Background: Berbers moved south into the area of today's Mauritania beginning in the 3rd century. Beginning in the 8th century, Mauritania experienced a slow but constant infiltration of Arabs and Arab influence from the north, pressing the Berbers, who resisted assimilation, to move farther south. One particular Arab group, the Bani Hassan, continued to migrate southward until, by the end of the 17th century, they dominated the entire country. Having finally been defeated, Berber groups turned to clericalism to regain a degree of ascendancy. At the bottom of the social structure were the slaves, subservient to both the Arabic warriors and Islamic Berber holy men. All of the social rivalries were fully exploited by the French as they colonized Mauritania in the late 19th century. 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 more than 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 military junta led by General Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ deposed him and installed a military council government. AZIZ was subsequently elected president in 2009 and reelected in 2014 to a second and final term. He was replaced in 2019 by Mohamed Cheikh El GHAZOUANI. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions among three major groups: Arabic-speaking descendants of slaves (Haratines), Arabic-speaking 'White Moors' (Beydane), and members of Sub-Saharan ethnic groups mostly originating in the Senegal River valley (Halpulaar, Soninke, and Wolof).

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 12 00 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 1,030,700 km²
Land: 1,030,700 km²
Water: 0 km²
Rank: 30
Comparative: slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico; about six times the size of Florida

Land boundaries
Total: 5,002 km
Border countries: (4) Algeria 460 km; , Mali 2,236 km; , Senegal 742 km; , Western Sahara 1564 km

Coastline: 754 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 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
Mean elevation: 276 m
Lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
Highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 38.5% (2011 est.)
Forest: 0.2% (2011 est.)
Other: 61.3% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 450 km² (2012)

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

Geography
Note: Mauritania is considered both a part of North Africa's Maghreb region and West Africa's Sahel region; most of the population is concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country

Population
Distribution rank: population distribution map: 4,005,475 (July 2020 est.)
Rank: 128
Growth rate: 2.09% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 41
Below poverty line: 31% (2014 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Mauritanian(s)
Adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic groups: Black Moors (Haratines - Arab-speaking slaves, former slaves, and their descendants of African origin, enslaved by white Moors) 40%, White Moors (of Arab-Berber descent, known as Beydane) 30%, Sub-Saharan Mauritanians (non-Arabic speaking, largely resident in or originating from the Senegal River Valley, including Halpulaar, Fulani, Soninke, Wolof, and Bambara ethnic groups) 30%

Languages: Arabic (official and national), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French
Note: the spoken Arabic in Mauritania differs considerably from the modern standard Arabic used for official written purposes or in the media; the Mauritanian dialect, which incorporates many Berber words, is referred to as Hassaniya

Religions: Muslim (official) 100%

Demographic profile: With a sustained total fertility rate of about 4 children per woman and almost 60% of the population under the age of 25, Mauritania's population is likely to continue growing for the foreseeable future. Mauritania's large youth cohort is vital to its development prospects, but available schooling does not adequately prepare students for the workplace. Girls continue to be underrepresented in the classroom, educational quality remains poor, and the dropout rate is high. The literacy rate is only about 50%, even though access to primary education has improved since the mid-2000s. Women's restricted access to education and discriminatory laws maintain gender inequality - worsened by early and forced marriages and female genital cutting.

Age structure
0-14 years: 37.56% (male 755,788/female 748,671)
15-24 years: 19.71% (male 387,140/female 402,462)
25-54 years: 33.91% (male 630,693/female 727,518)
55-64 years: 4.9% (male 88,888/female 107,201)
65 years and over: 3.92% (male 66,407/female 90,707) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 75
Youth dependency ratio: 69.5
Elderly dependency ratio: 5.6
Potential support ratio: 18 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 21 years
Male: 20.1 years
Female: 22 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 187

Population growth rate: 2.09% (2020 est.)
Rank: 41

Birth rate: 29 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 36

Death rate: 7.5 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 104

Net migration rate: -0.8 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 134

Population distribution
Rank: population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 55.3% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 4.28% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 1.315 million NOUAKCHOTT (capital) (2020)

Environment
Current issues: overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; limited natural freshwater 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(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.83 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 47.9 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 52.5 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 43.1 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 25

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 64.5 years
Male: 62.1 years
Female: 67 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 201

Total fertility rate: 3.65 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 37

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 17.8% (2015)

Drinking water source
Urban: 1.3% of population
Rural: 31.6% of population
Total: 15.6% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: 4.4% (2017)

Physicians density: 0.18 physicians/1000 population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 16.5% of population
Rural: 74.8% of population
Total: 44% of population (2017 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2019 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 105
People living with hivaids: 5,700 (2019 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 121
Deaths note: <500 (2019 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high (2020)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
Animal contact diseases: rabies
Respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 12.7% (2016)
Rank: 132

