Mauritania - MR - MRT - MTN - Africa
Mauritania Images
![Deep in the Sahara lies a crater, a nearly a perfect circle that is 1.9 km (1.2 mi) wide, and sports a rim 100 m (330 ft) high. The Tenoumer crater sits in a vast plain of rocks so ancient they were deposited hundreds of millions of years before the first dinosaurs walked the Earth. Close examination of the structure has revealed that the crater's hardened "lava" was actually rock that had melted from a meteorite impact.
On this satellite image the crater's outline is unmistakable, yet it does not necessarily look like a crater; the light and shadows make it look more as if someone pressed a giant cookie cutter into the rock. In this image, the sunlight shines from the southeast (lower right), and the bright arc along the northwestern part of the crater is where the crater walls slope up to the rim. Around the perimeter, the relatively steep walls cast dark shadows. Although it resides in ancient rock, Tenoumer is geologically young, ranging in age between roughly 10,000 and 30,000 years old. Photo courtesy of NASA.](https://dev.me/media/factbook/mr/MR_005_large.jpg "Deep in the Sahara lies a crater, a nearly a perfect circle that is 1.9 km (1.2 mi) wide, and sports a rim 100 m (330 ft) high. The Tenoumer crater sits in a vast plain of rocks so ancient they were deposited hundreds of millions of years before the first dinosaurs walked the Earth. Close examination of the structure has revealed that the crater's hardened "lava" was actually rock that had melted from a meteorite impact.
On this satellite image the crater's outline is unmistakable, yet it does not necessarily look like a crater; the light and shadows make it look more as if someone pressed a giant cookie cutter into the rock. In this image, the sunlight shines from the southeast (lower right), and the bright arc along the northwestern part of the crater is where the crater walls slope up to the rim. Around the perimeter, the relatively steep walls cast dark shadows. Although it resides in ancient rock, Tenoumer is geologically young, ranging in age between roughly 10,000 and 30,000 years old. Photo courtesy of NASA.")
Deep in the Sahara lies a crater, a nearly a perfect circle that is 1.9 km (1.2 mi) wide, and sports a rim 100 m (330 ft) high. The Tenoumer crater sits in a vast plain of rocks so ancient they were deposited hundreds of millions of years before the first dinosaurs walked the Earth. Close examination of the structure has revealed that the crater's hardened "lava" was actually rock that had melted from a meteorite impact. On this satellite image the crater's outline is unmistakable, yet it does not necessarily look like a crater; the light and shadows make it look more as if someone pressed a giant cookie cutter into the rock. In this image, the sunlight shines from the southeast (lower right), and the bright arc along the northwestern part of the crater is where the crater walls slope up to the rim. Around the perimeter, the relatively steep walls cast dark shadows. Although it resides in ancient rock, Tenoumer is geologically young, ranging in age between roughly 10,000 and 30,000 years old. Photo courtesy of NASA.
A remarkably clear satellite image of northwestern Africa vividly displays the extent of the Sahara. To the north are the dark brown Atlas Mountains of Morocco, to the west is the Atlantic Ocean, and to the south is the semi-arid (light brown) Sahelian region. The largely desert composition of Mauritania restricts human settlement. Population centers are mostly confined to the Atlantic coast or along the Senegal River in the southwest. Photo courtesy of NASA.
This satellite photo shows dozens of fires burning in the African countries of Senegal (left) and Mali (right). To the north is the largely desert country of Mauritania. In roughly the center of Mauritania, the dark brown area indicates the location of seasonal lakes and rivers - dry when this October image was snapped. Photo courtesy of NASA.
The so-called Richat Structure, center right in this false-color satellite image, is a geological formation in the Maur Adrar Desert. Compare this image to the true-color photo taken from a spacecraft. Although it resembles an impact crater, the Richat Structure formed when a volcanic dome hardened and gradually eroded, exposing the onion-like layers of rock. Image courtesy of USGS.
The Richat Structure, a prominent circular feature in the Sahara Desert of Mauritania, has attracted attention since the earliest space missions because it forms a conspicuous bull's-eye in the otherwise rather featureless expanse of the Gres de Chinguetti Plateau in central Mauritania. The Structure, which has a diameter of almost 50 km (30 mi), has become a landmark for space shuttle crews. Initially interpreted as a meteorite impact structure, it is now thought to be merely a symmetrical uplift (circular anticline) laid bare by erosion. Image courtesy of NASA.
