Map of Mauritania | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: 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. Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as being flawed; Mauritania remains in reality a one-party state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between its black minority population and the dominant Maur (Arab-Berber) populace.


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Location: Northern Africa bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Senegal and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N 12 00 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Comparative: slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries

Coastline: 754 km

Maritime claims

Climate: desert; constantly hot dry dusty

Terrain: mostly barren flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Elevation

Natural resources: iron ore gypsum fish copper phosphate

Land use

Irrigated land: 490 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: hot dry dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts

Geography
Note: most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country


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Population: 2,667,859 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 2.94% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: 57% (1990 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups: mixed Maur/black 40% Maur 30% black 30%

Languages: Hasaniya Arabic (official) Pular Soninke Wolof (official) French

Religions: Muslim 100%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.94% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 43.36 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 13.97 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: overgrazing deforestation and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal which is the only perennial river

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 78.15 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 6.29 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type: republic

Capital: Nouakchott

Administrative divisions: 12 regions (regions singular - region) and 1 capital district*; Adrar Assaba Brakna Dakhlet Nouadhibou Gorgol Guidimaka Hodh Ech Chargui Hodh El Gharbi Inchiri Nouakchott* Tagant Tiris Zemmour Trarza

Dependent areas

Independence: 28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day 28 November (1960)

Constitution: 12 July 1991

Legal system: a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; 17 up for election every two years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (79 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

Judicial branch: three-tier system: lower appeals and Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders: Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Assembly for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party) [President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA]; National Avant-Garde Party or PAN [Khattry Ould JIDDOU]; Popular Social and Democratic Union or UPSD [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Union of Democratic Forces-New Era or UFD/NE [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]

International organization participation: ABEDA ACCT (associate) ACP AfDB AFESD AL AMF AMU CAEU CCC ECA ECOWAS FAO G-77 IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO (pending member) ILO IMF IMO Intelsat Interpol IOC ITU NAM OAU OIC OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UPU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO

Diplomatic representation

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 symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: A majority of the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood even though most of the nomads and many subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore which account for almost 50% of total exports. The decline in world demand for this ore however has led to cutbacks in production. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In recent years drought and economic mismanagement have resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. In March 1999 the government signed an agreement with a joint World Bank-IMF mission on a $54 million enhanced structural adjustment facility (ESAF). The economic objectives have been set for 1999-2002. Privatization remains one of the key issues. Mauritania is unlikely to meet ESAF's annual GDP growth objectives of 4%-5%.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3.7% (1999 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $1910 (1999 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: dates millet sorghum root crops; cattle sheep; fish products

Industries: fish processing mining of iron ore and gypsum

Industrial production growth rate: 7.2% (1994)

Labor force: 465,000 (1981 est.); 45,000 wage earners (1980)
By occupation agriculture: 47%
By occupation services: 39%
By occupation industry: 14%

Unemployment rate: 23% (1995 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 57% (1990 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 9.8% (1998)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $425 million (f.o.b. 1997)
Commodities: fish and fish products iron ore gold
Partners: Japan 24% Italy 17% France 14% Spain 8% (1997)

Imports: $444 million (f.o.b. 1997)
Commodities: machinery and equipment petroleum products capital goods foodstuffs consumer goods
Partners: France 26% Spain 8% Germany 7% Benelux 7% (1997)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $2.5 billion (1997)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: ouguiyas (UM) per US$1 - 219.560 (December 1999) 209.514 (1999) 188.476 (1998) 151.853 (1997) 137.222 (1996) 129.768 (1995)


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Electricity
Production: 152 million kWh (1998)
Consumption: 141 million kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 9,000 (1995)
Mobile cellular: 0 (1995)

Telephone system: poor system of cable and open-wire lines minor microwave radio relay links and radiotelephone communications stations (improvements being made)

Broadcast media

Internet
Service providers isps: NA

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $41 million (FY97)
Percent of gdp: 2.7% (FY97)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 26 (1999 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: mostly ferry traffic on the Senegal River

Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs