Interactions with other groups
The people of the Mali Empire interacted with different groups of people through the system of trade. Mali was a major trading center, especially with those from the south and north of the empire. From the south, people brought slaves, gold and ivory to Mali to trade it with the Middle East and Europe for weapons, jewelry and salt. It contained three immense gold mines within its borders unlike the Ghana Empire, which was only a transit point for gold. During the reign of Mansa Musa, Mali also got hold of a salt producing area in the north, which made the empire even more powerful. The government taxed every bit of gold and salt that came within the borders of the empire and that was a very important source of income. The Niger River was key in Mali's successful trade system. It was the main trade route to transport goods such as gold, iron, copper, ivory, pepper, salt, fabrics, and eventually slaves. The main trading centers in Mali were located in the cities of Timbuktu, Gao, and Djenne.