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Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

broadcast media state-owned; 1 state-run TV and 1 state-run radio network; Television de Mauritanie, the state-run TV station, has an additional 6 regional TV stations that provide local programming (2008)

Internet country code [time series]

.mr

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

22 (2012) country comparison to the world: 220

Internet users [time series]

75,000 (2009) country comparison to the world: 170

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; mobile-cellular services expanding rapidly domestic: Mauritel, the national telecommunications company, was privatized in 2001 but remains the monopoly provider of fixed-line services; fixed-line teledensity 2 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular network coverage extends mainly to urban areas with a teledensity of roughly 100 per 100 persons; mostly cable and open-wire lines; a domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean, 2 Arabsat); fiber-optic and Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) cables for Internet access (2009)

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

65,100 (2012) country comparison to the world: 158

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

4.024 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 121

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1.561 billion expenditures: $1.449 billion (2012 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

2.9% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Central bank discount rate [time series]

9% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 12% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

17% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 29 17% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance [time series]

$-1.263 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 $-310.2 million (2011 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$2.922 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 $2.709 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

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

39 (2000) country comparison to the world: 67 37.3 (1995)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and 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 nearly 40% of total exports. 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. Before 2000, 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 nearly all of its foreign debt has since been forgiven. A new investment code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Mauritania and the IMF agreed to a three-year Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRGF) arrangement in 2006. Mauritania made satisfactory progress, but the IMF, World Bank, and other international actors suspended assistance and investment in Mauritania after the August 2008 coup. Since the presidential election in July 2009, donors have resumed assistance. Oil prospects, while initially promising, have largely failed to materialize, and the government has placed a priority on attracting private investment to spur economic growth. The government also emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and privatization of the economy. Economic growth remained around 5% in 2010-12, mostly because of rising prices of gold, copper, iron ore, and oil.

Exchange rates [time series]

ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar - 296.6 (2012 est.) 281.12 (2011 est.) 275.89 (2010 est.) 262.4 (2009) 238.2 (2008)

Exports [time series]

$2.642 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 135 $2.814 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

iron ore, fish and fish products, gold, copper, petroleum

Exports - partners [time series]

China 50.5%, Italy 7.8%, Japan 7.3%, France 4.9%, Spain 4.2%, Cote dIvoire 4.1%, Netherlands 4% (2012)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$3.886 billion (2012 est.)

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

$7.604 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 157 $7.114 billion (2011 est.) $6.865 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

household consumption: 54.7% government consumption: 21.8% investment in fixed capital: 64.5% investment in inventories: -8.9% exports of goods and services: 58.6% imports of goods and services: -90.7% (2012 est.)

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

agriculture: 16.7% industry: 53.4% services: 29.9% (2012 est.)

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

$2,100 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 $2,000 (2011 est.) $2,000 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

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

6.9% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 31 3.6% (2011 est.) 4.7% (2010 est.)

Gross national saving [time series]

26.2% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 41 39.3% of GDP (2011 est.) 7.7% of GDP (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 29.5% (2000)

Imports [time series]

$3.176 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 $2.533 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

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

Imports - partners [time series]

China 12.9%, Netherlands 10.5%, US 7.8%, France 7.8%, Brazil 5.6%, Germany 5.5%, Spain 5.1%, Belgium 4.7% (2012)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

14.7% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

Industries [time series]

fish processing, oil production, mining (iron ore, gold, and copper) note: gypsum deposits have never been exploited

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

4.9% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 143 5.6% (2011 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1.318 million (2007) country comparison to the world: 136

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$NA

Population below poverty line [time series]

40% (2004 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$1.514 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 142 $1.743 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

40.2% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 47

Unemployment rate [time series]

30% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182 20% (2004 est.)

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

1.774 million Mt (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Crude oil - exports [time series]

7,337 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 94

Crude oil - production [time series]

6,577 bbl/day (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 96

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

20 million bbl (1 January 2013 es) country comparison to the world: 84

Electricity - consumption [time series]

651.9 million kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 161

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 104

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

63.1% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 128

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

36.9% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 62

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 140

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 204

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 215

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

263,000 kW (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

Electricity - production [time series]

701 million kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 154

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 173

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 168

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2013 es) country comparison to the world: 71

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

18,120 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 198

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

12,810 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 125

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 207

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 1,030,700 sq km country comparison to the world: 29 land: 1,030,700 sq km water: 0 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: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

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

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

Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]

total: 1.35 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%) per capita: 420.2 cu m/yr (2005)

Geographic coordinates [time series]

20 00 N, 12 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

450.1 sq km (2004)

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: 0.44% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.55% (2011)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

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

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

Total renewable water resources [time series]

11.4 cu km (2011)

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

13 regions (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh ech Chargui, Hodh el Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza

Capital [time series]

name: Nouakchott geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 15 58 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

previous 1964; latest adopted 12 July 1991; amended 2006, 2012 (2012)

Country name [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Jo Ellen POWELL (since 29 October 2010) embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye, Rue 42-100 (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott telephone: [222] 4525-2660 through 2663 FAX: [222] 4525-1592

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Lemine El HAYCEN (since 28 July 2010) chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700 through 5701 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ (since 5 August 2009); note - AZIZ, who deposed democratically elected President Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI in a coup and installed himself as President of the High State Council on 6 August 2008, retired from the military and stepped down from the presidency in April 2009 to run for president; he was elected president in an election held on 18 July 2009 head of government: Prime Minister Moulaye Ould Mohamed LAGHDAF (since 14 August 2008) cabinet: Council of Ministers (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held on 18 July 2009 (next to be held by 2014) election results: percent of vote - Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ 52.6%, Messaoud Ould BOULKHEIR 16.3%, Ahmed Ould DADDAH 13.7%, other 17.4%

