{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "

The Amazigh and Bafour people were among the earliest settlers in what is now Mauritania and 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 Sub-Saharan ethnic groups originating mainly from the Senegal River Valley, including descendants of former enslaved peoples. These three groups are organized according to a strict caste system with deep ethnic divides that impact access to resources and power dynamics.

A former French colony, Mauritania achieved independence from France in 1960. Mauritania initially began as a single-party, authoritarian regime and experienced 49 years of dictatorships, flawed elections, failed attempts at democracy, and military coups. Ould Abdel AZIZ led the last coup in 2008, was elected president in 2009, and was reelected in 2014. Mohamed Ould Cheikh GHAZOUANI was elected president in 2019, and his inauguration marked the first peaceful transition of power from one democratically elected president to another, solidifying the country's status as an emerging democracy. International observers recognized the elections as relatively free and fair. GHAZOUANI is seeking re-election in June 2024 for a second, and final, five-year term.

The country is working to address vestigial practices of slavery and its hereditary impacts. Mauritania officially abolished slavery in 1981, but the practice was not criminalized until 2007. Between 2005 and 2011, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) launched a series of attacks killing western 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.

 

" } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "20 00 N, 12 00 W" }, "Map references": { "text": "Africa" }, "Area": { "total ": { "text": "1,030,700 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "1,030,700 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "0 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico; about six times the size of Florida" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "5,002 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Algeria 460 km; Mali 2,236 km; Morocco 1,564 km; Senegal 742 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "754 km" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "12 nm" }, "contiguous zone": { "text": "24 nm" }, "exclusive economic zone": { "text": "200 nm" }, "continental shelf": { "text": "200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin" } }, "Climate": { "text": "desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty" }, "Terrain": { "text": "mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills" }, "Elevation": { "highest point": { "text": "Kediet Ijill 915 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m" }, "mean elevation": { "text": "276 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "38.5% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 38.1% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "0.2% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "61.3% (2018 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "450 sq km (2012)" }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "Senegal river mouth (shared with Guinea [s], Senegal and Mali) - 1,641 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth" }, "Major watersheds (area sq km)": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km)" }, "Major aquifers": { "text": "Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin, Taodeni-Tanzerouft Basin" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "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" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind primarily in March and April; periodic droughts" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "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" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "total": { "text": "4,328,040" }, "male": { "text": "2,083,690" }, "female": { "text": "2,244,350 (2024 est.)" } }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Mauritanian(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Mauritanian" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Black Moors (Haratines - Arabic-speaking descendants of African origin who are or were enslaved by White Moors) 40%, White Moors (of Arab-Amazigh 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%" }, "Languages": { "Languages": { "text": "Arabic (official and national), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French" }, "major-language sample(s)": { "text": "
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information." }, "note": "note: the spoken Arabic in Mauritania differs considerably from Modern Standard Arabic; the Mauritanian dialect, which incorporates many Tamazight words, is referred to as Hassaniya" }, "Religions": { "text": "Muslim (official) 100%" }, "Demographic profile": { "text": "

With a sustained total fertility rate of about 3.5 children per woman and almost 60% of the population under the age of 25 as of 2020, 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 subjected to forced labor and forced marriage, while 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.

" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "35.7% (male 776,035/female 770,132)" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "59.9% (male 1,227,347/female 1,363,938)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "4.4% (2024 est.) (male 80,308/female 110,280)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "82.7" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "76.8" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "6" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "16.8 (2021 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "22.1 years (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "21.1 years" }, "female": { "text": "23.1 years" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "1.92% (2024 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "27.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "7.2 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "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" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "57.7% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "3.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "1.492 million NOUAKCHOTT (capital) (2023)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.01 male(s)/female" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "0.9 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.73 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)" } }, "Mother's mean age at first birth": { "text": "21.8 years (2019/21)", "note": "note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49" }, "Maternal mortality ratio": { "text": "465 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)" }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "48.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "54.8 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "42.9 deaths/1,000 live births" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "65.9 years (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "63.4 years" }, "female": { "text": "68.5 years" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "3.4 children born/woman (2024 est.)" }, "Gross reproduction rate": { "text": "1.68 (2024 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "11.5% (2019/20)" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 98.7% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 68.4% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 85.2% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 1.3% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 31.6% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 14.8% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Current health expenditure": { "text": "3.4% of GDP (2020)" }, "Physician density": { "text": "0.19 physicians/1,000 population (2018)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 83.5% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 25.2% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 57.5% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 16.5% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 74.8% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 42.5% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "12.7% (2016)" }, "Alcohol consumption per capita": { "total": { "text": "0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "beer": { "text": "0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "wine": { "text": "0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "spirits": { "text": "0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "other alcohols": { "text": "0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" } }, "Tobacco use": { "total": { "text": "10.7% (2020 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "19.3% (2020 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "2.1% (2020 est.)" } }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "22.4% (2022)" }, "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": { "text": "66% (2023 est.)" }, "Child marriage": { "women married by age 15": { "text": "15.5%" }, "women married by age 18": { "text": "36.6%" }, "men married by age 18": { "text": "1.2% (2021 est.)" } }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "1.9% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Literacy": { "definition": { "text": "age 15 and over can read and write" }, "total population": { "text": "67%" }, "male": { "text": "71.8%" }, "female": { "text": "62.2% (2021)" } }, "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": { "total": { "text": "9 years" }, "male": { "text": "8 years" }, "female": { "text": "9 years (2020)" } } }, "Environment": { "Environment - current issues": { "text": "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": { "text": "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": { "text": "none of the selected agreements" } }, "Climate": { "text": "desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "38.5% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 38.1% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "0.2% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "61.3% (2018 est.)" } }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "57.7% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "3.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { "text": "due to high food prices - according to the latest analysis, over 472,000 people are projected to be in need of humanitarian assistance during the June to August 2023 lean season; this would be an improvement compared to the previous year, mostly due to a substantial increase in cereal production in 2022; high food prices, in particular of imported wheat, continue to worsen acute food security (2023)" } }, "Revenue from forest resources": { "text": "1.3% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Revenue from coal": { "text": "0% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Air pollutants": { "particulate matter emissions": { "text": "41.98 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)" }, "carbon dioxide emissions": { "text": "2.74 megatons (2016 est.)" }, "methane emissions": { "text": "6.16 megatons (2020 est.)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "454,000 tons (2009 est.)" }, "municipal solid waste recycled annually": { "text": "36,320 tons (2009 est.)" }, "percent of municipal solid waste recycled": { "text": "8% (2009 est.)" } }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "Senegal river mouth (shared with Guinea [s], Senegal and Mali) - 1,641 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth" }, "Major watersheds (area sq km)": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km)" }, "Major aquifers": { "text": "Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin, Taodeni-Tanzerouft Basin" }, "Total water withdrawal": { "municipal": { "text": "100 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "industrial": { "text": "30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "agricultural": { "text": "1.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)" } }, "Total renewable water resources": { "text": "11.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)" } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "Islamic Republic of Mauritania" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "Mauritania" }, "local long form": { "text": "Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah" }, "local short form": { "text": "Muritaniyah" }, "etymology": { "text": "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" } }, "Government type": { "text": "presidential republic" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "Nouakchott" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "18 04 N, 15 58 W" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "etymology": { "text": "may derive from the Berber \"nawakshut\" meaning \"place of the winds\"" } }, "Administrative divisions": { "text": "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" }, "Independence": { "text": "28 November 1960 (from France)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Independence Day, 28 November (1960)" }, "Legal system": { "text": "mixed legal system of Islamic and French civil law" }, "Constitution": { "history": { "text": "previous 1964; latest adopted 12 July 1991" }, "amendments": { "text": "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" } }, "International law organization participation": { "text": "has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt" }, "Citizenship": { "citizenship by birth": { "text": "no" }, "citizenship by descent only": { "text": "at least one parent must be a citizen of Mauritania" }, "dual citizenship recognized": { "text": "no" }, "residency requirement for naturalization": { "text": "5 years" } }, "Suffrage": { "text": "18 years of age; universal" }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { "text": "President Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI (since 1 August 2019)" }, "head of government": { "text": "Prime Minister Moctar Ould DIAY (since 2 August 2024)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Council of Ministers - nominees suggested by the prime minister, appointed by the president" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "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 29 June 2024 (next to be held in June 2029); prime minister appointed by the president" }, "election results": { "text": "
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%