Deep in the Sahara lies a crater, a nearly a perfect circle that is 1.9 km (1.2 mi) wide, and sports a rim 100 m (330 ft) high. The Tenoumer crater sits in a vast plain of rocks so ancient they were deposited hundreds of millions of years before the first dinosaurs walked the Earth. Close examination of the structure has revealed that the crater's hardened "lava" was actually rock that had melted from a meteorite impact. On this satellite image the crater's outline is unmistakable, yet it does not necessarily look like a crater; the light and shadows make it look more as if someone pressed a giant cookie cutter into the rock. In this image, the sunlight shines from the southeast (lower right), and the bright arc along the northwestern part of the crater is where the crater walls slope up to the rim. Around the perimeter, the relatively steep walls cast dark shadows. Although it resides in ancient rock, Tenoumer is geologically young, ranging in age between roughly 10,000 and 30,000 years old. Photo courtesy of NASA.
A remarkably clear satellite image of northwestern Africa vividly displays the extent of the Sahara. To the north are the dark brown Atlas Mountains of Morocco, to the west is the Atlantic Ocean, and to the south is the semi-arid (light brown) Sahelian region. The largely desert composition of Mauritania restricts human settlement. Population centers are mostly confined to the Atlantic coast or along the Senegal River in the southwest. Photo courtesy of NASA.
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Special Notes
Mauritania Factbook Data
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: Nouadhibou Road, Avenue Al Quds, NOT PRTZ, Nouakchott
mailing address: 2430 Nouakchott Place, Washington DC 20521-2430
telephone: [222] 4525-2660
FAX: [222] 4525-1592
email address and website:
consularnkc@state.gov
https://mr.usembassy.gov/
Age structure
15-64 years: 59.58% (male 1,197,311/female 1,331,815)
65 years and over: 4.31% (2023 est.) (male 77,123/female 105,935)
For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page.
Geographic coordinates
Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Natural hazards
Area - comparative
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico; about six times the size of Florida
Military service age and obligation
Background
The Amazigh and Bafour people were among the first to settle in what is now Mauritania. Originally a nomadic people, they were 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 Mauritania’s status as an emerging democracy. International observers recognized the elections as relatively free and fair. President 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.
Environment - current issues
Environment - international agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Population below poverty line
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Household income or consumption by percentage share
highest 10%: 24.9% (2014 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Exports - commodities
Exports - partners
Administrative divisions
Agricultural products
Military and security forces
Ministry of Interior and Decentralization: National Police, National Guard (2024)
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
Budget
expenditures: $1.407 billion (2019 est.)
Capital
geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 15 58 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: may derive from the Berber "nawakshut" meaning "place of the winds"
Imports - commodities
Climate
Coastline
Constitution
amendments: 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
Exchange rates
Exchange rates:
36.063 (2021 est.)
37.189 (2020 est.)
36.691 (2019 est.)
35.678 (2018 est.)
35.794 (2017 est.)
Executive branch
head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Ould BILAL (since 6 August 2020)
cabinet: Council of Ministers - nominees suggested by the prime minister, appointed by the president
elections/appointments: 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 22 June 2019 (next to be held on 22 June 2024); prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
2019: Mohamed Ould Cheikh El GHAZOUANI elected president in first round; percent of vote - Mahamed Ould Cheikh El GHAZOUANI (UPR) 52%, Biram Dah Ould ABEID (independent) 18.6%, Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBACAR (independent) 17.9%, other 11.5%
2014: Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ elected president in first round; percent of vote - Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ (UPR) 81.9%, Biram Dah ABEID (IRA) 8.7%, Boidiel Ould HOUMEIT (El Wiam) 4.5%, Ibrahima Moctar SARR (SJD/MR) 4.4%, other 0.5%
Fiscal year
Flag description
Independence
Industries
note: gypsum deposits have never been exploited
Judicial branch
judge selection and term of office: 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: 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
Land boundaries
border countries (4): Algeria 460 km; Mali 2,236 km; Morocco 1,564 km; Senegal 742 km
Land use
arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 38.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 0.2% (2018 est.)
other: 61.3% (2018 est.)
