2019 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 installed a military council government. AZIZ was subsequently elected president in July 2009 and sworn in the following month. AZIZ sustained injuries from an accidental shooting by his own troops in October 2012 but has continued to maintain his authority. He was reelected in 2014 to a second and final term as president (according to the present constitution). AZIZ will be replaced through elections scheduled for June 2019. 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). Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) launched a series of attacks in Mauritania between 2005 and 2011, murdering American and foreign tourists and aid workers, attacking diplomatic and government facilities, and ambushing Mauritanian soldiers and gendarmes. A successful strategy against terrorism that combines dialogue with the terrorists and military actions has prevented the country from further terrorist attacks since 2011. However, AQIM and similar groups remain active in neighboring Mali and elsewhere in the Sahel region and continue to pose a threat to Mauritanians and foreign visitors.

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; about six times the size of Florida

Climate

desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Coastline

754 km

Elevation

Highest Point

Kediet Ijill 915 m

Lowest Point

Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m

Mean Elevation

276 m

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

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

Geographic Coordinates

20 00 N, 12 00 W

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

Irrigated Land

450 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

Border Countries

Algeria 460 km, Mali 2236 km, Senegal 742 km, Western Sahara 1564 km

Total

5,002 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

38.5% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

0.4% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

0% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

38.1% (2011 est.)

Forest

0.2% (2011 est.)

Other

61.3% (2011 est.)

Location

Western 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 primarily in March and April; periodic droughts

Natural Resources

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

Population Distribution

with most of the country being a desert, vast areas of the country, particularly in the central, northern, and eastern areas, are without sizeable population clusters; half the population lives in or around the coastal capital of Nouakchott; smaller clusters are found near the southern border with Mali and Senegal

Terrain

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

Age Structure

0 14 Years

38.24% (male 737,570 /female 730,969)

15 24 Years

19.78% (male 372,070 /female 387,375)

25 54 Years

33.44% (male 595,472 /female 688,620)

55 64 Years

4.74% (male 82,197 /female 99,734)

65 Years And Over

3.81% (male 62,072 /female 84,350) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

29.9 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

24.9% (2015)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

17.8% (2015)

Current Health Expenditure

4.2% (2016)

Death Rate

7.8 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

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. The denial of education to black Moors also helps to perpetuate slavery. Although Mauritania abolished slavery in 1981 (the last country in the world to do so) and made it a criminal offense in 2007, the millenniums-old practice persists largely because anti-slavery laws are rarely enforced and the custom is so ingrained. According to a 2018 nongovernmental organization's report, a little more than 2% of Mauritania's population is enslaved, which includes individuals sujbected to forced labor and forced marriage, although many thousands of individuals who are legally free contend with discrimination, poor education, and a lack of identity papers and, therefore, live in de facto slavery. The UN and international press outlets have claimed that up to 20% of Mauritania's population is enslaved, which would be the highest rate worldwide. Drought, poverty, and unemployment have driven outmigration from Mauritania since the 1970s. Early flows were directed toward other West African countries, including Senegal, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, and Gambia. The 1989 Mauritania-Senegal conflict forced thousands of black Mauritanians to take refuge in Senegal and pushed labor migrants toward the Gulf, Libya, and Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Mauritania has accepted migrants from neighboring countries to fill labor shortages since its independence in 1960 and more recently has received refugees escaping civil wars, including tens of thousands of Tuaregs who fled Mali in 2012. Mauritania was an important transit point for sub-Saharan migrants moving illegally to North Africa and Europe. In the mid-2000s, as border patrols increased in the Strait of Gibraltar, security increased around Spain's North African enclaves (Ceuta and Melilla), and Moroccan border controls intensified, illegal migration flows shifted from the Western Mediterranean to Spain's Canary Islands. In 2006, departure points moved southward along the West African coast from Morocco and Western Sahara to Mauritania's two key ports (Nouadhibou and the capital Nouakchott), and illegal migration to the Canaries peaked at almost 32,000. The numbers fell dramatically in the following years because of joint patrolling off the West African coast by Frontex (the EU's border protection agency), Spain, Mauritania, and Senegal; the expansion of Spain's border surveillance system; and the 2008 European economic downturn.