2019: Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI elected president in first round; percent of vote - Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI (UPR) 52%, Biram Dah Ould ABEID (independent) 18.6%, Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBACAR (independent) 17.9%, other 11.5%" } }, "Legislative branch": { "legislature name": { "text": "Parliament (Barlamane)" }, "legislative structure": { "text": "unicameral" }, "chamber name": { "text": "National Assembly (Al Jamiya-Al-Wataniya)" }, "number of seats": { "text": "176 (all directly elected)" }, "electoral system": { "text": "mixed system" }, "scope of elections": { "text": "full renewal" }, "term in office": { "text": "5 years" }, "most recent election date": { "text": "5/13/2023 to 5/27/2023" }, "percentage of women in chamber": { "text": "23.3%" }, "expected date of next election": { "text": "May 2028" }, "note": "note: the early parliamentary elections in 2023 were the first to be held under President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El GHAZOUANI, elected in 2019 in the first peaceful transition of power; the elections followed the agreement between the government and parties in September 2022 to renew the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) and hold the elections in the first semester of 2023 for climatic and logistical reasons" }, "Judicial branch": { "highest court(s)": { "text": "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 9 members); High Court of Justice (consists of 9 members)" }, "judge selection and term of office": { "text": "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": { "text": "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" } }, "Political parties": { "text": "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" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AIIB, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, 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, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador Cissé Mint Cheikh Ould BOIDE (since 15 September 2021)" }, "chancery": { "text": "2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008" }, "telephone": { "text": "[1] (202) 232-5700" }, "FAX": { "text": "[1] (202) 319-2623" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
ambarimwashington@diplomatie.gov.mr

mauritaniaembassyus.org – Mauritania Embassy washington" } }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador (vacant); John T. ICE Chargé d’Affaires (since July 2024)" }, "embassy": { "text": "Nouadhibou Road, Avenue Al Quds, NOT PRTZ, Nouakchott" }, "mailing address": { "text": "2430 Nouakchott Place, Washington DC  20521-2430" }, "telephone": { "text": "[222] 4525-2660" }, "FAX": { "text": "[222] 4525-1592" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
consularnkc@state.gov

https://mr.usembassy.gov/" } }, "Flag description": { "text": "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" }, "National symbol(s)": { "text": "five-pointed star between the horns of a horizontal crescent moon; national colors: green, yellow" }, "National anthem": { "name": { "text": "\"Bilāda l-ʾubāti l-hudāti l-kirām\" (Land of the Proud, Guided by Noblemen)" }, "lyrics/music": { "text": "unknown/traditional, Rageh DAOUD" }, "note": "note: adopted 28 November 2017, preceded by \"National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania\"