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 19.2% (2018)
Rank: 24

Education expenditures: 1.9% of GDP (2019)
Rank: 163

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 53.5%
Male: 63.7%
Female: 43.4% (2017)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 9 years
Male: 9 years
Female: 10 years (2019)

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
Etymology: named for the ancient kingdom of Mauretania (3rd century B.C. to 1st century A.D.) and the subsequent Roman province (1st-7th centuries A.D.), which existed further north in present-day Morocco; the name derives from the Mauri (Moors), the Berber-speaking peoples of northwest Africa

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Nouakchott
Geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 15 58 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time): etymology: may derive from the Berber 'nawakshut' meaning 'place of the winds'

Administrative divisions: 15 regions (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott Nord, Nouakchott Ouest, Nouakchott Sud, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza

Independence: 28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Constitution
History: previous 1964; latest adopted 12 July 1991
Amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; consideration of amendments by Parliament requires approval of at least one third of the membership; a referendum is held only if the amendment is approved by two-thirds majority vote; passage by referendum requires simple majority vote by eligible voters; passage of amendments proposed by the president can bypass a referendum if approved by at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament; amended many times, last in 2017 (by referendum)

Legal system: mixed legal system of Islamic and French civil law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Mauritania
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Mohamed Cheikh El GHAZOUANI (since 1 August 2019)
Head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Ould BILAL (since 6 August 2020) 
Cabinet: Council of Ministers - nominees suggested by the prime minister, appointed by the president 
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 22 June 2019 (next scheduled for 22 June 2024); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: Mohamed Cheikh El GHAZOUANI elected president in first round; percent of vote - Mahamed Cheikh El GHAZOUANI (UPR) 52%, Biram Dah Ould ABEID (independent) 18.6%, Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBACAR (independent) 17.9%, other 11.55%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament or Barlamane consists of the National Assembly or Al Jamiya Al Wataniya (157 seats; 113 members in single- and multi-seat constituencies directly elected by a combination of plurality and proportional representation voting systems, 40 members in a single, nationwide constituency directly elected by proportional representation vote, and 4 members directly elected by the diaspora; all members serve 5-year terms)
Elections: first held as the unicameral National Assembly in 2 rounds on 1 and 15 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023)
Election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA
Note: a referendum held in August 2017 approved a constitutional amendment to change the Parliament structure from bicameral to unicameral by abolishing the Senate and creating Regional Councils for local development

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (subdivided into 7 chambers: 2 civil, 2 labor, 1 commercial, 1 administrative, and 1 criminal, each with a chamber president and 2 councilors ); Constitutional Council (consists of 6 members)
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by the president of the republic to serve a 5-year renewable term; Constitutional Council members appointed - 3 by the president of the republic, 2 by the president of the National Assembly, and 1 by the president of the Senate; members serve single, 9-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 3 years
Subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; courts of first instance or wilya courts are established in the regions headquarters and include commercial and labor courts, criminal courts, Moughataa (district) Courts, and informal/customary courts

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal or AJD/MR [Ibrahima Moctar SARR]Burst of Youth for the Nation [Lalla Mint CHERIF]Coalition of Majority Parties or CPM (includes UPR, UDP)El Karama Party [Cheikhna Ould Mohamed Ould HAJBOU]El Vadila Party [Ethmane Ould Ahmed ABOULMAALY]National Forum for Democracy and Unity or FNDU [Mohamed Ould MAOLOUD] (coalition of hard-line opposition parties, includes RNRD-TAWASSOUL)National Rally for Reform and Development or RNRD-TAWASSOUL [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould SEYIDI]Party of Unity and Development or PUD [Mohamed BARO]Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messaoud Ould BOULKHEIR]Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]Ravah Party [ Mohamed Ould VALL]Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR [Mintata Mint HEDEID]Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]Union of Progress Forces [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]Union for the Republic or UPR [Seyidna Ali Ould MOHAMED KHOUNA]

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU (candidate), EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MIUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamedoun DADDAH (since 27 June 2016)
In the us chancery: 2,129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 232-5,700 through 5,701
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 319-2,623
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. DODMAN (since 5 January 2018)
From the us telephone: [222] 4,525-2,660 or [222] 2,660-2,663
From the us embassy:
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us FAX: [222] 4,525-1592

Flag description: green with a yellow, five-pointed star between the horns of a yellow, upward-pointing crescent moon; red stripes along the top and bottom edges; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; green also represents hope for a bright future; the yellow color stands for the sands of the Sahara; red symbolizes the blood shed in the struggle for independence

National symbols: five-pointed star between the horns of a horizontal crescent moon; national colors: green, yellow

