1987 Edition

Boundary disputes

none; Western Sahara question with Morocco

none; claims island of Diego Garcia in UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory; claims Frenchadministered Tromelin Island

Climate

desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

tropical modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Coastline

754 km

177 km

Comparative area

about the size of California and Texas combined

smaller than Rhode Island

Continental shelf

edge of continental margin or 200 nm

edge of continental margin or 200 nm

Environment

hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; desertification; only perennial river is the Senegal

subject to cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs Special] notes: none

Extended economic zone

200 nm

200 nm

Land boundaries

5,118 km total

Land use

NEGL% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 38% meadows and pastures; 15% forest and woodland; 47% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

54% arable land; 4% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures; 31% forest and woodland; 7% other; includes 9% irrigated

Member of

AfDB, AIOEC, Arab League, 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

Special notes

none

Terrain

mostly barren, flat plains of Sahara Desert; some central hills

small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling central plateau

Territorial sea

70 nm

12 nm

Total area

1,080,700 km?; land area: 1,030,400 km?

1,860 km?; land area: 1,850 km?

Ethnic divisions

40% mixed Moor/black; 80% Moor, 30% black

68% Indo-Mauritian, 27% Creole, 3% Sino-Mauritian, 2% FrancoMauritian

Infant mortality rate

136/1,000 (1983)

28/1,000 (1985)

Labor force

total labor force 465,000 (1981 est.); about 45,000 wage earners (1980 IMF); 47% agriculture, 29% services, 14% industry and commerce, 10% government; considerable unemployment

335,000; 29% government services, 27% agriculture and fishing, 22% manufacturing, 22% other; about 15-20% unemployed

Language

Hasaniya Arabic (national), French (official); Toucouleur, Fula, Sarakole, Wolof

English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori

Life expectancy

men 44, women 47

67

Literacy

17%

79%

Nationality

noun—Mauritanian(s); adjective—Mauritanian

noun—Mautritian(s); adjective—Mauritian

Organized labor

30,000 members claimed by single union, Mauritanian Workers’ Union

about 35% of labor force, forming over 270 unions

Population

1,863,208 (July 1987), average annual growth rate 2.91%

1,079,627 (July 1987), average annual growth rate 1.87%

Religion

nearly 100% Muslim

51% Hindu, 30% Christian (mostly Roman Catholic with a few Anglicans), 17% Muslim

Administrative divisions

12 regions and a capital district

5 organized municipalities and various island dependencies

Branches

executive, Military Committee for National Salvation rules by decree; National Assembly and judiciary suspended pending restoration of civilian rule

executive power exercised by Prime Minister and 19-member Council of Ministers; unicameral legislature (Legislative Assembly) with 62 members elected by direct suffrage, eight specially elected under the so called best loser system

Capital

Nouakchott

Port Louis

Communists

no Communist Party, but there is a scattering of Maoist sympathizers

may be 2,000 sympathizers; several Communist organizations; Mauritius Lenin Youth Organization, Mauritius Women’s Committee, Mauritius Communist Party, Mauritius People’s Progressive Party, Mauritius Young Communist League, Mauritius Liberation Front, Chinese Middle Schoo! Friendly Association, Mauritius/USSR Friendship Society

Elections

municipal elections conducted December 1986; last presidential election August 1976 Political parties and leaders: suspended

legislative August 1983 Political parties and leaders: the government is currently controlled by a coalition composed of the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) led by A. Jugnauth, the Mauritian Social Democratic Party (PMSD) led by G. Duval, the Mauritian Workers’ Assembly (RTM) led by Beergoonath Ghurburrun, and the Mauritian Labor Party (MLP) faction, led by party head S. Boolell; the main opposition party is the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) led by P. Bérenger.