" }, "National heritage": { "total World Heritage Sites": { "text": "2 (1 cultural, 1 natural)" }, "selected World Heritage Site locales": { "text": "Ancient Ksour (Fortified Villages) of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt, and Oualata (c); Banc d'Arguin National Park (n) " } } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "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" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023": { "text": "$31.434 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022": { "text": "$29.514 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": { "text": "$27.635 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2023": { "text": "6.51% (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2022": { "text": "6.8% (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2021": { "text": "0.74% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency" }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2023": { "text": "$6,300 (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2022": { "text": "$6,100 (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2021": { "text": "$5,800 (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$10.652 billion (2023 est.)", "note": "note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023": { "text": "4.95% (2023 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022": { "text": "9.53% (2022 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021": { "text": "3.57% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual % change based on consumer prices" }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "18.7% (2023 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "30.6% (2023 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "43.8% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data" }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "55.3% (2023 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "17.2% (2023 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "23.5% (2023 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "18.9% (2023 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "38.3% (2023 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-53.2% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection" }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "rice, milk, sorghum, goat milk, sheep milk, lamb/mutton, beef, camel meat, camel milk, dates (2022)", "note": "note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage" }, "Industries": { "text": "fish processing, oil production, mining (iron ore, gold, copper)", "note": "note: gypsum deposits have never been exploited" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "5.82% (2023 est.)", "note": "note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency" }, "Labor force": { "text": "1.178 million (2023 est.)", "note": "note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work" }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2023": { "text": "10.51% (2023 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2022": { "text": "10.6% (2022 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2021": { "text": "11.07% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force seeking employment" }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "23.7% (2023 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "20.3% (2023 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "30.9% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment" }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "31.8% (2019 est.)", "note": "note: % of population with income below national poverty line" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2019": { "text": "32 (2019 est.)" }, "note": "note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality" }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "3.1% (2019 est.)" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "24.6% (2019 est.)" }, "note": "note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population" }, "Remittances": { "Remittances 2023": { "text": "1.57% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Remittances 2022": { "text": "1.14% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Remittances 2021": { "text": "0.14% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities" }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "$1.617 billion (2019 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "$1.407 billion (2019 est.)" } }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "96.6% of GDP (2017 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "27.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2023": { "text": "-$966.506 million (2023 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2022": { "text": "-$1.424 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2021": { "text": "-$807.862 million (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars" }, "Exports": { "Exports 2023": { "text": "$3.955 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Exports 2022": { "text": "$4.132 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Exports 2021": { "text": "$3.18 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "China 24%, Canada 12%, UAE 12%, Spain 9%, Turkey 6% (2022)", "note": "note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "gold, iron ore, fish, processed crustaceans, animal meal (2022)", "note": "note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2023": { "text": "$5.271 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Imports 2022": { "text": "$5.77 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Imports 2021": { "text": "$4.312 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "China 18%, Spain 7%, Morocco 6%, UAE 6%, Indonesia 6% (2022)", "note": "note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "refined petroleum, iron pipes, wheat, raw sugar, palm oil (2022)", "note": "note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021": { "text": "$2.039 billion (2021 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020": { "text": "$1.493 billion (2020 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019": { "text": "$1.029 billion (2019 est.)" }, "note": "note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars" }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 2023": { "text": "$3.385 billion (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: present value of external debt in current US dollars" }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2023": { "text": "36.489 (2023 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2022": { "text": "36.935 (2022 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2021": { "text": "36.063 (2021 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "37.189 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "36.691 (2019 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "49% (2022 est.)" }, "electrification - urban areas": { "text": "91.6%" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "675,000 kW (2022 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "1.658 billion kWh (2022 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "193.742 million kWh (2022 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "231.44 million kWh (2022 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "fossil fuels": { "text": "70.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)" }, "solar": { "text": "8.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)" }, "wind": { "text": "9.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "12.4% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)" } }, "Coal": { "imports": { "text": "58 metric tons (2022 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "29,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)" }, "crude oil estimated reserves": { "text": "20 million barrels (2021 est.)" } }, "Natural gas": { "proven reserves": { "text": "28.317 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "4.322 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "4.322 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)" } }, "Energy consumption per capita": { "Total energy consumption per capita 2022": { "text": "13.306 million Btu/person (2022 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "48,000 (2022 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "1 (2022 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "5.36 million (2022 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "113 (2022 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "Mauritania’s small population and low economic output has limited the country’s ability to develop sustained growth in the telecom sector; low disposable income has restricted growth in the use of services; this has impacted their ability to invest in network upgrades and improvements to service offerings; this has been reflected in the repeated fines imposed against them by the regulator for failing to ensure a good quality of service; there are also practical challenges related to transparency and tax burdens which have hindered foreign investment; financial support has been forthcoming from the government as well as the World Bank and European Investment Bank; their efforts have focused on implementing appropriate regulatory measures and promoting the further penetration of fixed-line broadband services by improving the national backbone network, ensuring connectivity to international telecom cables, and facilitating operator access to infrastructure; progress has been made to improve internet bandwidth capacity, including the completion of a cable link at the border with Algeria, and the connection to the EllaLink submarine cable; the final stage of the national backbone network was completed in December 2021, which now runs to some 4,000km; penetration of fixed telephony and broadband service is very low and is expected to remain so in coming years, though growth is anticipated following improvements to backbone infrastructure and the reduction in access pricing; most voice and data services are carried over the mobile networks (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line teledensity 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity of roughly 141 per 100 persons (2021)" }, "international": { "text": "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)" } }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "12 TV stations: 6 government-owned and 6 private (the 6th was started in early 2022, owed by the President of Mauritanian Businessmen); in October 2017, the government suspended most private TV stations due to non-payment of broadcasting fees, but they later negotiated payment options with the government and are back since 2019. There are 19 radio broadcasters: 15 government-owned, 4 (Radio Nouakchott Libre, Radio Tenwir, Radio Kobeni and Mauritanid) private; all 4 private radio stations broadcast from Nouakchott; 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; Radio Jeunesse and Radio Koran are now also being re-broadcast in all the regions. (2022)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".mr" }, "Internet users": { "percent of population": { "text": "44% (2022 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "14,000 (2022 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "(2022 est.) less than 1" } } }, "Transportation": { "National air transport system": { "number of registered air carriers": { "text": "1 (2020)" }, "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": { "text": "6" }, "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "454,435 (2018)" } }, "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "5T" }, "Airports": { "text": "25 (2024)" }, "Heliports": { "text": "3 (2024)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "728 km (2014)" }, "standard gauge": { "text": "728 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge" } }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "12,253 km" }, "paved": { "text": "3,988 km" }, "unpaved": { "text": "8,265 km" } }, "Waterways": { "text": "1,086 km (2022) (some navigation possible on the Senegal River)" }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "11 (2023)" }, "by type": { "text": "general cargo 2, other 9" } }, "Ports": { "total ports": { "text": "2 (2024)" }, "large": { "text": "0" }, "medium": { "text": "1" }, "small": { "text": "1" }, "very small": { "text": "0" }, "ports with oil terminals": { "text": "2" }, "key ports": { "text": "Nouadhibou, Nouakchott" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "Mauritanian Armed Forces (aka Armée Nationale Mauritanienne): National Army, National Navy (Marine Nationale), Mauritania Islamic Air Force; Gendarmerie (Ministry of Defense)

