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| 14. Mali |
| 1960, June 20 |
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| Following the dissolution of the Mali Federation, Mali became an independent nation. Mobido Keita became the country's first president and declared the formation of a one-party state. | 1 |
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| 1968, Nov |
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| Keita was overthrown in a bloodless coup. Lt. Moussa Traore became president, and Capt. Yoro Diakite prime minister. | 2 |
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| 1969, Aug |
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| An unsuccessful coup attempt ended in the arrest of 20 army officers. Traore's military regime remained in place. | 3 |
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| 1974 |
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| A new constitution was approved in a nationwide referendum. The constitution outlined a five-year transition to civilian rule. | 4 |
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| 1977, May |
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| Former president Keita died in detention. Students began to stage a series of protests against continued military rule. Opposition leaders were detained later in the year. | 5 |
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| 1980, Dec |
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| A coup attempt by junior officers was thwarted, resulting in the execution of three people. | 6 |
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| 1985, June |
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| Traore won reelection to a second six-year term as president. He received 98 percent of the vote in a tightly controlled electoral process. | 7 |
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| Dec |
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| Malian forces clashed with troops from Burkina Faso in a territorial dispute. A ruling from the International Court of Justice the following year ended hostilities. | 8 |
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