Kalaban Coura, Lafiabougou. Rental market trends.
Safety in Mali and Bamako: what official travel advice says (2026)
Up-to-date official safety advice on Mali: France advises against all travel (10 September 2026), and so does the UK (July 2026), citing road blockades and fuel shortages; what they say about Bamako, roads and entry requirements.
Public universities in Bamako: the four universities that replaced the former University of Mali
Bamako's public universities: how the University of Bamako was split in 2011 into four universities (USTTB, USSGB, ULSHB now Yambo Ouologuem University, USJPB), their fields, and useful procedures for students (scholarships, CENOU, diplomas).