2021 Edition

Background

The Berber and Bafour people were among the first to settle in what is now Mauritania. Originally a nomadic people, they were among the first in recorded history to convert from a nomadic to agricultural lifestyle. These groups account for roughly one third of Mauritania’s ethnic makeup. The remainder of Mauritania’s ethnic groups derive from former enslaved peoples and sub-Saharan ethnic groups originating mainly from the Senegal River Valley. These three groups constitute a strict caste system with deep ethnic divides that still exists today.Mauritania achieved independence from France in 1960. Mauritania initially began as a single-party authoritarian regime and saw 49 years of dictatorships, flawed elections, failed attempts at democracy, and military coups. Following the last coup in 2008, led by Ould Abdel AZIZ, AZIZ was elected president in 2009 and reelected in 2014. International observers recognized the elections as free and fair. Following his two terms, AZIZ became the first Mauritanian president to step down and observe a democratic transfer of power. This solidified Mauritania’s status as an emerging democracy. After winning 52% of the vote, Mohamed Ould Cheikh GHAZOUANI was inaugurated in 2019. The country is working to address the vestiges of slavery, which was officially abolished in 1981 but not criminalized until 2007. Between 2005 and 2011, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) launched a series of attacks killing American and foreign tourists and aid workers, attacking diplomatic and government facilities, and ambushing Mauritanian soldiers and gendarmes. Although Mauritania has not seen an attack since 2011, AQIM and similar groups remain active in the Sahel region.

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

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, Morocco 1564 km, Senegal 742 km

total

5,002 km

Land use

agricultural land

38.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 38.1% (2018 est.)

forest

0.2% (2018 est.)

other

61.3% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major aquifers

Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin, Taodeni-Tanzerouft Basin

Major rivers (by length in km)

Senegal river mouth (shared with Guinea [s], Senegal and Mali) - 1,641 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km)

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 as shown in this population distribution map

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

37.56% (male 755,788/female 748,671)

15-24 years

19.71% (male 387,140/female 402,462)

25-54 years

33.91% (male 630,693/female 727,518)

55-64 years

4.9% (male 88,888/female 107,201)

65 years and over

3.92% (male 66,407/female 90,707) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

28.49 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

19.2% (2018)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

17.8% (2015)

Current Health Expenditure

4.6% (2018)

Death rate

7.54 deaths/1,000 population (2021 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 then 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

5.6

potential support ratio

18 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

75

youth dependency ratio

69.5

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 68.4% of population

improved: total

total: 84.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 31.6% of population

unimproved: total

total: 15.6% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.3% of population

Education expenditures

1.9% of GDP (2020)

Ethnic groups

Black Moors (Haratines - Arab-speaking descendants of African origin who are or were 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

0.3% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

8,500 (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

45.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

57.96 deaths/1,000 live births

total

52.05 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

Arabic (official and national), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French; note - the spoken Arabic in Mauritania differs considerably from the modern standard Arabic used for official written purposes or in the media; the Mauritanian dialect, which incorporates many Berber words, is referred to as Hassaniya

major-language sample(s)

كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

67.37 years (2021 est.)

male

62.43 years

total population

64.86 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

43.4% (2017)

male

63.7%

total population

53.5%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory diseases

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

Major urban areas - population

1.372 million NOUAKCHOTT (capital) (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

female

22 years (2020 est.)

male

20.1 years

total

21 years

Nationality

adjective

Mauritanian

noun

Mauritanian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

12.7% (2016)

Physicians density

0.19 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

4,079,284 (July 2021 est.)

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 as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

2.02% (2021 est.)

Religions

Muslim (official) 100%

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 25.2% of population

improved: total

total: 56% of population

improved: urban

urban: 83.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 74.8% of population

unimproved: total

total: 44% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 16.5% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

10 years (2019)

male

9 years

total

9 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-24 years

0.96 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.87 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.83 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.73 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.59 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

24.9% (2017 est.)

male

18.8%

total

21.1%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

56.1% of total population (2021)

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

etymology

may derive from the Berber "nawakshut" meaning "place of the winds"

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 2006, 2012, 2017

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.) and the subsequent Roman province (1st-7th centuries 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 Cynthia KIERSCHT (since 27 January 2021)

email address and website

consularnkc@state.govhttps://mr.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Nouadhibou Road, Avenue Al Quds, NOT PRTZ, Nouakchott  

FAX

[222] 4525-1592

mailing address

2430 Nouakchott Place, Washington DC  20521-2430

telephone

[222] 4525-2660

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jiddou JIDDOU, First Secretary (since 24 June 2021)

email address and website

office@mauritaniaembassyus.comhttp://mauritaniaembassyus.com/

FAX

[1] (202) 319-2623

telephone

[1] (202) 232-5700

Executive branch

cabinet

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

chief of state

President Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI (since 1 August 2019) (2019)

election results

Mohamed Ould Cheikh El GHAZOUANI elected president in first round; percent of vote - Mahamed Ould 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 (2019)

head of government

Prime Minister Mohamed Ould BILAL (since 6 August 2020) (2020)

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)

note

note: a referendum held in August 2017 approved a constitutional amendment to change the Parliament structure from bicameral to unicameral by abolishing the Senate and creating Regional Councils for local development

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)

note

note: adopted 1960; the unique rhythm of the Mauritanian anthem makes it particularly challenging to sing; Mauritania in November 2017 adopted a new national anthem, "Bilada-l ubati-l hudati-l kiram" (The Country of Fatherhood is the Honorable Gift) composed by Rageh Daoud (sound file of the new anthem is forthcoming)

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

Agricultural products

rice, milk, goat milk, sheep milk, sorghum, mutton, beef, camel milk, camel meat, dates

Budget

expenditures

1.396 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

1.354 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

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

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

-$707 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

-$711 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$3.899 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$4.15 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic 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

currency

ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

299.5 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

319.7 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

352.37 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

352.37 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

363.6 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2017

$302 million (2017 est.)

