1996 Edition

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

Location

20 00 N, 12 00 W -- Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

land area

1,030,400 sq km

total area

1,030,700 sq km

Climate

desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Coastline

754 km

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

international agreements

party to - Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification, Law of the Sea

natural hazards

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

Geographic coordinates

20 00 N, 12 00 W

Geographic note

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

International disputes

boundary with Senegal in dispute

Irrigated land

120 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

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

total

5,074 km

Land use

arable land

1%

forest and woodland

5%

meadows and pastures

38%

other

56%

permanent crops

0%

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate

Terrain

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

highest point

Kediet Ijill 910 m

lowest point

Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 48% (male 568,828; female 562,342) 15-64 years: 49% (male 560,540; female 592,914) 65 years and over: 3% (male 21,753; female 29,671) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

46.92 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

15.24 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

81.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

52.06 years (1996 est.)

male

46.09 years

total population

49.01 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

26.3%

male

49.6%

total population

37.7%

Nationality

adjective

Mauritanian

noun

Mauritanian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

2,336,048 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

3.17% (1996 est.)

Religions

Muslim 100%

Sex ratio

all ages

0.97 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.04 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

6.84 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Capital

Nouakchott

Constitution

12 July 1991

Data code

MR

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Ismail Ould IYAHI

telephone

[1] (202) 232-5700

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers

chief of state

President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984) was reelected for a six-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 17 January 1992 (next to be held NA January 1998); results - President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA was reelected

head of government

Prime Minister Cheikh El Afia Ould Mohamed KHOUNA (since NA January 1996) was appointed by the president

FAX

[222] (2) 515-92

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

Independence

28 November 1960 (from France)

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, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Legal system

three-tier system: Islamic (Shari'a) courts, special courts, and state security courts (in the process of being eliminated)

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature

Name of country

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 NA March 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (79 total) UFD/NE 67, PMR 1, RDU 1, independents 10

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Other political or pressure groups

Mauritanian Workers Union (UTM)

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

Senate (Majlis al-Shuyukh)

elections last held 15 April 1994 (next to be held 12 April 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats (56 total, with 17 up for election every two years) PRDS 16, UFD/NE 1

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Dorothy Myers SAMPAS

embassy

address NA, Nouakchott

mailing address

B. P. 222, Nouakchott

telephone

[222] (2) 526-60, 526-63

Agriculture

dates, millet, sorghum, root crops; cattle, sheep; fish products

Budget

expenditures

$280 million, including capital expenditures of $94 million (1994 est.)

revenues

$254 million

Currency

1 ouguiya (UM) = 5 khoums

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

Economic 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. Short-term growth prospects are gloomy because of the heavy debt service burden, rapid population growth, and vulnerability to climatic conditions.

Electricity

capacity

110,000 kW

consumption per capita

61 kWh (1993)

production

135 million kWh

Exchange rates

ouguiyas (UM) per US$1 - 135.690 (January 1996), 129.768 (1995), 123.575 (1994), 120.806 (1993), 87.027 (1992), 81.946 (1991)

Exports

$390 million (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities

iron ore, fish and fish products

partners

Japan 27%, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg

External debt

$1.9 billion (1992 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $2.8 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

27.1%

industry

29.5%

services

43.4% (1993 est.)

GDP per capita

$1,200 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

4% (1995 est.)

Imports

$355 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.)

commodities

foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods

partners

Algeria 15%, China 6%, US 3%, France, Germany, Spain, Italy

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.5% (1995 est.)

Labor force

465,000 (1981 est.); 45,000 wage earners (1980)

by occupation

agriculture 47%, services 29%, industry and commerce 14%, government 10%

Unemployment rate

20% (1991 est.)

Branches

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

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $33 million, 2.5% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

500,754

males fit for military service

244,546 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

300,000 (1993 est.)

Telephone system

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

domestic

mostly cable and open-wire lines

international

satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Telephones

17,000 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1987 est.)

Televisions

50,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Airports

total

24

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

4

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

3

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

1

with paved runways under 914 m

2

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

4

with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

1

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

9 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

1,342 km

total

7,496 km

unpaved

6,154 km (1987 est.)

Merchant marine

none

Ports

Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso

Railways

standard gauge

704 km 1.435-m gauge (1995)

total

704 km (single track); note - owned and operated by government mining company

Waterways

mostly ferry traffic on the Senegal River