Mali is generally flat.
The entire continent of Africa is essentially an elevated plateau with a very narrow coastal plain. Mali lies upon that plateau. A plateau is a relatively flat "tableland." Only in the south is the landscape hilly. Important features of Mali's south include:
- The Fouta Djallon highlands of the southwest.
- The Bandiagara plateau and escarpment of the southeast.
- The Hombori Mountains of the far southeast.
Mali includes a long stretch of the Niger River.
The Niger River rises in the Fouta Djallon and flows for 1,000 miles through Mali. The river has always provided water for:
- household uses
- fishing
- trade
In the rainy season the Niger, in places, expands up to a mile wide. Along its course, there is an area known as the "inland delta." It is the remnant of an inland lake (like Lake Chad farther east) in which the Niger once terminated. Even today, during the rainy season in summer, the Niger fills the inland delta with water, giving it the appearance of its ancient ancestor. As the water goes down after the rains end, grass grows in the wet soil, providing grazing for animals and an opportunity for rice cultivation.
