Mauritania Facts

by countryaah · Published June 3, 2019 · Updated April 25, 2020

Mauritania, State of West Africa; 1 million km², 4.4 million residents (2018).Mauritania borders in the northwest and north to Western Sahara, in the northeast to Algeria, in the east to Mali and in the south to Mali and Senegal and to the west coast to the Atlantic. The capital is Nouakchott (899 900 residents, 2014).

Country facts

al-Jumhūriyya al-Islāmiyya al-Mūrītāniyya (Arabic)
Republic of Mauritania (French) /
Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Country abbreviation: MR
Area: 1 million km²
Population (2019): 4.4 million residents
Capital: Nouakchott
Main languages: Arabic, French
State: Republic
Head of State: Mohamed Ould Ghazouani
Head of Government: Ismail Ould Bedda Ould Cheikh Sidiya
Per capita GDP (2018): US $ 1,211
GNI per capita (2018): US $ 1,190
Coin unit: 1 ouquiya = 5 khoums
Currency code: MRO
Country number (telephony): 222
Internet domain name: mr
Time difference compared to Sweden: −1
National Day: November 28 (Independence Day, 1960)

Nature

Land use: forest (4%), other (mainly desert, 96%)
Highest mountain: Kediat Idjil (915 m asl)

Population

Population density (2019): 4 residents per km²
Natural population growth (2019): 2.7%; birthrate 34 ‰, deathrate 7 ‰
Age structure (2019): 0-14 years (40%), 15-64 (57%), 65- (3%)
Life expectancy (2019): men 63 years, women 66 years
Infant mortality (2019): 54 per 1,000 live births
Population forecast 2050: 9 million residents
HDI (2017): 0.520 (place 159 of 188)
Urbanization rate (2019): 54%
Most populous city (2014): Nouakchott (899,900 residents)

Business

Industry’s contribution to GDP (2017): agriculture (18%), industry (29%), service (43%)
Exports of goods (2017): US $ 1 722 million
Main export products: iron ore, fish, gold
Main exporting countries: China, Switzerland, Spain
Imports of goods (2017): USD 2,094 million
Main import products: machinery, oil, capital goods
Main Importing Countries: Belgium, United Arab Emirates, USA
Railway network (2014): 700 km

Mauritania is a distinctly lowland, which is mostly within the Sahara. It is covered by rows of long dunes, which extend to the sandy and inaccessible coast. To the south along the Senegal River is a fertile belt, which is watered by the river’s regular floods. Mauritania has desert or southern steppe climate.

The 1991 Constitution provides for Mauritania to be an Islamic republic with multi-party systems. The executive is exercised by a president, who is elected in direct elections for five years. The President appoints the Prime Minister and appoints the members of the government on his proposal. The country became independent in 1960.

Mauritania is a poor country, where primary nutrition dominates. Fish, iron ore and livestock farming traditionally form the basis of the country’s economy. Since 2006, however, these have been supplemented with the production of oil, gold and copper; In 2008, oil accounted for almost half of the export value. Agriculture has been hit hard by repeated drought.