Legal system
Literacy
total population: 67%
male: 71.8%
female: 62.2% (2021)
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
International organization participation
National holiday
Nationality
adjective: Mauritanian
Natural resources
Geography - note
Economic overview
Ports and terminals
Suffrage
Telecommunication systems
domestic: fixed-line teledensity 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular teledensity of roughly 141 per 100 persons (2021)
international: 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)
Terrain
Government type
Country name
conventional short form: Mauritania
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
local short form: Muritaniyah
etymology: 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
Location
Map references
Irrigated land
Diplomatic representation in the US
chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623
email address and website:
ambarimwash@gmail.com; ambarimwashington@diplomatie.gov.mr
mauritaniaembassyus.org – Mauritania Embassy washington
Internet country code
Major infectious diseases
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and sexually transmitted diseases: hepatitis B (2024)
animal contact diseases: rabies
respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis
Refugees and internally displaced persons
GDP (official exchange rate)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Total renewable water resources
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male: 8 years
female: 9 years (2020)
Urbanization
rate of urbanization: 3.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Broadcast media
Drinking water source
rural: 68.4% of population
total: 85.2% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.3% of population
rural: 31.6% of population
total: 14.8% of population (2020 est.)
National anthem
lyrics/music: unknown/traditional, Rageh DAOUD
note: adopted 28 November 2017, preceded by "National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania"
Major urban areas - population
International law organization participation
Physicians density
National symbol(s)
Demographic profile
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.
Contraceptive prevalence rate
GDP - composition, by end use
government consumption: 21.8% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 56.1% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: -3.2% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 39% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -78.6% (2017 est.)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 76.8
elderly dependency ratio: 6
potential support ratio: 16.8 (2021 est.)
Citizenship
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Mauritania
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Population distribution
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 47.6% (2021)
electrification - urban areas: 89.6% (2021)
electrification - rural areas: 1% (2020)
National air transport system
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 454,435 (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Sanitation facility access
rural: 25.2% of population
total: 57.5% of population
unimproved: urban: 16.5% of population
rural: 74.8% of population
total: 42.5% of population (2020 est.)
Ethnic groups
Religions
Languages
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Imports - partners
Disputes - international
Mauritania-Algeria: none identified
Mauritania-Mali: there are no border disputes, but the border has not been demarcated; talks on demarcation were reportedly being held in February 2022
Mauritania-Morocco: Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant; tensions arose in 2016 when Mauritanian soldiers were deployed to Lagouira, a city in the southernmost part of Morocco, and raised their flag
Mauritania-Senegal: none identified
Elevation
lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
mean elevation: 276 m
Current health expenditure
Military - note
the Army has sought to create lighter, more nimble units capable of operating in the harsh environment of the Sahel; since 2009, for example, it has enhanced existing camel-mounted nomad patrol units and created up to eight Special Intervention Groups (GSI), 200-man French-trained Army commando/counterterrorism units that are mounted on light vehicles, carry their own supplies, and operate in remote desert border areas for extended periods of time; in addition to the GSI and camel-mounted forces, the Army has multiple motorized infantry battalions, plus individual battalions of tanks, light armored reconnaissance, presidential guards, and airborne/commando forces to supplement garrison units stationed throughout the country in six military regions; the Gendarmerie has territorial-based, mobile, and specialized units such rapid reaction forces (Rapid Action Group – Surveillance and Intervention Group or GAR-SI) that conduct counterterrorism missions and work with the regular military services; the Air Force has acquired a few light attack combat aircraft in recent years, but remains small with a total inventory of about 20 patrol, transport, and trainer airplanes and helicopters; in addition to two offshore patrol vessels acquired from China in 2016, the Navy has a small force of coastal and inshore patrol craft and boats to monitor the country’s 750km-long coastline and Economic Exclusion Zone, plus a unit of marines (Fusiliers Marins); it has conducted joint patrols with the Senegalese Navy along their shared maritime border (2023)
Military and security service personnel strengths
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
Military deployments
Terrorist group(s)
Food insecurity
Total water withdrawal
industrial: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 1.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 36,320 tons (2009 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 8% (2009 est.)
