How Did Mali Get Rich? The Rise of a Golden Empire
The power of gold: Mali’s literal treasure chest
If there’s one word that explains why Mali got rich, it’s gold. Like, a lot of it. The ancient Mali Empire, especially under rulers like Mansa Musa, controlled some of the richest gold mines in the world. Back then, West Africa supplied more than half of the world’s gold — and Mali sat right in the heart of it.
Trade routes made it even richer
Mali wasn’t just sitting on gold — it also had the brains to use it. The empire controlled key trans-Saharan trade routes. These routes connected West Africa to North Africa, the Middle East, and even Europe. What passed through?
Gold (obviously)
Salt (worth its weight back then)
Ivory
Slaves
Textiles and spices
Mali would tax traders, profit from every camel caravan that passed, and grow richer with each transaction. Smart move.
Mansa Musa: the billionaire emperor who stunned the world
Mansa Musa (ruled from 1312 to 1337) is probably the most famous reason Mali got so rich. Some historians say he might've been the wealthiest person in human history. Like Bezos and Elon levels... combined, and then some.
That legendary pilgrimage to Mecca
In 1324, Mansa Musa made his famous hajj to Mecca, bringing with him:
60,000 people
Hundreds of camels carrying gold
So much wealth that he crashed the gold economy in Cairo by giving away too much
That’s not an exaggeration — gold lost value for over a decade in parts of the Middle East. Wild, right?
But this trip also put Mali on the map (literally — he appeared on European maps after that).
Education and culture: not just gold and trade
Here’s the part that often gets overlooked. Mali wasn’t just rich in gold — it became a center of learning and culture.
The rise of Timbuktu
Timbuktu (yes, it’s a real place) became one of the most important intellectual hubs in Africa. The Sankore University and its library housed thousands of manuscripts on science, astronomy, math, and religion.
Scholars came from far and wide to study in Mali. So yeah, this empire had brains and bank.
Strategic leadership and political structure
We can't ignore how Mali was governed. The empire had a centralized political system with regional governors, strong military leadership, and a well-run administration.
And even though it expanded massively, Mali managed to maintain control over its territories through diplomacy and (when needed) force.
Basically: it wasn’t luck. It was strategy + location + resources + smart leadership.
So, how did Mali get rich?
To sum it up:
Gold mines + control of trade = massive wealth
Taxation of trans-Saharan trade routes = steady income
Mansa Musa’s leadership brought global attention (and showed off)
Education and culture gave Mali long-lasting influence
And yeah, sure, it didn’t last forever (empires rarely do), but for a few centuries, Mali wasn’t just rich — it was a global powerhouse that shaped history. Pretty impressive for a medieval West African kingdom most people forget about.
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The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
| Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
| 15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
| 16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
| 17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
How to get taller at 18?
Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
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Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.