The principal results are presented of demographic and genetic studies among the Dogon of the mountains of Boni. The Dogon of Boni are a culturally homogeneous population who have retained their own identity. Their villages were hidden in the rocks and thus protected from the recurring attacks and pillagings of passing nomadic tribes. The attacks ceased after several generation, and the Dogon have spread out beyond their original settlements. The dogon 1st inhabited the area in the early 18th century, arriving in successive waves from the Mande country. The topography of a plain intersected by mountains and plateaus has resulted in division of the Dogon population into isolates. The Dogon currently live in some 15 villages. They are sedentary and practice subsistence agriculture. The climate is Sahelian and life is difficult under the best of circumstances. The persistent aggravation of the drought since the 1970s has caused growing concern and may prompt the population to resettle elsewhere. Women have 7.2 live births on average, with very high fertility rates between 20-40 years. High rates of remarriage and polygamy appear to increase fertility. The life expectancy at birth of 31-37 years depending on the year and the sex of the child is among the lowest in Mali. 40% or more of newborns die before the 5th birthday. Some 18 years of life expectancy are added once the 5th birthday is passed. Except in years of crisis resulting from drought and famine, cholera epidemics, or measles which strikes virulently every 3 or 4 years, most deaths are caused by malaria and fever or diarrhea and intestinal parasites. A health center opened in 1979 in the largest town of Tabi may have had some affect on mortality despite its precarious functioning and lack of support. The average age at 1st marriage is 18.2 for women and 23.9 for men. Almost everyone marries and successive divorces and remarriages are common. Polygamy rates vary in the different mountain areas. Only about 4% of marriages are outside the ethnic group. 84% of unions occur between persons from the same massif. Marriages within the same lineage are not the rule. Although cousin marriages appear to be preferred, the complexity of kinship networks among individuals on the same massif means that after a few generations everyone is related. Genetic studies show that each massive has been relatively autonomous. Of the 51 original settlers, only 1 or 2 hundred are reflected in the genealogies of each massif. Demographic dynamics are conditioned by cultural norms concerning choice of spouse, by limited pools of available partners, and by the hostile physical environment which limits communications.