Mauritania

• vast areas of the country, particularly in the central, northern, and eastern areas, are desert and lack 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

• Mauritania is considered part of both 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

noun:

Mauritanian(s)

adjective:

Mauritanian

total:

18.6 years (2025 est.)

male:

21.1 years

female:

23.1 years

• vast areas of the country, particularly in the central, northern, and eastern areas, are desert and lack 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

at birth:

1.03 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.9 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.73 male(s)/female

total population:

0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

29.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

54.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

42.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

65.9 years (2024 est.)

male:

63.4 years

female:

68.5 years

total:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols:

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total:

8.3% (2025 est.)

male:

15.5% (2025 est.)

female:

1.7% (2025 est.)

women married by age 15:

15.5% (2021)

women married by age 18:

36.6% (2021)

men married by age 18:

1.2% (2021)

• desertification caused in part by overgrazing, deforestation, and drought-aggravated soil erosion;
• limited natural freshwater resources;
• locust infestation

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

urban population:

57.7% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

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

municipal solid waste generated annually:

454,000 tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled:

10% (2022 est.)

municipal:

95.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial:

31.8 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

agricultural:

1.223 billion cubic meters (2022 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

etymology:

named for the ancient kingdom of Mauretania (3rd century B.C. to 1st century A.D.); its name derives from the Mauri (Moors) of northwest Africa

name:

Nouakchott

geographic coordinates:

18 04 N, 15 58 W

time difference:

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

etymology:

the meaning of the name is unclear; it may derive from the Berber nawakshut , meaning "place of the winds;" other variants could translate as "the place where water appears in a new well," "the land where shells abound," "a place with pasture," "a windy place," or "without ears" (the last referring to a local chieftain who could have been the place's namesake)

• 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

history:

previous 1964; latest adopted 12 July 1991

amendment process:

• 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

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

chief of state:

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

head of government:

Prime Minister Moctar Ould DIAY (since 2 August 2024)

cabinet:

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

election/appointment process:

• president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term);
• prime minister appointed by the president

most recent election date:

29 June 2024

election results:

• 2024: Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI reelected president in first round;
• percent of vote - Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI (UPR) 56.1%, Biram Dah Ould ABEID (independent) 22.1%, Hamadi Sidi el MOKHTAR independent) 12.8%, other 9.0%

expected date of next election:

June 2029

highest court(s):

• Supreme Court or Cour Suprême (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 9 members);
• High Court of Justice (consists of 9 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, 1 by the prime minister, 1 by the leader of the democratic opposition, 1 by the largest opposition party in the National Assembly, and 1 by the second largest party in the National Assembly;
• members serve single, 9-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 3 years;
• High Court of Justice members appointed by Parliament - 6 by the ruling Coalition of Majority Parties and 3 by opposition parties

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

• Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal or AJD/MR
• El Insaf or Equity Party
• El Islah or Reform Party
• El Karama or Dignity Party
• El Vadila or Virtue Party
• Mauritanian Party of Union and Change or HATEM
• National Democratic Alliance or AND
• National Rally for Reform and Development or RNRD or TAWASSOUL
• Nida El-Watan
• Party for Conciliation and Prosperity or HIWAR
• Party of the Mauritanian Masses or Hakam
• Republican Front for Unity and Democracy or FRUD
• Sawab Party
• Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP
• Union of Planning and Construction or UPC

chief of mission:

Ambassador Cissé Mint Cheikh Ould BOIDE (since 15 September 2021)

chancery:

2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 232-5700

FAX:

[1] (202) 319-2623

email address and website:

[email protected]; mauritaniaembassyus.org – Mauritania Embassy washington

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Corina R. SANDERS (since September 2025)

embassy:

Nouadhibou Road, Avenue Al Quds, NOT PRTZ, Nouakchott

mailing address:

2430 Nouakchott Place, Washington DC 20521-2430

telephone:

[222] 4525-2660

FAX:

[222] 4525-1592

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://mr.usembassy.gov/

description:

green with red stripes along the top and bottom edges; on the green field, a five-pointed yellow star is centered over a yellow, upward-pointing crescent moon

meaning:

• the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam;
• green also represents hope for a bright future;
• yellow stands for the sands of the Sahara, and red for blood shed in the fight for independence

title:

"National Anthem of Mauritania"

lyrics/music:

unknown/Rageh DAOUD

history:

adopted 2017

total World Heritage Sites:

2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Ancient Ksour (Fortified Villages) of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt, and Oualata (c); Banc d'Arguin National Park (n)

• lower middle-income West African economy;
• primarily agrarian;
• rising urbanization;
• poor property rights;
• systemic corruption;
• endemic social and workforce tensions;
• wide-scale terrorism;
• foreign over-fishing;
• environmentally fragile

agriculture:

18.6% (2024 est.)

industry:

30.6% (2024 est.)

services:

43.2% (2024 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

total:

23.2% (2024 est.)

male:

19.9% (2024 est.)

female:

30.1% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

lowest 10%:

3.1% (2019 est.)

highest 10%:

24.6% (2019 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

refined petroleum consumption:

32,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves:

20 million barrels (2021 est.)

• 12 TV stations, 6 state-owned and 6 private;
• 19 radio broadcasters, including 15 state-owned and 4 (Radio Nouakchott Libre, Radio Tenwir, Radio Kobeni and Mauritanid) private;
• of the 15 government stations, 4 broadcast from Nouakchott (Radio Mauritanie, Radio Jeunesse, Radio Koran and Mauritanid) and the other 12 broadcast from each of the 12 regions outside Nouakchott (2022)

total:

14,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants:

(2022 est.) less than 1

total:

728 km (2014)

standard gauge:

728 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

total ports:

2 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

1

small:

1

very small:

0

ports with oil terminals:

2

key ports:

Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

• the military's inventory is limited and made up largely of older French and Soviet-era equipment;
• in recent years, Mauritania has received some secondhand and new military equipment from several suppliers, including China, France, and the UAE (2025)

• 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service;
• has a compulsory two-year military service law, but the law has reportedly never been applied (2025)

• founded in 1960, the Mauritanian military is responsible for territorial defense and internal security;
• it also assists in economic development projects, humanitarian missions, and disaster response;
• border and maritime security, regional stability, and the threat of terrorist groups operating in the Sahel, particularly Mali, are key areas of focus;
• Mauritania has received security assistance from the EU, France, NATO, and the US (2025)