Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Mali instead of Arkansas, you would:

Health

live 11.4 years less

In Arkansas, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In Mali, that number is 62 years (60 years for men, 65 years for women) as of 2022.

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Economy

be 28.3% less likely to be unemployed

In Arkansas, 4.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Mali, that number is 3.0% as of 2023.

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make 94.7% less money

Arkansas has a GDP per capita of $47,319 as of 2024, while in Mali, the GDP per capita is $2,500 as of 2023.

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be 3.0 times more likely to live below the poverty line

In Arkansas, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Mali, however, that number is 44.6% as of 2021.

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Basic Needs

be 60.0% less likely to have internet access

In Arkansas, approximately 84.9% of the population has internet access as of 2023. In Mali, about 34.0% do as of 2021.

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The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook, OECD Regional Demography, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Compare further: Arkansas vs. Mali

Cost of Living Comparison · 5 categories - 2026 data
Mali is 16.4% cheaper than Arkansas
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Size Comparison · See true size
Arkansas is about 9 times smaller than Mali.
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Mali: At a glance

Mali is a sovereign country in Africa, with a total land area of approximately 1,220,190 sq km. The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a military coup that ushered in a period of democratic rule. President Alpha KONARE won Mali's first two democratic presidential elections in 1992 and 1997. In keeping with Mali's two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was succeeded by Amadou Toumani TOURE, who was elected to a second term in 2007 elections that were widely judged to be free and fair. Malian returnees from Libya in 2011 exacerbated tensions in northern Mali, and Tuareg ethnic militias started a rebellion in January 2012. Low- and mid-level soldiers, frustrated with the poor handling of the rebellion overthrew TOURE on 22 March. Intensive mediation efforts led by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) returned power to a civilian administration in April with the appointment of interim President Dioncounda TRAORE. The post-coup chaos led to rebels expelling the Malian military from the three northern regions of the country and allowed Islamic militants to set up strongholds. Hundreds of thousands of northern Malians fled the violence to southern Mali and neighboring countries, exacerbating regional food insecurity in host communities. An international military intervention to retake the three northern regions began in January 2013 and within a month most of the north had been retaken. In a democratic presidential election conducted in July and August of 2013, Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA was elected president in the second round.
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How big is Mali compared to Arkansas? See an in-depth size comparison.

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