Exports 2018

$2.06 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$2.52 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports - commodities

iron ore, fish products, gold, mollusks, processed crustaceans (2019)

Exports - partners

China 32%, Switzerland 13%, Spain 9%, Japan 9%, Italy 5% (2019)

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)

$706 million (2018 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2006

39 (2006 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2014

32.6 (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

29.5% (2000)

lowest 10%

2.5%

Imports

Imports 2017

$319 million (2017 est.)

Imports 2018

$3.28 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$3.68 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports - commodities

ships, aircraft, wheat, raw sugar, refined petroleum (2019)

Imports - partners

China 26%, France 6%, Spain 6%, Morocco 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

1% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

note

note: gypsum deposits have never been exploited

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

2.2% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

3.1% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

2.2% (2019 est.)

Labor force

1.437 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

50%

industry

1.9%

services

48.1% (2014 est.)

Population below poverty line

31% (2014 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

100% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

96.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$22.2 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$23.52 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$23.17 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

0.4% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

1.8% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

3.5% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$5,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$5,200 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$5,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$849.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$875 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

27.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2016

10.1% (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate 2017

10.2% (2017 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

24.9% (2017 est.)

male

18.8%

total

21.1%

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 - 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.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

4% (2019)

electrification - total population

32% (2019)

electrification - urban areas

56% (2019)

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 (2020 est.)

total

19,246 (2020)

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

20.8% (2019 est.)

total

1.56 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line teledensity 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular network coverage extends mainly to urban areas with a teledensity of roughly 104 per 100 persons; mostly cable and open-wire lines; a domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals (2019)

general assessment

Mauritania’s small population and low economic output limit sustained growth; transparency and tax burdens hinder foreign investment; World Bank and European Investment Bank support regulations to promote fixed-line broadband, improvement of the national backbone network, and connectivity to international cables; limited system of cable and open-wire lines, mobile-cellular services expanding though monopolies, and little stimulus for competition; 3G penetration high yet little development in LTE; mobile broadband access speeds are low; importer of broadcasting equipment from UAE (2020)

international

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

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1.34 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

62,099 (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

106.1 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

4,932,571 (2020)

Airports

total

30 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

4 (2017)

2,438 to 3,047 m

5

total

9

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

10

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

8

total

21

under 914 m

2 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

5T

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 2, other 3 (2021)

total

5

National air transport system

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

454,435 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

6

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

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 - note

since a spate of terrorist attacks in the 2000s, including a 2008 attack on a military base in the country’s north that resulted in the deaths of 12 soldiers, the Mauritanian Government has increased the defense budget and military equipment acquisitions, enhanced military training, heightened security cooperation with its neighbors and the international community, and built up the military’s special operations and civil-military affairs forcesMauritania is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, and Niger; it has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane (2021)

Military and security forces

Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Mauritanian Navy (Marine Mauritanienne), Islamic Republic of Mauritania Air Group (Groupement Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, GAIM); Gendarmerie (Ministry of Defense); Ministry of Interior and Decentralization: National Guard, General Group for Road Safety (2021)

note

note(s) - the Gendarmerie is responsible for maintaining civil order around metropolitan areas and providing law enforcement services in rural areas; the National Guard performs a limited police function in keeping with its peacetime role of providing security at government facilities, to include prisons; the General Group for Road Safety maintains security on roads and operates checkpoints throughout the country

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Mauritanian Armed Forces have approximately 16,000 active personnel (15,000 Army; 700 Navy; 300 Air Force); est. 3,000 Gendarmerie; est. 2,000 National Guard (2021)

Military deployments

450 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (Sep 2021)

note

note - Mauritania is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, and Niger

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the Mauritanian Armed Forces' inventory is limited and made up largely of older French and Soviet-era equipment; since 2010, Mauritania has received a limited amount of mostly secondhand military equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Brazil, China, France, and Turkey (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

2.9% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

2.9% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

3% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

2.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

2.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2021)

Disputes - international

Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

744,944 (conflict in North Mozambique) (2021)

refugees (country of origin)

26,001 (Sahrawis) (2020); 72,816 (Mali) (2021)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Mauritania is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to conditions of 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 boys  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 in the country or transported to countries in the Middle East for the same purpose

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Mauritania does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so and was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; the government convicted five hereditary slaveholders, drafted new anti-trafficking legislation and a national action plan, raised awareness on child forced begging in Quranic schools with imams and religious leaders by establishing an inter-ministerial committee, published a child protection guide, and operated a cash transfer program; however, the government rarely imprisoned convicted slaveholders and did not identify any victims; government agencies lacked resources; government officials refuse to investigate or prosecute political offenders (2020)

Terrorist group(s)

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

2.74 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

6.16 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

40.82 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

Climate

desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

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, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity

due to poor performance of pastoral cropping season - according to the latest analysis, about 484,000 people are assessed to need humanitarian assistance in the June−August 2021 period as a result of fodder production deficits in Trarza, Brakna, Gorgol, Guidimaka and Assaba districts (2021)

Land use

agricultural land

38.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 38.1% (2018 est.)

forest

0.2% (2018 est.)

other

61.3% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin, Taodeni-Tanzerouft Basin

Major infectious diseases

animal contact diseases

rabies

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

respiratory diseases

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

malaria and dengue fever

Major rivers (by length in km)

Senegal river mouth (shared with Guinea [s], Senegal and Mali) - 1,641 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

1.3% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

11.4 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

1.223 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

31.8 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

95.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

56.1% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

454,000 tons (2009 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

36,320 tons (2009 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

8% (2009 est.)