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. Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were generally free and open. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council headed by Col. Ely Ould Mohamed VALL, which declared it would remain in power for up to two years while it created conditions for genuine democratic institutions and organized elections. For now, however, Mauritania remains an autocratic state, and the country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population and different Moor (Arab-Berber) communities.

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

20 00 N, 12 00 W

total: 1,030,700 sq km
land: 1,030,400 sq km
water: 300 sq km

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

754 km

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

desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

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

lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

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

arable land: 0.2%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.79% (2005)

490 sq km (2002)

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

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; locust infestation

most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country

3,177,388 (July 2006 est.)

0-14 years: 45.6% (male 726,376/female 723,013)
15-64 years: 52.2% (male 818,408/female 839,832)
65 years and over: 2.2% (male 28,042/female 41,717) (2006 est.)

total: 17 years
male: 16.8 years
female: 17.3 years (2006 est.)

2.88% (2006 est.)

40.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

12.16 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

total: 69.48 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 72.44 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 66.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

total population: 53.12 years
male: 50.88 years
female: 55.42 years (2006 est.)

5.86 children born/woman (2006 est.)

0.6% (2003 est.)

9,500 (2003 est.)

less than 500 (2003 est.)

degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and Rift Valley fever are high risks in some locations
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2005)

noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian

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

Muslim 100%

Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 41.7%
male: 51.8%
female: 31.9% (2003 est.)

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

republic

Nouakchott

12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza

28 November 1960 (from France)

Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

12 July 1991

a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law

18 years of age; universal

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; a portion of seats up for election every two years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 9 and 16 April 2004 (next to be held NA); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001 (next to be held November 2006)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - PRDS 79%, RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%; seats by party - PRDS 64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RFD 3, UFP 3, and FP 1

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

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 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 the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt which now stands at more than three times the level of annual exports. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. A new investment code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current world oil prices. Mauritania has an estimated 1 billion barrels of proved reserves. Substantial oil production and exports are scheduled to begin in early 2006 and may average 75,000 barrels per day for that year. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and promoting privatization of the economy.

$6.198 billion (2005 est.)

$1.356 billion (2005 est.)

5.5% (2005 est.)

$2,000 (2005 est.)

agriculture: 25%
industry: 29%
services: 46% (2001 est.)

786,000 (2001)

agriculture: 50%
industry: 10%
services: 40% (2001 est.)

20% (2004 est.)

40% (2004 est.)

lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)

39 (2000)

7% (2003 est.)

revenues: $421 million
expenditures: $378 million; including capital expenditures of $154 million (2002 est.)

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

fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

2% (2000 est.)

185.6 million kWh (2003)

172.6 million kWh (2003)

24,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

1 billion bbl (2005)

$784 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Japan 12.8%, France 10.9%, Germany 9.5%, Spain 9.5%, Italy 9.4%, Belgium 7.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 6.2%, China 5.9%, Russia 4.5% (2004)

$1.124 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

France 14.2%, US 7.6%, China 6.5%, Spain 5.9%, UK 4.6%, Germany 4.3%, Belgium 4.2% (2004)

$2.5 billion (2000)

$305.7 million (2002)

ouguiya (MRO)

calendar year

39,000 (2004)

522,400 (2004)

general assessment: limited 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; a recently completed domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals
international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

1 (2002)

.mr

21 (2005)

14,000 (2005)

24 (2005)

total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2005)

total: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 1 (2005)

717 km
standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

total: 7,660 km
paved: 866 km
unpaved: 6,794 km (1999)

Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Marine Mauritanienne; includes Naval Infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2005)

Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years