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

5.5 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

18.3 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

76.5 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

71 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

57.1% of population

Improved Total

57.9% of population

Improved Urban

58.4% of population

Unimproved Rural

42.9% of population

Unimproved Total

42.1% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

41.6% of population

Education Expenditures

2.6% of GDP (2016)

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%

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

0.2% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

<500 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

5,600 (2018 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

45.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

55.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

50.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

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

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

66.2 years

Male

61.4 years

Total Population

63.8 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Female

41.6% (2015)

Male

62.6%

Total Population

52.1%

Major Infectious Diseases

Animal Contact Diseases

rabies (2016)

Degree Of Risk

very high (2016)

Food Or Waterborne Diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)

Respiratory Diseases

meningococcal meningitis (2016)

Vectorborne Diseases

malaria and dengue fever (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

1.259 million NOUAKCHOTT (capital) (2019)

Maternal Mortality Rate

766 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

21.6 years

Male

19.7 years

Total

20.7 years (2018 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Mauritanian

Noun

Mauritanian(s)

Net Migration Rate

-0.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

12.7% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.18 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

3,840,429 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

2.14% (2018 est.)

Religions

Muslim (official) 100%

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

13.8% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

40% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

57.5% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

86.2% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

60% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

42.5% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

8 years (2017)

Male

8 years

Total

8 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.01 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

0.96 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

0.86 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

0.82 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.74 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.03 male(s)/female

Total Population

0.93 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

3.79 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

17% (2012 est.)

Male

14.1%

Total

15.2%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

4.28% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

54.5% of total population (2019)

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

Capital

Geographic Coordinates

18 04 N, 15 58 W

Name

Nouakchott

Time Difference

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

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

Constitution

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) (2019)

History

previous 1964; latest adopted 12 July 1991

Country Name

Conventional Long Form

Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Conventional Short Form

Mauritania

Etymology

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

Local Long Form

Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah

Local Short Form

Muritaniyah

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Michael J. DODMAN (since 5 January 2018)

Embassy

Avenue Al Quds, Nouadhibou, Nouadhibou Road, Nouakchott, Mauritania

Fax

[222] 4525-1592

Mailing Address

use embassy street address

Telephone

[222] 4525-2660 or [222] 2660-2663

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery

2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Mohamedoun DADDAH (since 27 June 2016)

Fax

[1] (202) 319-2623

Telephone

[1] (202) 232-5700 through 5701

Executive Branch

Cabinet

Council of Ministers - nominees suggested by the prime minister, appointed by the president

Chief Of State

President Mohamed Cheikh El GHAZOUANI (since 1 August 2019)

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%

Elections Appointments

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

Head Of Government

Prime Minister Ould Bedda Ould Cheikh SIDIYA (since 5 August 2019)

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

Government Type

presidential republic

Independence

28 November 1960 (from France)

International Law Organization Participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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

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

Legal System

mixed legal system of Islamic and French civil law

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)

Election Results

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA

Elections

first held as the unicameral National Assembly in 2 rounds on 1 and 15 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music

Baba Ould CHEIKH/traditional, arranged by Tolia NIKIPROWETZKY

Name

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

National Holiday

Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

National Symbol S

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

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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

Expenditures

1.396 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

1.354 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-0.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2007

12%

31 December 2009

9%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

17%

31 December 2017

17%

Current Account Balance

2016

-$707 million

2017

-$711 million

Debt External

31 December 2016

$3.899 billion

31 December 2017

$4.15 billion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

2006

39

2014

37

Economy Overview

Mauritania's economy is dominated by extractive industries (oil and mines), fisheries, livestock, agriculture, and services. Half the population still depends on farming and raising livestock, even though many nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s, 1980s, 2000s, and 2017. Recently, GDP growth has been driven largely by foreign investment in the mining and oil sectors.Mauritania's extensive mineral resources include iron ore, gold, copper, gypsum, and phosphate rock, and exploration is ongoing for tantalum, uranium, crude oil, and natural gas. Extractive commodities make up about three-quarters of Mauritania's total exports, subjecting the economy to price swings in world commodity markets. Mining is also a growing source of government revenue, rising from 13% to 30% of total revenue from 2006 to 2014. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, and fishing accounts for about 15% of budget revenues, 45% of foreign currency earnings. Mauritania processes a total of 1,800,000 tons of fish per year, but overexploitation by foreign and national fleets threaten the sustainability of this key source of revenue.The economy is highly sensitive to international food and extractive commodity prices. Other risks to Mauritania's economy include its recurring droughts, dependence on foreign aid and investment, and insecurity in neighboring Mali, as well as significant shortages of infrastructure, institutional capacity, and human capital. In December 2017, Mauritania and the IMF agreed to a three year agreement under the Extended Credit Facility to foster economic growth, maintain macroeconomic stability, and reduce poverty. Investment in agriculture and infrastructure are the largest components of the country’s public expenditures.

Exchange Rates

2013

299.5

2014

319.7

2015

352.37

2016

352.37

2017

363.6

Currency

ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$1.401 billion

2017

$1.722 billion

Exports Commodities

iron ore, fish and fish products, livestock, gold, copper, crude oil

Exports Partners

China 31.2%, Switzerland 14.4%, Spain 10.1%, Germany 8.2%, Japan 8.1% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

39% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

21.8% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

64.9% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-78.6% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

56.1% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

-3.2% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

27.8% (2017 est.)