Ministry of Interior and Decentralization: National Police, National Guard (2024)", "note": "note 1: the National Police are responsible for enforcing the law and maintaining order in urban areas, while the paramilitary Gendarmerie is responsible for maintaining civil order around metropolitan areas and providing law enforcement services in rural areas; like the Mauritanian Armed Forces, the Gendarmerie is under the Ministry of Defense, but also supports the ministries of Interior and Justice

note 2: the National Guard performs a limited police function in keeping with its peacetime role of providing security at government facilities, to include prisons; regional authorities may call upon the National Guard to restore civil order during riots and other large-scale disturbances" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2023": { "text": "2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2022": { "text": "2.5% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2021": { "text": "2.4% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2020": { "text": "2.5% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2019": { "text": "2.1% of GDP (2019 est.)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "approximately 16,000 Mauritanian Armed Forces personnel (15,000 Army; 700 Navy; 300 Air Force); estimated 3,000 Gendarmerie; estimated 2,000 National Guard (2023)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "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, including unmanned aircraft (drones), from several suppliers, including China and the UAE (2024)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "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 (2023)" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "450 (plus about 325 police) Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2024)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "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; securing the border and countering terrorist groups operating in the Sahel, particularly from Mali, are key operational priorities; since a spate of deadly terrorist attacks on civilian and military targets in the 2005-2011 timeframe, the Mauritanian Government has increased the defense budget (up 40% between 2008 and 2018) and military equipment acquisitions, enhanced military training, heightened security cooperation with its neighbors and the international community, and built up the military’s counterinsurgency and counterterrorism forces and capabilities; equipment acquisitions have prioritized mobility and intelligence collection, including light ground attack and reconnaissance aircraft, assault helicopters, patrol vessels, light trucks, and surveillance radars; Mauritania has received foreign security assistance from France, NATO, and the US in areas such as commando/special forces operations, counterterrorism, and professional military education (2023)" } }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { "text": "Al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { "text": "26,000 (Sahrawis) (2021); 104,080 (Mali) (2023)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "NA" } } }