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Communications

Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

5 (2001)

Internet country code [time series]

.mr

Internet users [time series]

7,500 (2001)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios [time series]

410,000 (2001)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: limited 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

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

26,500 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

35,000 (2001)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (2002)

Televisions [time series]

98,000 (2001)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep

Budget [time series]

revenues: $421 million expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154 million

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

ouguiya (MRO)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

MRO

Debt - external [time series]

$1.6 billion (2000) (2000)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

37 (1995)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$220 million (2000) (2000)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Half 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 half 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 the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. In February, 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. Mauritania withdrew its membership in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 2000 and subsequently increased commercial ties with Arab Maghreb Union members Morocco and Tunisia, most notably in telecommunications. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential viable extraction at current world oil prices. However, the refinery in Nouadhibou historically has not exceeded 20% of its distillation capacity, and it handled no crude in the year 2000. A new Investment Code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

143.22 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production [time series]

154 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 84% hydro: 16% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates [time series]

ouguiyas per US dollar - 254.350 (December 2001), 238.923 (2000), 209.514 (1999), 188.476 (1998), 151.853 (1997), 137.222 (1996)

Exports [time series]

$359 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities [time series]

iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Exports - partners [time series]

France 18%, Japan 16%, Italy 13%, Spain 10% (2000)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $5 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 25% industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2001 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

4% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 30% (2000) (2000)

Imports [time series]

$335 million f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners [time series]

France 33%, US 10%, Spain 9%, Algeria 6%, Germany 6%, Benelux 5% (2000)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

2% (2000 est.)

Industries [time series]

fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

4.4% (2001 est.)

Labor force [time series]

786,000 (2001) (2001)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture 50%, services 40%, industry 10% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

50% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

21% (1999 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 1,030,700 sq km land: 1,030,400 sq km water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Climate [time series]

desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Coastline [time series]

754 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 910 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

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

Geographic coordinates [time series]

20 00 N, 12 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

490 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 5,074 km border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 0.48% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.51% (1998 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Natural hazards [time series]

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

Natural resources [time series]

iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil; fish

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Nouakchott

Constitution [time series]

12 July 1991

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador John W. LIMBERT embassy: Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott telephone: [222] 25-26-60, 25-26-63, 25-11-41, 25-11-45 FAX: [222] 25-25-92

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamedou Ould MICHEL chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984) head of government: Prime Minister Cheikh El Avia Ould Mohamed KHOUNA (since 17 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 Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected with 90.9% of the vote

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

republic

Independence [time series]

28 November 1960 (from France)

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts

Legal system [time series]

a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2004); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRDS 54, RFD 1, UNDD 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - PRDS 79%, RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, RDF 4%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%; seats by party - PRDS 64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RFD 3, UFP 3, and FP 1

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Alliance for Justice and Democracy or AJD [Kebe ABDOULAYE]; Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party) [President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for Renewal and Concorde or PMRC [Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National Union for Democracy and Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party for Liberty, Equality and Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress Alliance or APP [Mohamed El Hafed Ould ISMAEL]; Popular Social and Democratic Union or UPSD [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force Union or UFP [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS] note: the Action for Change party was banned in January 2002; parties legalized by constitution ratified 12 July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

Arab nationalists; Ba'athists; General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general]; Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were generally free and open. Mauritania remains, in reality, a one-party state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between its black minority population and the dominant Maur (Arab-Berber) populace.

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$37.1 million (FY01)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

3.7% (FY01)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 644,294 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 312,276 (2002 est.)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 46.1% (male 653,005; female 650,530) 15-64 years: 51.7% (male 720,473; female 741,094) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 26,251; female 37,505) (2002 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

42.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate [time series]

13.34 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

1.8% (2000 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

610 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

6,600 (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

75.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages [time series]

Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (official), French

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 51.53 years female: 53.71 years (2002 est.) male: 49.42 years

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 41.2% male: 51.5% female: 31.3% (2002 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population [time series]

2,828,858 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.92% (2002 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 100%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.15 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Transportation

Airports [time series]

26 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 10 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 6 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 16 17 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 7 under 914 m: 6 3 (2002)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 7,720 km paved: 830 km unpaved: 6,890 km (2000)

Merchant marine [time series]

none (2002)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso

Railways [time series]

704 km standard gauge: 704 km 1.435-m gauge note: owned and operated by government mining company (2001)

Waterways [time series]

note: ferry traffic on the Senegal River