The Kingdom of Mali, along with Ghana and Songhai, controlled the vast area of Ancient West Africa. The Mali Empire was founded in approximately 1230 and lasted until 1600, when it collapsed. The Mali Empire had many profound cultural influences on West Africa, allowing the spread of its language, laws and customs, along with the expansion of Islam. Ancient Mali was an important trading center and an incredibly highly developed society, Mali is now one of the poorest countries in the world, which makes its history of wealth and power very ironic.