Government leader

Col. Maaouiya Ould Sid Ahmed Ould TAYA, President and Prime Minister (since December 1984)

Aneerood JUGNAUTH, Prime Minister (since June 1982)

Legal system

based on Islamic law; military constitution April 1979

based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas; constitution adopted 6 March 1968

Member of

AfDB, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, ISO, ITU, IWC—International Wheat Council, NAM, OAU, OCAM, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 November

Independence Day, 12 March

Official name

Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Mauritius

Other political or pressure groups

various labor unions

Suffrage

universal for adults

universal over age 18

Type

republic; military first seized power in bloodless coup 10 July 1978; a palace coup that took place on 12 December 1984 brought the President to power

independent state, recognizing Elizabeth II as Chief of State

Voting strength

MSM, 30 of 70 seats in the Assembly; MMM, 21; MLP, 11; PMSD, 4; OPR, 2; and independents, 2

Agriculture

most Mauritanians are nomads or subsistence farmers; livestock, cereals, vegetables, dates; cash crop—gum arabic

sugar crop is a major economic asset; about 90% of cultivated land area is planted in sugar; also sugar derivatives, tea, tobacco; most food imported

Budget

$225 million budgeted in 1984; $184 million revenues (planned 1984)

as percent of GDP, revenues 22.7%, external grants 1.6%, current expenditures 23.7%; capital expenditures, 4.9% (1986/87)

Electric power

57,000 kW capacity; 74 million kWh produced, 43 kWh per capita (1986)

237,000 kW capacity; 373 million kWh produced, 370 kWh per capita (1986)

Exports

$340 million (f.0.b., 1986); iron ore, processed fish, and small amounts of gum arabic and gypsum; also unrecorded but numerically significant cattle exports to Senegal

$442 million (merchandise, f.o.b., 1985); sugar about 40%, Export Processing Zone exports about 50%

Fiscal year

calendar year

1 July-30 June

Fishing

catch, 53,800 metric tons (1983)

GDP

$1.0 billion, $940 per capita; 6% real growth rate (1985/86 est.)

GNP

$800 million, $450 per capita (1985 est.)

Imports

$250 million (f.0.b., 1986); foodstuffs and other consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods

$463 million (f.o.b., 1985); food, petroleum products, manufactured goods

Major industries

mining of iron ore and gypsum, fish processing

mainly food manufacturing (largely sugar milling), textiles and wearing apparel, chemical and chemical products, metal products, transport equipment, and nonelectrical machinery

Major trade partners

France and other EC members, Senegal, and US

all EC countries and US have preferential treatment, UK buys almost all of Mauritius’s sugar export at subsidized prices; small amount of sugar exported to Canada, US, and Italy; nonoil imports from UK and EC primarily, also from South Africa, Australia, US, and Japan; some minor trade with China

Monetary conversion rate

73.7 ouguiyas=US$1 (30 September 1986)

13.34 Mauritian rupees=US$1 (November 1986)

Natural resources

iron ore, gypsum, fish

Airfields

31 total, 30 usable; 10 with permanent-surface runways; 4 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 16 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

5 total, 4 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m

Civil air

2 major transport aircraft

8 major transport aircraft

Highways

7,540 km total; 1,350 km paved; 710 km gravel, crushed stone, or otherwise improved; 5,480 km unimproved

2,000 km total; 1,200 km paved, 800 km earth

Inland waterways

800 km

Ports

2 major (Nouadhibou and Nouakchott)

1 major (Port Louis)

Railroads

740 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, single track, privately owned

Telecommunications

poor system of cable and open-wire lines, minor radiorelay links, and radio communications stations; 5,200 telephones (0.3 per 100 popl.); 2 AM, no FM, 1 TV stations; 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 ARABSAT satellite ground stations

small system with good service; new microwave link to Reunion; high-frequency radio links to several countries; 48,000 telephones (4.7 per 100 popl.); 2 AM, no FM, 4 TV stations; 1 Indian Ocean satellite station

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary Gendarmerie, paramilitary National Guard, paramilitary National Police, paramilitary Presidential Guard, paramilitary Nomad Security Guards

paramilitary Special Mobile Force, Special Support Units, regular Police Force

Military budget

for fiscal year ending 30 June 1983, $13.45 million; 3.2% of central government budget

Military manpower

males 15-49, 412,000; 200,000 fit for military service; conscription law not implemented Mauritius Agalaga Islands. Cargedoa Carajos Shoals, and Rodriguas ara not shown eit ° Goodlands Triolat Indian Ocean Quatre Bornes Indian * , coceive Ocean

males 15-49, 297,000, 154,000 fit for military service