Mauritania

Islamic Republic of MauritaniaAl Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah

republicIndependence 28 November 1960 (from France)

Mauritania as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 81 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 sq km

LocationNorthern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Populationas each edition published it

2.26 million July 1995 est. · 1.93m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.17% 1995 est. · 3.14% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

48.54 years 1995 est. · 47.59 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.92 children per woman 1995 est. · 7.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

83.5 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 est. · 96 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,110 1994 est. · $555 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5% 1993 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

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

14 fields

Land useshare of 1,030,700 sq km

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

Area

1,030,700sq km

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

Coastline

754km

contiguous zone: 24 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the 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, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara

Terrain

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

Natural resources

iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate

Environment

current issues:: 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
natural hazards:: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts
international agreements:: party to - Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Note

most of the population concentrated along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country

People

15 fields

Population

2,263,202

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 3.17% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

47.32Death

15.66Net migration

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years48.54

45.66 · 51.54

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy35%

46% · 25%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1988)

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%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 48% (female 544,674; male 551,099)
15-64 years:: 49% (female 574,282; male 542,762)
65 years and over:: 3% (female 28,955; male 21,430) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

83.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Mauritanian(s)
adjective:: Mauritanian

Languages

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

Government

Republic

22 fields

Legislature, 79 seatsone dot, one seat

UFD/NE 67PMR 1RDU 1independents 10

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)

National holiday

Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Constitution

12 July 1991

Legal system

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government:: President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984); election last held NA January 1992 (next to be held NA January 1998); results - President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid 'Ahmed TAYA elected
cabinet:: Council of Ministers

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature

Senate (Majlis al-Shuyukh)

elections last held 15 April 1994 (nex to be held NA 1996);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats (56 total, with 17 up for election every two years) PRDS 16, UFD/NE 1

National Assembly (Majlis al-Watani)

elections last held 6 and 13 March 1992 (next to be held NA March 1997);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (79 total) UFD/NE 67, PMR 1, RDU 1, independents 10

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

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)

Member of

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

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Ismail Ould IYAHI (since 22 September 1994)
chancery:: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 232-5700

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Dorothy Myers SAMPAS
embassy:: address NA, Nouakchott
mailing address:: B. P. 222, Nouakchott
telephone:: [222] (2) 526-60, 526-63

FAX

[222] (2) 515-92

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

$1,110

(1994 est.)

Real growth rate

(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate NA%; accounts for almost 30% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

10%

(1993)

Unemployment rate

20%

(1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$280 millionExpenditures

$346 million (1989 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $61 million

Installed generating capacity, 110,000 kW

Electricity production

135 millionElectricity consumption per capita

61 (1993)

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, drought 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. Short-term growth prospects are gloomy because of the heavy debt service burden, rapid population growth, and vulnerability to climatic conditions.

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (1993 est.)

Exports

$401 million (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

commodities:: iron ore, fish and fish products
partners:: Japan 27%, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg

Imports

$378 million (c.i.f., 1993 est.)

commodities:: foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods
partners:: Algeria 15%, China 6%, US 3%, France, Germany, Spain, Italy

External debt

$1.9 billion (1992 est.)

Industries

fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Agriculture

accounts for 25% 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

recipient:: 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

ouguiyas (UM) per US$1 - 125.910 (January 1995), 123.575 (1994), 120.806 (1993),87.027 (1992), 81.946 (1991), 80.609 (1990)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 28 in all

2,438 to 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

1,524 to 2,438 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

7,525Railroads

690

Highways: paved: 1,685 km · unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, otherwise improved 1,040 km; unimproved earth 4,800 km (roads, trails, tracks) · Railroads: (single track); note - owned and operated by government mining company · standard gauge: 690 km 1.435-m gauge

Railroads

total:: 690 km (single track); note - owned and operated by government mining company
standard gauge:: 690 km 1.435-m gauge

Highways

total:: 7,525 km
paved:: 1,685 km
unpaved:: gravel, crushed stone, otherwise improved 1,040 km; unimproved earth 4,800 km (roads, trails, tracks)

Inland waterways

mostly ferry traffic on the Senegal River

Ports

Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso

Merchant marine

none

Communications

3 fields

Telephone system

NA telephones; poor system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radio communications stations (improvements being made)

local:: NA
intercity:: mostly cable and open wire lines
international:: 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 ARABSAT earth stations, with six planned

Radio

broadcast stations:: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0
radios:: NA

Television

broadcast stations:: 1
televisions:: NA

Defense Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, | National Police, Presidential Guard