Mauritania

Islamic Republic of MauritaniaAl Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah

republicIndependence 28 November 1960 (from France)

Mauritania as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 103 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

Position20 00 N, 12 00 W

Area1,030,700 sq km

LocationNorthern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,

Populationas each edition published it

2.58 million July 1999 est. · 1.93m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.99% 1999 est. · 3.14% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 16.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

50.48 years 1999 est. · 47.59 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.35 children per woman 1999 est. · 7.3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

76.46 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 96 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,890 1998 est. · $555 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.2% 1998 est. · 3% in 1993

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 1,030,700 sq km

permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 38%forests and woodland 4%other 58% (1993 est.)arable land 0% in all · irrigated 490 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

1,030,700sq km

land: 1,030,400 sq kmwater: 300 sq kmslightly 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

Highest point

910m

Kediet Ijilllowest point: Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m

Land boundaries

5,074km

border countries: 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

Natural hazards

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

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

Environment--international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography--note

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

People

15 fields

Population

2,581,738

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 2.99% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

44.1Death

14.2Net migration

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)50.48

47.39 · 53.65

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)37.7%

49.6% · 26.3%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 47% (male 600,901; female 600,225)
15-64 years:: 51% (male 641,481; female 678,951)
65 years and over:: 2% (male 25,156; female 35,024) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

76.46 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Mauritanian(s)
adjective:: Mauritanian

Languages

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

Government

Republic; President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984); Prime Minister Cheikel Afia Ould Mohamed KHOUNA (since 16 November 1998)

19 fields

Legislature, 79 seatsone dot, one seat

-PRDS 71AC 1independents and other 7

Country name

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

Administrative divisions

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

Legal system

a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and modern law

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984)
head of government:: Prime Minister Cheikel Afia Ould Mohamed KHOUNA (since 16 November 1998)
cabinet:: Council of Ministers
elections:: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 12 December 1997 (next to be held NA December 2003);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results:: President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected with 90% of the vote

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; 17 up for election every two years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (79 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:: Senate--last held 17 April 1998 (next to be held NA 2000); National Assembly--last held 11 and 18 October 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results:: Senate--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--NA;
National Assembly--percent of vote by party--NA;
seats by party--PRDS 71, AC 1, independents and other 7

Judicial branch

three-tier system: lower, appeals, and 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 or

Political pressure groups and leaders

Mauritanian Workers Union MOHAMED, secretary general]

International organization participation

ABEDA, ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador-designate Ahmed Ould Khalifa OULD JIDDOU
chancery:: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Timberlake FOSTER
embassy:: Rue Abdallahi Ould Oubeid, Nouakchott
mailing address:: B. P. 222, Nouakchott

Flag description

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

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,890

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

4.2%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 7.2% (1994)

Inflation, consumer prices

4.7%

(1996)

Unemployment rate

23%

(1995 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1996)

agriculture 26%industry 31%services 43% (1996)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

14%

France

30%

22%

Japan

16%

Italy

Algeria

10%

Spain

China

Exports $562 million (f.o.b., 1997)Imports $552 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Budget

Revenues

$329 millionExpenditures

$265 million (1996 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $75 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 80%hydro 20%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

150 million (1996)Electricity consumption

150 million

Economy--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 uncertain because of the heavy debt service burden, rapid population growth, and vulnerability to climatic conditions.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$4.7 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

57% (1990 est.)

Labor force

465,000 (1981 est.); 45,000 wage earners (1980)

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture 47%, services 29%, industry and commerce 14%, government 10%

Industries

fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Agriculture--products

dates, millet, sorghum, root crops;
cattle, sheep;
fish products

Exports

$562 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities

fish and fish products, iron ore, gold

Imports

$552 million (f.o.b., 1997)

Imports--commodities

foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods

Debt--external

$2.5 billion (1995)

Economic aid--recipient

$227.9 million (1995)

Currency

1 ouguiya (UM) = 5 khoums

Exchange rates

ouguiyas (UM) per US$1--204.600 (January 1999), 151.853 (1997), 137.222 (1996), 129.768 (1995), 123.575 (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

17,000

(1991 est.)

Telephone system

poor 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:: satellite earth stations--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998 est.)

Radios

1 million (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

50,000 (1995 est.)

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

total: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 9

Networkskm

Highways

7,660Railways

704

Highways: paved: 866 km · unpaved: 6,794 km (1996 est.) · Railways: (single track); note--owned and operated by government mining company · standard gauge: 704 km 1.435-m gauge (1995)