Industry

29.3% (2017 est.)

Services

42.9% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$4.935 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$4,400

2016

$4,400

2017

$4,500

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$16.4 billion

2016

$16.7 billion

2017

$17.28 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

0.4%

2016

1.8%

2017

3.5%

Gross National Saving

2015

19% of GDP

2016

24.8% of GDP

2017

24.2% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10

29.5% (2000)

Lowest 10

2.5%

Imports

2016

$1.9 billion

2017

$2.094 billion

Imports Commodities

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

Imports 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)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

1% (2017 est.)

Industries

fish processing, oil production, mining (iron ore, gold, copper)

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

1.5%

2017

2.3%

Labor Force

1.437 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

50%

Industry

1.9%

Services

48.1% (2014 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

NA

Population Below Poverty Line

31% (2014 est.)

Public Debt

2016

100% of GDP

2017

96.6% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$849.3 million

31 December 2017

$875 million

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$1.287 billion

31 December 2017

$1.296 billion

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$2.355 billion

31 December 2017

$2.364 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$1.287 billion

31 December 2017

$1.296 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

27.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

10.1%

2017

10.2%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

2.615 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

5,333 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude Oil Production

4,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

20 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

Electrification Rural Areas

2.3% (2016)

Electrification Total Population

41.7% (2016)

Electrification Urban Areas

81% (2016)

Population Without Electricity

3 million (2017)

Electricity Consumption

1.059 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

65% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

16% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

20% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

558,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

1.139 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

17,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

17,290 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

less than 1 (2017 est.)

Total

12,637

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

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

18% (July 2016 est.)

Total

661,913

Telephone System

Domestic

fixed-line teledensity 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular network coverage extends mainly to urban areas with a teledensity of roughly 108 per 100 persons; mostly cable and open-wire lines; a domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals (2018)

General Assessment

limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations; mobile-cellular services expanding rapidly; 3 mobile network operators; 3G penetration high; mobile broadband speeds are low; World Bank and European Investment Bank support attempts to improve telecom and improve regulatory measures; efforts to improve backbone of network; auction for fourth mobile provider and 4G service in spring 2019 (2018)

International

country code - 222; landing point for the ACE submarine cable for connectivity for 19 West African countries and 2 European countries; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean, 2 Arabsat) (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

2 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

57,057

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

108 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

4,074,157

Airports

30 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

4 (2017)

2 438 To 3 047 M

5 (2017)

Total

9 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

10 (2013)

2 438 To 3 047 M

1 (2013)

914 To 1 523 M

8 (2013)

Total

21 (2013)

Under 914 M

2 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

5T (2016)

Merchant Marine

By Type

bulk carrier 1, general cargo 2, oil tanker 1, other 3 (2018)

Total

7

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

0 mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

248,158 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

4 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

1 (2015)

Ports And Terminals

Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

Railways

Standard Gauge

728 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)

Total

728 km (2014)

Roadways

Paved

3,988 km (2018)

Total

12,253 km (2018)

Unpaved

8,265 km (2018)

Waterways

(some navigation possible on the Senegal River) (2011)

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 Expenditures

2014

2.7% of GDP

2015

2.75% of GDP

2016

2.91% of GDP

2017

2.91% of GDP

2018

3.02% of GDP

Military Service Age And Obligation

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

Disputes International

Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

26,001 (Western Saharan Sahrawis) (2018); 56,668 (Mali) (2019)

Trafficking In Persons

Current Situation

Mauritania is a source and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; adults and children from traditional slave castes are subjected to slavery-related practices rooted in ancestral master-slave relationships; Mauritanian boy students called talibes are trafficked within the country by religious teachers for forced begging; Mauritanian girls, as well as girls from Mali, Senegal, The Gambia, and other West African countries, are forced into domestic servitude; Mauritanian women and girls are forced into prostitution domestically or transported to countries in the Middle East for the same purpose, sometimes through forced marriages

Tier Rating

Tier 3 - Mauritania does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts were negligible; one slavery case identified by an NGO was investigated, but no prosecutions or convictions were made, including among the 4,000 child labor cases NGOs referred to the police; the 2007 anti-slavery law remains ineffective because it requires slaves, most of whom are illiterate, to file their own legal complaint, and the government agency that can submit claims on them did not file any in 2014; authorities arrested, prosecuted, and convicted several anti-slavery activists; NGOs continued to provide the majority of protective services to trafficking victims without support from the government; some steps were taken to raise public awareness about human trafficking (2015)