1994 Edition

Administrative divisions

12 regions (regions, singular - region); Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh ech Chargui, Hodh el Gharbi, Inchiri, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza note: there may be a new capital district of Nouakchott

Agriculture

accounts for 25% of GDP (including fishing); largely subsistence farming and nomadic cattle and sheep herding except in Senegal river valley; crops - dates, millet, sorghum, root crops; fish products number-one export; large food deficit in years of drought

Airports

total: 28 usable: 28 with permanent-surface runways: 9 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 5 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 17

Area

total area: 1,030,700 sq km land area: 1,030,400 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Birth rate

47.65 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard

Budget

revenues: $280 million expenditures: $346 million, including capital expenditures of $61 million (1989 est.)

Capital

Nouakchott

Climate

desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Coastline

754 km

Constitution

12 July 1991

Currency

1 ouguiya (UM) = 5 khoums

Death rate

16.09 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $40 million, 4.2% of GDP (1989)

Digraph

MR

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Fall Ould AININA chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 232-5700

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $168 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.3 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $490 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $277 million; Arab Development Bank (1991), $20 million

Electricity

capacity: 190,000 kW production: 135 million kWh consumption per capita: 70 kWh (1991)

Environment

current issues: overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; water scarcity away from the Senegal which is the only perennial river natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Ethnic divisions

mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%

Exchange rates

ouguiyas (UM) per US$1 - 124.480 (December 1993), 87.082 (1992), 81.946 (1991), 80.609 (1990), 83.051 (1989)

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984); election last held January 1992 (next to be held January 1998); results - President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid 'Ahmed TAYA elected cabinet: Council of Ministers

Exports

$432 million (f.o.b., 1992 est) commodities: iron ore, fish and fish products partners: Japan 27%, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg

External debt

$1.9 billion (1992 est.)

FAX

[222] (2) 515-92

Fiscal year

calendar year

Flag

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

Highways

total: 7,525 km paved: 1,685 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, otherwise improved 1,040 km; unimproved earth 4,800 km (roads, trails, tracks)

Imports

$413 million (c.i.f., 1992 est) commodities: foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods partners: Algeria 15%, China 6%, US 3%, France, Germany, Spain, Italy

Independence

28 November 1960 (from France)

Industrial production

growth rate 4.4% (1988 est.); accounts for almost 30% of GDP

Industries

fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Infant mortality rate

85.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

11.5% (1993 est.)

Inland waterways

mostly ferry traffic on the Senegal River

International disputes

boundary with Senegal

Irrigated land

120 sq km (1989 est.)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Labor force

465,000 (1981 est.); 45,000 wage earners (1980) by occupation: agriculture 47%, services 29%, industry and commerce 14%, government 10% note: 53% of population of working age (1985)

Land boundaries

total 5,074 km, Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km

Land use

arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 38% forest and woodland: 5% other: 56%

Languages

Hasaniya Arabic (official), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (official)

Legal system

three-tier system

Islamic (Shari'a) courts, special courts, state security courts (in the process of being eliminated)

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 48.06 years male: 45.23 years female: 51.01 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 10 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 34% male: 47% female: 21%

Location

Northern Africa, along the North Atlantic Ocean, between Western Sahara and Senegal

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 467,677; fit for military service 228,385

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Member of

ABEDA, ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Merchant marine

1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,290 GRT/1,840 DWT

Names

conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania conventional short form: Mauritania local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah local short form: Muritaniyah

National Assembly (Majlis al-Watani)

elections last held 6 and 13 March 1992 (next to be held March 1997)

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $2.2 billion (1992 est.)

National product per capita

$1,050 (1992 est.)

National product real growth rate

3.3% (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian

Natural resources

iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Note

most of the population concentrated along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country

Other political or pressure groups

Mauritanian Workers Union (UTM)

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 substantial buildup of foreign debt. The government has begun the second stage of an economic reform program in consultation with the World Bank, the IMF, and major donor countries.

Political parties and leaders

legalized by constitution passed 12 July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based; emerging parties include Democratic and Social Republican Party (PRDS), led by President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed TAYA; Union of Democratic Forces - New Era (UFD/NE), headed by Ahmed Ould DADDAH; Assembly for Democracy and Unity (RDU), Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA; Popular Social and Democratic Union (UPSD), Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH; Mauritanian Party for Renewal (PMR), Hameida BOUCHRAYA; National Avant-Garde Party (PAN), Khattry Ould JIDDOU; Mauritanian Party of the Democratic Center (PCDM), Bamba Ould SIDI BADI

Population

2,192,777 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

3.16% (1994 est.)

Ports

Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

Railroads

690 km 1.435-meter (standard) gauge, single track, owned and operated by government mining company

Religions

Muslim 100%

Senate (Majlis al-Shuyukh)

elections last held 15 April 1994 (one-third of the seats up for re-election in 1996)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telecommunications

poor system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radio communications stations (improvements being made); broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 2 ARABSAT, with six planned

Terrain

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

Total fertility rate

6.99 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

republic

Unemployment rate

20% (1991 est.)

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon S. BROWN embassy: address NA, Nouakchott mailing address: B. P. 222, Nouakchott telephone: [222] (2) 526-60 or 526-63