2010 Edition

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 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 ushered in a military council government. AZIZ was subsequently elected president in July 2009. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population (Afro-Mauritanians) and white and black Moor (Arab-Berber) communities, and is having to confront a growing terrorism threat by al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

Area

land

1,030,700 sq km

total

1,030,700 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Climate

desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Coastline

754 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Kediet Ijill 915 m

lowest point

Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m

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

Environment - 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 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

554 cu m/yr (2000)

total

1.7 cu km/yr (9%/3%/88%)

Geographic coordinates

20 00 N, 12 00 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

490 sq km (2002)

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

0.2%

other

99.79% (2005)

permanent crops

0.01%

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 hazards

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

Natural resources

iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

11.4 cu km (1997)

Age structure

0-14 years: 41% (male 643,436/female 638,793) 15-64 years: 55.7% (male 818,778/female 923,046) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 44,836/female 60,597) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

33.67 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

9 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

4.4% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.8% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

14,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

56.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

67.13 deaths/1,000 live births

total

61.94 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

62.99 years (2010 est.)

male

58.57 years

total population

60.75 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

43.4% (2000 census)

male

59.5%

total population

51.2%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies (2009)

degree of risk

high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory disease

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

malaria and Rift Valley fever

Median age

female

20.2 years (2010 est.)

male

18.5 years

total

19.3 years

Nationality

adjective

Mauritanian

noun

Mauritanian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

3,205,060 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

2.373% (2010 est.)

Religions

Muslim 100%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

8 years (2007)

male

8 years

total

8 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.37 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

41% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

13 regions (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza

Capital

geographic coordinates

18 07 N, 16 02 W

name

Nouakchott

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

12 July 1991

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Mark M. BOULWARE

embassy

288 Rue Abdallaye, Rue 42-100 (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott

FAX

[222] 525-1592

mailing address

BP 222, Nouakchott

telephone

[222] 525-2660 through 2663

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Mohamed Lemine EL HAYCEN

FAX

[1] (202) 319-2623

telephone

[1] (202) 232-5700 through 5701

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ (since 5 August 2009); note - AZIZ, who deposed democratically elected President Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI in a coup and installed himself as President of the High State Council on 6 August 2008, retired from the military and stepped down from the Presidency in April 2009 to run for president; he was elected president in an election held on 18 July 2009

election results

percent of vote - Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ 52.6%, Messaoud Ould BOULKHEIR 16.3%, Ahmed Ould DADDAH 13.7%, Other 17.4%

elections

following the August 2008 coup, the High State Council planned to hold a new presidential election in June 2009; the election was subsequently rescheduled to 18 July 2009 following the Dakar Accords, which brought Mauritania back to constitutional rule; under Mauritania's constitution, the president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 18 July 2009 (next to be held by 2014)

head of government

Prime Minister Moulaye Ould Mohamed LAGHDAF (since 14 August 2008)

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; the gold color stands for the sands of the Sahara

Government type

military junta

Independence

28 November 1960 (from France)

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, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; 53 members elected by municipal leaders and 3 members elected for Mauritanians abroad to serve six-year terms; a portion of seats up for election every two years) and the National Assembly or Al Jamiya Al Wataniya (95 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPM (Coalition of Majority Parties) 45, COD (Coordination of Democratic Opposition) 7, RNRD-TAWASSOUL 4; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPM 63 (UPR 50, PRDR 7, UDP 3, HATEM-PMUC 2, RD 1), COD 27 (RFD 9, UFP 6, APP 6, PNDD-ADIL 6), RNRD-TAWASSOUL 4, FP 1

elections

Senate - last held on November 2009; National Assembly - last held on 19 November and 3 December 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Baba Ould CHEIKH/traditional, arranged by Tolia NIKIPROWETZKY note: adopted 1960; the unique rhythm of the Mauritanian anthem makes it particularly challenging to sing

name

"Hymne National de la Republique Islamique de Mauritanie" (National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania)

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Political parties and leaders

Alternative or El-Badil [Mohamed Yahdhi Ould MOCTAR HACEN]; Coalition of Majority Parties or CPM (parties supporting the regime including PRDR, UPR, RD, HATEM-PMUC, UCD); Coordination of Democratic Opposition or COD (coalition of opposition political parties opposed to the government including APP, RFD, UFP, PNDD-ADIL, Alternative or El-Badil); Democratic Renewal or RD [Moustapha Ould ABDEIDARRAHMANE]; Mauritanian Party for Unity and Change or HATEM-PMUC [Saleh Ould HANENA]; National Pact for Democracy and Development or PNDD-ADIL [Yahya Ould Ahmed Ould WAGHEF] (independents formerly supporting President Abdellahi); National Rally for Freedom, Democracy and Equality or RNDLE; National Rally for Reform and Development/RNRD-TAWASSOUL [Mohamed Jamil MANSOUR] (moderate Islamists); 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]; Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR [Mintata Mint HDEID]; Socialist and Democratic Unity Party or PUDS; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]; Union for the Republic or UPR; Union of Democratic Center or UCD [Cheikh Sid'Ahmed Ould BABA]; Union of the Forces for Progress or UFP [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD];

