Statistical information Mauritania 1989
Mauritania in the World
top of pageBackground: Independent from France in 1960 Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976 but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaLand boundaries:
5,074 km total
Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km
Coastline: 754 km
Maritime claimsContinental shelf: edge of continental margin or 200 nm
Extended economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 70 nm
Climate: desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Terrain: mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
ElevationNatural resources: iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate
Land use: 1% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 38% meadows and pastures; 5% forest and woodland; 56% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 1,977,466 (July 1989), growth rate 3.0% (1989)
Nationality: noun - Mauritanian(s; adjective - Mauritanian
Ethnic groups: 40% mixed Maur/black, 30% Maur, 30% black
Languages: Hasaniya Arabic (national; French (official; Toucouleur, Fula, Sarakole, Wolof
Religions: nearly 100% Muslim
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 49 births/1000 population (1989)
Death rate: 19 deaths/1000 population (1989)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1989)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; desertification; only perennial river is the Senegal
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 97 deaths/1000 live births (1989)
Life expectancy at birth: 43 years male, 48 years female (1989)
Total fertility rate: 7.3 children born/woman (1989)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 17%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Government type: republic; military first seized power in bloodless coup 10 July 1978; a palace coup that took place on 24 December 1984 brought President Taya to power
Capital: Nouakchott
Administrative divisions: 12 regions (regions, singular - region; Adrar, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, El Acaba, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza; note - there may be a new capital district of Nouakchott
Dependent areasIndependence: 28 November 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
Constitution: 20 May 1961, abrogated after coup of 10 July 1978; provisional constitution published 17 December 1980 but abandoned in 1981; new constitutional charter published 27 February 1985
Legal system: based on Islamic law
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal for adults
Executive branch: Chief of State and Head of Government - President Col. Maaouiya Ould SidAhmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984)
Legislative branch: Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, paramilitary National Guard, paramilitary National Police, paramilitary Presidential Guard, paramilitary Nomad Security Guards
Judicial branchPolitical parties and leadersInternational organization participation: AfDB, AIOEC, Arab League, CCC, CEAO, CIPEC (associate), EAMA, EIB (associate), FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB - Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OMVS (Organization for the Development of the Senegal River Valley), UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: Ambassador Abdellah OULD DADDAH; Chancery at 2,129 Leroy Place NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 232-5,700; US - Ambassador William H. TWADDELL; Embassy at address NA, Nouakchott (mailing address is B. P. 222, Nouakchott; telephone Õ2,222å 52,660 or 52,663
Flag description: green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: A majority of the population still depend on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though most of the nomads and many subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent drought in 1983. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore that account for almost 50% of total exports. The decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production in recent years. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, though overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capita pppGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: livestock, cereals, vegetables, dates; cash crop - gum arabic
Industries: fishing, fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
Industrial production growth rate: 5%, excluding construction and public works (1986 est.)
Labor force:
465,000 (1981 est.), 45,000 wage earners (1980; 47% agriculture, 29%
services, 14%
industry and commerce, 10% government; 53% of population of working age (1985)
Unemployment rate: 50% (1988 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $265 million; expenditures $273 million, including capital expenditures of $73 million (1986)
Public debtTaxes and other revenuesRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Current account balanceInflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $428 million (f.o.b., 1986)
Commodities: iron ore, processed fish, small amounts of gum arabic and gypsum, unrecorded but numerically significant cattle exports to Senegal
Partners: EC 57%, Japan 39%, Ivory Coast 2%
Imports: $329 million (c.i.f., 1986)
Commodities: foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods
Partners: EC 79%, Africa 5%, US 4%, Japan 2%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $2.2 billion (December 1988)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: ouguiya (UM) per US$1 - 75.020 (January 1989), 75.261 (1988), 73.878 (1987), 74.375 (1986), 77.085 (1985)
top of pageElectricity accessElectricity productionElectricity consumptionElectricity exportsElectricity importsElectricity installed generating capacityElectricity transmission distribution lossesElectricity generation sourcesPetroleumRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones fixed linesTelephones mobile cellularTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternet country codeInternet usersBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $43.3 million, 25% of central government budget (1985)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 30 total, 29 usable; 9 with permanent-surface runways; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 16 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Airports with paved runwaysAirports with unpaved runwaysHeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: mostly ferry traffic
Merchant marinePorts and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: armed conflict in Western Sahara
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs