a landlocked republic in northwestern Africa; achieved independence from France in 1960; Mali was a center of West African civilization for more than 4,000 years • Syn: Mali, French Sudan • Derivationally related forms: Malian (for: Mali) • Instance Hypernyms: African country, African nation • Part Holonyms: Africa • Member Meronyms: Malian • Part Meronyms: Bamako, Timbuktu, Niger, Niger River