National anthem
Name: Hymne National de la Republique Islamique de Mauritanie (National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania)
Lyricsmusic: Baba Ould CHEIKH/traditional, arranged by Tolia NIKIPROWETZKY
Note: adopted 1960; the unique rhythm of the Mauritanian anthem makes it particularly challenging to sing; Mauritania in November 2017 adopted a new national anthem, 'Bilada-l ubati-l hudati-l kiram' (The Country of Fatherhood is the Honorable Gift) composed by Rageh Daoud (sound file of the new anthem is forthcoming)

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real:
Real note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 85

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2010 dollars
Rank: 226

Gross national saving:
Rank: 68

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 64.9% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 21.8% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 56.1% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: -3.2% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 39% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -78.6% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 27.8% (2017 est.)
Industry: 29.3% (2017 est.)
Services: 42.9% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, camel and sheep

Industries: fish processing, oil production, mining (iron ore, gold, copper)
Note: gypsum deposits have never been exploited

Industrial production growth rate: 1% (2017 est.)
Rank: 157

Labor force: 1.437 million (2017 est.)
Rank: 129
By occupation agriculture: 50%
By occupation industry: 1.9%
By occupation services: 48.1% (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 150

Population below poverty line: 31% (2014 est.)

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

Budget
Revenues: 1.354 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 1.396 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -0.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 69

Taxes and other revenues: 27.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 100

Public debt:
Rank: 21

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 120

Current account balance:
Rank: 133

Exports:
Rank: 185
Partners: China 31.2%, Switzerland 14.4%, Spain 10.1%, Germany 8.2%, Japan 8.1% (2017)
Commodities: iron ore, fish and fish products, livestock, gold, copper, crude oil

Imports:
Rank: 204
Commodities: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods
Partners: Belgium 11.5%, UAE 11.3%, US 9.2%, China 7.5%, France 7.4%, Netherlands 6.1%, Morocco 6%, Slovenia 4.8%, Vanuatu 4.7%, Spain 4.7% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 138

Debt external:
Rank: 138

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access population without electricity: 3 million (2019)
Access electrification total population: 32% (2019)
Access electrification urban areas: 56% (2019)
Access electrification rural areas: 4% (2019)
Production: 1.139 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 147
Consumption: 1.059 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 154
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 169
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 173
Installed generating capacity: 558,000 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 144
Generation sources fossil fuels: 65% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 117
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 141
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 16% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 100
Generation sources other renewable sources: 20% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 39

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 4,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 81
Crude oil exports: 5,333 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 65
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 164
Crude oil proven reserves: 20 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 83

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 176
Products consumption: 17,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 150
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 180
Products imports: 17,290 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 133

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 169
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 174
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 150
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 156
Proven reserves: 28.32 billion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 70

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 2.615 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 152

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 53,742
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.37 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 158
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 4,083,199
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 104.09 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 130

Broadcast media: 10 TV stations: 5 government-owned and 5 private; in October 2017, the government suspended all private TV stations due to non-payment of broadcasting fees; as of April 2018, only one private TV station was broadcasting, Al Mourabitoune, the official TV of the Mauritanian Islamist party, Tewassoul; the other stations are negotiating payment options with the government and hope to be back on the air soon; 18 radio broadcasters: 15 government-owned, 3 (Radio Nouakchott Libre, Radio Tenwir, Radio Kobeni) private; all 3 private radio stations broadcast from Nouakchott; of the 15 government stations, 3 broadcast from Nouakchott (Radio Mauritanie, Radio Jeunesse, Radio Koran) and the other 12 broadcast from each of the 12 regions outside Nouakchott; Radio Jeunesse and Radio Koran are now also being re-broadcast in the regions (2019)

Internet
Country code: .mr
Users total: 798,809
Users percent of population: 20.8% (July 2018 est.)
Users rank: 145

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 13,222 (2018 est.)
Rank: 163

Military expenditures:
Rank: 31

Military and security forces: Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Mauritanian Navy (Marine Mauritanienne), Islamic Republic of Mauritania Air Group (Groupement Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, GAIM); Ministry of Interior: Gendarmerie, National Guard (2019)

Military service age and obligation: 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 454,435 (2018)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 5T (2016)

Airports: 30 (2013)
Rank: 114
With paved runways total: 9 (2017)
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 5 (2017)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 21 (2013)
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 10 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 8 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 2 (2013)

Railways
Total: 728 km (2014)
Standard gauge: 728 km
Note: 1.435-m gauge (2014)
Rank: 100

Roadways
Total: 12,253 km (2018)
Paved: 3,988 km (2018)
Unpaved: 8,265 km (2018)
Rank: 131

Waterways
Note: (some navigation possible on the Senegal River) (2011)

Merchant marine
Total: 5
By type: general cargo 2, other 3 (2019)
Rank: 165

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

Disputes international: Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 26,001 (Western Saharan Sahrawis) (2019); 60,455 (Mali) (2020)