Air pollutants
carbon dioxide emissions: 2.74 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 6.16 megatons (2020 est.)
Major aquifers
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Major rivers (by length in km)
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Illicit drugs
National heritage
selected World Heritage Site locales: Ancient Ksour (Fortified Villages) of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt, and Oualata (c); Banc d'Arguin National Park (n)
Heliports
Mother's mean age at first birth
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
Coal
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 8.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 6.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 11.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Natural gas
consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 28.317 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 27,500 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 4,800 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 20 million barrels (2021 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
Remittances
0.14% of GDP (2021 est.)
2.04% of GDP (2020 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Child marriage
women married by age 18: 36.6%
men married by age 18: 1.2% (2021 est.)
Labor force
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 20.8%
female: 27.9%
Net migration rate
Median age
male: 20.9 years
female: 22.8 years
Debt - external
$3.899 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$1.493 billion (2020 est.)
$1.029 billion (2019 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Waterways
Refined petroleum products - imports
Public debt
100% of GDP (2016 est.)
Total fertility rate
Military expenditures
2.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
2.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
2.1% of GDP (2019 est.)
2.3% of GDP (2018 est.)
Unemployment rate
11.33% (2021 est.)
11.17% (2020 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
Population
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
Internet users
percent of population: 59% (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 4.041 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Area
land: 1,030,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Taxes and other revenues
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$23.731 billion (2021 est.)
$23.557 billion (2020 est.)
note: data in 2017 dollars
Roadways
paved: 3,988 km
unpaved: 8,265 km
Airports
Infant mortality rate
male: 55.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 43.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 141 (2021 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.57% (2021 est.)
2.39% (2020 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Refined petroleum products - exports
Current account balance
-$807.862 million (2021 est.)
-$576.175 million (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Real GDP per capita
$5,100 (2021 est.)
$5,200 (2020 est.)
note: data in 2017 dollars
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.4 (2020 est.)
Tobacco use
male: 19.3% (2020 est.)
female: 2.1% (2020 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
Energy consumption per capita
Death rate
Birth rate
Electricity
consumption: 1.577 billion kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
imports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 245 million kWh (2019 est.)
Merchant marine
by type: general cargo 2, other 9
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Imports
$4.312 billion (2021 est.)
$3.675 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports
$3.18 billion (2021 est.)
$2.784 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
male: 63.1 years
female: 68.1 years
Real GDP growth rate
0.74% (2021 est.)
-0.36% (2020 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Industrial production growth rate
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Railways
standard gauge: 728 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 29.3% (2017 est.)
services: 42.9% (2017 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
Revenue from coal
Education expenditures
Population growth rate
Legislative branch
elections:
last held on 13 May 2023 with a second round on 27 May 2023 (next to be held in May 2028)
election results:
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - El Insaf 107, Tawassoul 11, UDP 10, FRUD 7, El Islah 6, AND 6, El Karama 5, Nida Al-Watan 5, Sawab 5, AJD/MR 4, HIWAR 3, HATEM 3, El Vadila 2, UPC 1, Hakam 1; composition as of February 2024 - men 135, women 41, percentage women 23.3%
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
Political parties and leaders
El Insaf or Equity Party [Mohamed Melainine Ould EYIH]
El Islah or Reform Party [Mohamed Ould TALEBNA]
El Karama or Dignity Party [Cheikhna Ould Mohamed Ould HAJBOU]
El Vadila or Virtue Party [Ethmane Ould Cheikh Ahmed Eboul MEALY]
Mauritanian Party of Union and Change or HATEM [Saleh Ould HANENNA]
National Democratic Alliance or AND [Yacoub Ould MOINE]
National Rally for Reform and Development or RNRD or TAWASSOUL [Hamadi Ould Sidi MOKHTAR]
Nida El-Watan [Daoud Ould Ahmed AICHA]
Party for Conciliation and Prosperity or HIWAR [Valle Mint Mini]
Party of the Mauritanian Masses or Hakam [El Khalil Ould ENNAHOUI]
Republican Front for Unity and Democracy or FRUD [Kadiata Malick DIALLO]
Sawab Party [Ahmed Salem Ould HORMA]
Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]
Union of Planning and Construction or UPC [Qari Ould Mohamed ABDALLAHI]