Political pressure groups and leaders

General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general]; Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory Ould BEYE]; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

other

Arab nationalists; Ba'thists; Islamists

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep

Central bank discount rate

NA% (31 December 2009) 12% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

NA%

Current account balance

-$184 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$NA

Distribution of family income - Gini index

39 (2000) 37.3 (1995)

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. Before 2000, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and nearly all of its foreign debt has since been forgiven. A new investment code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Mauritania and the IMF agreed to a three-year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement in 2006. Mauritania made satisfactory progress, but the IMF, World Bank, and other international actors suspended assistance and investment in Mauritania after the August 2008 coup. Since the presidential election in July 2009, donors have resumed assistance. Oil prospects, while initially promising, have largely failed to materialize, and the government has placed a priority on attracting private investment to spur economic growth. The Government also emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and privatization of the economy.

Electricity - consumption

386.2 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

415.3 million kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar - 261.5 (2010 est.), 262.4 (2009), 238.2 (2008), 258.6 (2007), 271.3 (2006)

Exports

$1.395 billion (2006)

Exports - commodities

iron ore, fish and fish products, gold, copper, petroleum

Exports - partners

China 42.06%, Italy 9.71%, Japan 7.57%, Cote d'Ivoire 6.16%, Spain 5.63%, Netherlands 4.32% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

12.5%

industry

46.7%

services

40.7% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,100 (2010 est.) $2,100 (2009 est.) $2,100 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

5% (2010 est.) -1% (2009 est.) 3.5% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.486 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$6.8 billion (2010 est.) $6.476 billion (2009 est.) $6.542 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 29.5% (2000)

Imports

$1.475 billion (2006)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners

France 14.3%, Netherlands 10.33%, China 9.94%, Brazil 5.58%, Belgium 4.87%, Germany 4.04%, Spain 4.02% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2000 est.)

Industries

fish processing, oil production, mining of iron ore, gold, and copper note: gypsum deposits have never been exploited

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

7.3% (2007 est.)

Labor force

1.318 million (2007)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

50%

industry

10%

services

40% (2001 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

20,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

30,620 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

20,610 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

16,510 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

100 million bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

40% (2004 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$NA

Unemployment rate

30% (2008 est.) 20% (2004 est.)

Broadcast media

broadcast media state-owned; 1 state-run TV and 1 state-run radio network; Television de Mauritanie, the state-run TV station, has an additional 6 regional TV stations that provide local programming (2008)

Internet country code

.mr

Internet hosts

23 (2010)

Internet users

75,000 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

Mauritel, the national telecommunications company, was privatized in 2001 but remains the monopoly provider of fixed-line services; fixed-line teledensity 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular network coverage extends mainly to urban areas with a teledensity of 70 per 100 persons; mostly cable and open-wire lines; a domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals

general assessment

limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations; mobile-cellular services expanding rapidly

international

country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean, 2 Arabsat); optical-fiber and Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) cables for internet access (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

74,500 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.182 million (2009)

Airports

28 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

Railways

728 km

standard gauge

728 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

paved

2,966 km

total

11,066 km

unpaved

8,100 km (2006)

Waterways

some navigation possible on Senegal River (2010)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 699,028 females age 16-49: 783,108 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 464,959 females age 16-49: 562,765 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

36,035 (2010 est.)

male

35,322

Military branches

Mauritanian Armed Forces

Army, Mauritanian Navy (Marine Mauritanienne; includes naval infantry), Islamic Air Force of Mauritania (Force Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2010)

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)

Disputes - international

Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Mauritania is a source and destination country for children trafficked for forced labor and sexual exploitation; slavery-related practices, rooted in ancestral master-slave relationships, continue to exist in isolated parts of the country; Mauritanian boys called talibe are trafficked within the country by religious teachers for forced begging; children are also trafficked by street gangs within the country that force them to steal, beg, and sell drugs; girls are trafficked internally for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation; women and children from neighboring states are trafficked into Mauritania for purposes of forced begging, domestic servitude, and sexual exploitation

tier rating

Tier 3 - the Government of Mauritania does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the government did not show evidence of overall progress in prosecuting and punishing trafficking offenders, protecting trafficking victims, and preventing new incidents of trafficking during the past year; progress that the previous government demonstrated in 2007 through enactment of strengthened anti-slavery legislation and deepened political will to eliminate slavery and trafficking has stalled; law enforcement efforts to address human trafficking including traditional slavery practices decreased (2009) page last updated on January 26, 2011 ======================================================================