How did geography affect the kingdom of Mali?

Answer 1

Mali's location in the interior of West Africa and its physical and human characteristics have influenced its history in diverse ways. The Niger River, in particular, has been important to its development, both because it supplied water for domestic and agricultural uses and because it could be used as a "highway" for trade. Moreover, Mali represented a unification of several environmental realms: desert, short and tall grasslands, and (in times past) the forest fringe. Different environments are able to produce different products, thus setting up the conditions for trade. Trade, particularly trade in gold and salt, is what built the Mali Empire. Its cities became the crossroads of the north-south -- gold routes -- across West Africa.