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. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984 and ruled Mauritania with a heavy hand for over two decades. A series of presidential elections that he held were widely seen as flawed. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council that oversaw a transition to democratic rule. Independent candidate Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDALLAHI was inaugurated in April 2007 as Mauritania's first freely and fairly elected president. His term ended prematurely in August 2008 when a coup deposed him and ushered in a military council government. Meanwhile the country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population (Afro-Mauritanians) and White and Black Moor (Arab-Berber) communities.

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N 12 00 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 1,030,700 km²
Land: 1,030,400 km²
Water: 300 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries
Total: 5,074 km
Border countries: (4) Algeria 463 km; , Mali 2,237 km; , Senegal 813 km; , Western Sahara 1,561 km

Coastline: 754 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate: desert; constantly hot dry dusty

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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
Extremes highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

Natural resources: iron ore gypsum copper phosphate diamonds gold oil fish

Land use
Arable land: 0.2%
Permanent crops: 0.01%
Other: 99.79% (2005)

Irrigated land: 490 km² (2002)

Total renewable water resources: 11.4 km³ (1997)

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

Population: 3,364,940 (July 2008 est.)
Growth rate: 2.852% (2008 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Mauritanian
Adjective: Mauritanian

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

Languages: Arabic (official and national) Pulaar Soninke Wolof (all national languages) French Hassaniya

Religions: Muslim 100%

Age structure
0-14 years: 45.3% (male 763,845/female 759,957)
15-64 years: 52.5% (male 872,924/female 894,980)
65 years and over: 2.2% (male 29,147/female 44,087) (2008 est.)

Median age
Total: 17.2 years
Male: 16.9 years
Female: 17.4 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.852% (2008 est.)

Birth rate: 40.14 births/1000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate: 11.61 deaths/1000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate: NA (2008 est.)

Environment
Current issues: overgrazing deforestation and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal which is the only perennial river; locust infestation
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1 male/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male/female
Total population: 0.98 male/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 66.65 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 69.69 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 63.52 deaths/1000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 53.91 years
Male: 51.61 years
Female: 56.28 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.69 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 9,500 (2003 est.)
Deaths: fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria and Rift Valley fever (2008)

Education expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2006)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 51.2%
Male: 59.5%
Female: 43.4% (2000 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 8 years
Male: 8 years
Female: 8 years (2006)

Country name
Conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Conventional short form: Mauritania
Local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
Local short form: Muritaniyah

Government type: Democratic Republic

Capital
Name: Nouakchott
Geographic coordinates: 18 07 N, 16 02 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

Independence: 28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day 28 November (1960)

Constitution: 12 July 1991

Legal system: a combination of Islamic law and French civil law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Gen. Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ who led a coup that deposed the democratically elected President Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI on 6 August 2008
Head of government: Prime Minister Moulaye Ould Mohamed LAGHDAF (since 14 August 2008)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held 11 March 2007 with a runoff between the two leading candidates held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held 2012); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: percent of vote - (second round) Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI 52.8%, Ahmed Ould DADDAH 47.2%

Legislative branch
Elections: Senate - last held 21 January and 4 February 2007 (next to be held 2009); National Assembly - last held 19 November and 3 December 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime) 37, CFCD (coalition of political parties) 15, representatives of the diaspora 3, undecided 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Mithaq 51 (independents 37, PRDR 7, UDP 3, RDU 3, Alternative (El-Badil) 1), CFCD 41 (RFD 16, UFP 9, APP 6, Centrist Reformists 4, HATEM-PMUC 3, RD 2, PUDS 1), RNDLE 1, UCD 1, FP 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts

Political parties and leaders: Alternative or El-Badil; Centrist Reformists (independent moderate Islamists); Coalition for Forces for Democratic Change or CFCD (coalition of political parties including APP Centrist Reformists (independent moderate Islamists) HATEM-PMUC PUDS RD RFD UFP); Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS; Democratic Renewal or RD; Mauritanian Party for Unity and Change or HATEM-PMUC; Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime including Alternative or El-Badil PRDR UDP RDU); National Rally for Freedom Democracy and Equality or RNDLE; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR [Boullah Ould MOGUEYA] (formerly ruling Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS); Socialist and Democratic Unity Party or PUDS; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]; Union of Democratic Centre or UCD; Union of the Forces for Progress or UFP

International organization participation: ABEDA ACP AfDB AFESD AMF AMU AU CAEU FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ITSO ITU ITUC LAS MIGA NAM OIC OIF OPCW UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCL WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahima DIA
In the us chancery: 2,129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 232-5,700, 5,701
In the us fax: [1] (202) 319-2,623
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mark M. BOULWARE
From the us embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye, Rue 42-100 (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott
From the us mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott
From the us telephone: [222] 525-2,660/525-2,663
From the us fax: [222] 525-1592

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

Economy overview: Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood even though many of the nomads and 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 nearly 40% of total exports. 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 the past drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt which now stands at more than three times the level of annual exports. In February 2000 Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. A new investment code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. In 2001 exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current world oil prices. Oil prospects while initially promising have failed to materialize. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty improvement of health and education and promoting privatization of the economy.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $5.974 billion (2007 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 1% (2007 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1800 (2007 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 25%
Industry: 29%
Services: 46% (2001 est.)

Agriculture products: dates millet sorghum rice corn; cattle sheep

Industries: fish processing mining of iron ore and gypsum

Industrial production growth rate: 2% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 786,000 (2001)
By occupation agriculture: 50%
By occupation industry: 10%
By occupation services: 40% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 20% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.5%
Highest 10: 29.5% (2000)

Distribution of family income gini index: 39 (2000)

Budget
Revenues: $421 million
Expenditures: $378 million (2002 est.)

Inflation rate consumer prices: 7.3% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate: NA

Stock of domestic credit: NA (31 December 2007)

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$184 million (2007 est.)

Exports: $1.395 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Commodities: iron ore fish and fish products gold
Partners: China 30.5% France 9.5% Italy 8.5% Spain 8.5% Japan 5.5% Netherlands 5.3% Belgium 5% Cote d'Ivoire 4.7% (2007)

Imports: $1.475 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Commodities: machinery and equipment petroleum products capital goods foodstuffs consumer goods
Partners: France 16.5% China 8.1% Spain 6.7% US 6.1% Belgium 5.8% Brazil 5.7% (2007)

Debt external: NA

Exchange rates: ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar - NA (2007) 271.3 (2006) 267.04 (2005) 265.8 (2004) 263.03 (2003)

Electricity
Production: 412.3 million kWh (2006 est.)
Consumption: 383.4 million kWh (2006 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2007 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2007 est.)
Proven reserves: 28.32 billion m³ (1 January 2008 est.)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 34,900 (2006)
Mobile cellular: 1.3 million (2007)

Telephone system
General assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations; mobile-cellular services expanding rapidly
Domestic: Mauritel, the national telecommunications company, was privatized in 2001 but remains the monopoly provider of fixed-line services; fixed-line teledensity 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular network coverage extends mainly to urban areas with a teledensity approaching 40 per 100 persons; mostly cable and open-wire lines; a domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals
International: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean, 2 Arabsat)

Internet
Country code: .mr
Hosts: 34 (2008)
Users: 30,000 (2006)

Military expenditures: 5.5% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 2 years; majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service in Air Force and Navy is voluntary (2006)

Airports: 25 (2007)
With paved runways total: 8
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 17
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 9
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 7
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Railways
Standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)

Roadways
Total: 11,066 km
Paved: 2,966 km
Unpaved: 8,100 km (2006)

Ports and terminals: Nouadhibou Nouakchott

Disputes international: Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant