Mauritania

Islamic Republic of Mauritania

republicIndependence 28 November 1960 (from France)

Mauritania as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 76 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalNouakchott

Area1,030,700 km2

LocationNorthern Africa, along the North Atlantic Ocean, between Western Sahara and

Populationas each edition published it

2.12 million July 1993 est. · 1.93m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.14% 1993 est. · 2.88% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

47.59 years 1993 est. · 65.9 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

7.05 children per woman 1993 est. · 7.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

87 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 96 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$555 1991 est. · $6,400 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

3% 1991 est. · 5.2% in 2025

Geography

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

13 fields

Land useshare of 1,030,700 km2

arable land 1%permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 38%forest and woodland 5%other 56%irrigated 120 km2 (1989 est.)

Area

1,030,700km2

land area: 1,030,400 km2comparative area: slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Coastline

754km

contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental marginexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

5,074km

total · Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km

Location

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

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Terrain

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

Natural resources

iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate

Environment

hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April;
desertification;
only perennial river is the Senegal

People

14 fields

Population

2,124,792

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 3.14% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

47.97Death

16.54Net migration

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years47.59

44.81 · 50.48

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy34%

47% · 21%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 10 and over can read and write (1990)

Ethnic divisions

mixed Maur/black 40%Maur 30%black 30%

Labor force

465,000

(1981 est.); 45,000 wage earners (1980)by occupation: agriculture 47%, services 29%, industry and commerce 14%, government 10%note: 53% of population of working age (1985)

Nationality

noun:: Mauritanian(s)
adjective:: Mauritanian

Languages

Hasaniya Arabic (official), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (official)

Government

Republic

21 fields

Names

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

12 regions(regions, singular - region); Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh ech Chargui, Hodh el Gharbi, Inchiri, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza note: there may be a new capital district of Nouakchott

Independence

28 November 1960 (from France)

Constitution

12 July 1991

Legal system

three-tier system: Islamic (Shari'a) courts, special courts, state security courts (in the process of being eliminated)

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Political parties and leaders

legalized by constitution passed 12 July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based; emerging parties include Democratic and Social Republican Party (PRDS), led by President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed TAYA; Union of Democratic Forces - New Era (UFD/NE), headed by Ahmed Ould DADDAH;

Assembly for Democracy and Unity (RDU), Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA; Popular Social and Democratic Union (UPSD), Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH; Mauritanian Party for Renewal (PMR), Hameida BOUCHRAYA; National Avant-Garde Party (PAN), Khattry Ould JIDDOU; Mauritanian Party of the Democratic Center (PCDM), Bamba Ould SIDI BADI

Other political or pressure groups

Mauritanian Workers Union (UTM)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Elections

President:: last held January 1992 (next to be held January 1998); results - President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid 'Ahmed TAYA elected
Senate:: last held 3 and 10 April 1992 (one-third of the seats up for re-election in 1994)
National Assembly:: last held 6 and 13 March 1992 (next to be held March 1997)

Executive branch

president

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature consists of an upper house or Senate (Majlis al-Shuyukh) and a lower house or National Assembly (Majlis al-Watani)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government: President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984)

Member of

ABEDA, ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Mohamed Fall OULD AININA
chancery:: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: (202) 232-5700

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Gordon S. BROWN
embassy:: address NA, Nouakchott
mailing address:: B. P. 222, Nouakchott
telephone:: [222] (2) 526-60 or 526-63
FAX:: [222] (2) 525-89

Flag

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

Economy

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$555

(1991 est.)

Real growth rate

(1991 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 4.4% (1988 est.); accounts for almost 33% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

6.2%

(1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

20%

(1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$280 millionExpenditures

$346 million

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $61 million (1989 est.)

Overview

A majority of the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though most of the nomads and many 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 almost 50% 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 recent years, the droughts, the endemic conflict with Senegal, rising energy costs, and economic mismanagement have resulted in a substantial buildup of foreign debt. The government has begun the second stage of an economic reform program in consultation with the World Bank, the IMF, and major donor countries.

But the reform process suffered a major setback following the Gulf war of early 1991. Because of Mauritania's support of SADDAM Husayn, bilateral aid from its two top donors, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, was suspended, and multilateral aid was reduced.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.1 billion (1991 est.)

Exports

$447 million (f.o.b., 1990)

commodities:: iron ore, processed fish, small amounts of gum arabic and gypsum; unrecorded but numerically significant cattle exports to Senegal
partners:: EC 43%, Japan 27%, USSR 11%, Cote d'Ivoire 3%

Imports

$385 million (c.i.f., 1990)

commodities:: foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods
partners:: EC 60%, Algeria 15%, China 6%, US 3%

External debt

$1.9 billion (1990)

Electricity

190,000 kW capacity; 135 million kWh produced, 70 kWh per capita (1991)

Industries

fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Agriculture

accounts for 50% of GDP (including fishing);
largely subsistence farming and nomadic cattle and sheep herding except in Senegal river valley;
crops - dates, millet, sorghum, root crops;
fish products number-one export;
large food deficit in years of drought

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $168 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.3 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $490 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $277 million;
Arab Development Bank (1991), $20 million

Currency

1 ouguiya (UM) = 5 khoums

Exchange rates

ouguiya (UM) per US$1 - 116.990 (February 1993), 87.082 (1992), 81.946 (1991), 80.609 (1990), 83.051 (1989), 75.261 (1988)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

7 fields

Networkskm

Highways

7,525Railroads

690

Highways: ; 1,685 km paved; 1,040 km gravel, crushed stone, or otherwise improved; 4,800 km unimproved roads, trails, tracks · Railroads: (standard) gauge, single track, owned and operated by government mining company

Railroads

690 km 1.435-meter (standard) gauge, single track, owned and operated by government mining company

Highways

7,525 km total;
1,685 km paved;
1,040 km gravel, crushed stone, or otherwise improved;
4,800 km unimproved roads, trails, tracks

total:: 29
usable:: 29
with permanent-surface runways:: 9
with runways over 3,659 m:: 1
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 5
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 16

Telecommunications

poor system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radio communications stations (improvements being made);
broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 1 TV;
satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 2 ARABSAT, with six planned