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; the gold color stands for the sands of the Sahara

Government type [time series]

military junta

Independence [time series]

28 November 1960 (from France)

International law organization participation [time series]

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation [time series]

ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU (candidate), EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, 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, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (subdivided into 1 criminal and 2 civil chambers, each with a president and 5 counselors); Constitutional Council (consists of 6 members) 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, and 1 by the president of the Senate; members serve single, 9-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 3 years subordinate courts: High Court of Justice (cases involving treason and criminal acts of high government officials); courts of appeal; wilaya (regional) courts (located at the headquarters of each of the 13 regions); commercial and labor courts; criminal courts; moughataa (district) courts; informal/customary courts

Legal system [time series]

mixed legal system of Islamic and French civil law

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; 53 members elected by municipal leaders and 3 members elected for Mauritanians abroad to serve six-year terms; a portion of seats up for election every two years) and the National Assembly or Al Jamiya Al Wataniya (95 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held in November 2009; National Assembly - last held on 19 November and 3 December 2006 (election scheduled for 16 October 2011 postponed, rescheduled for 31 March 2012 and then postponed indefinitely) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPM (Coalition of Majority Parties) 45, COD 7, RNRD-TAWASSOUL 4; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CPM 63 (UPR 50, PRDR 7, UDP 3, HATEM-PMUC 2, RD 1), COD 27 (RFD 9, UFP 6, APP 6, PNDD-ADIL 6), RNRD-TAWASSOUL 4, FP 1

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "Hymne National de la Republique Islamique de Mauritanie" (National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania)

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

National symbol(s) [time series]

star and crescent

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

Alternative or El-Badil [Mohamed Yahdhi Ould MOCTAR HACEN] Coalition of Majority Parties or CPM (parties supporting the regime including PRDR, UPR, RD, HATEM-PMUC, UCD) Coordination of Democratic Opposition or COD (coalition of opposition political parties opposed to the government including APP, RFD, UFP, PNDD-ADIL, Alternative or El-Badil) Democratic Renewal or RD [Moustapha Ould ABDEIDARRAHMANE] Mauritanian Party for Unity and Change or HATEM-PMUC [Saleh Ould HANENA] National Pact for Democracy and Development or PNDD-ADIL [Yahya Ould Ahmed El WAGHEF] (independents formerly supporting President Abdellahi) National Rally for Freedom, Democracy and Equality or RNDLE National Rally for Reform and Development or RNRD-TAWASSOUL [Mohamed Jamil MANSOUR] (moderate Islamists) Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE] Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messaoud Ould BOULKHEIR] Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH] Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR [Mintata Mint HDEID] Socialist and Democratic Unity Party or PUDS Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS] Union for the Republic or UPR Union of Democratic Center or UCD [Cheikh Sid'Ahmed Ould BABA] Union of the Forces for Progress or UFP [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]

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

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

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. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984 and ruled Mauritania with a heavy hand for more than two decades. A series of presidential elections that he held were widely seen as flawed. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council that oversaw a transition to democratic rule. Independent candidate Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDALLAHI was inaugurated in April 2007 as Mauritania's first freely and fairly elected president. His term ended prematurely in August 2008 when a military junta led by General Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ deposed him and installed a military council government. AZIZ was subsequently elected president in July 2009 and sworn in the following month. AZIZ sustained injuries from an accidental shooting by his own troops in October 2012 but has continued to maintain his authority. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population (Afro-Mauritanians) and white and black Moor (Arab-Berber) communities, and is having to confront a growing terrorism threat by al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 718,713 females age 16-49: 804,622 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 16-49: 480,042 females age 16-49: 581,473 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]

male: 36,116 female: 36,826 (2010 est.)

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

Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Mauritanian Navy (Marine Mauritanienne; includes naval infantry), Islamic Republic of Mauritania Air Group (Groupement Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, GAIM) (2013)

Military expenditures [time series]

5.5% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 13

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 39.8% (male 686,596/female 681,224) 15-24 years: 20% (male 335,998/female 351,367) 25-54 years: 32.2% (male 512,045/female 595,195) 55-64 years: 4.5% (male 68,960/female 84,303) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 51,736/female 70,186) (2013 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

32.31 births/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Child labor - children ages 5-14 [time series]

total number: 127,251 percentage: 16 % (2007 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

15.9% (2008) country comparison to the world: 48

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

9.3% (2007)

Death rate [time series]

8.5 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 83

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 76.3 % youth dependency ratio: 70.7 % elderly dependency ratio: 5.6 % potential support ratio: 17.9 (2013)

Drinking water source [time series]

improved: urban: 52% of population rural: 48% of population total: 50% of population unimproved: urban: 48% of population rural: 52% of population total: 50% of population (2010 est.)

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

3.9% of GDP (2011) country comparison to the world: 114

Ethnic groups [time series]

mixed Moor/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.7% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 60

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

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

14,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 87

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

5.4% of GDP (2011) country comparison to the world: 125

Hospital bed density [time series]

0.4 beds/1,000 population (2006)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 57.48 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 31 male: 62.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 52.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)

Languages [time series]

Arabic (official and national), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French, Hassaniya

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 61.91 years country comparison to the world: 188 male: 59.65 years female: 64.23 years (2013 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 58.6% male: 65.3% female: 52% (2011 est.)

Major infectious diseases [time series]

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis animal contact disease: rabies (2013)

Major urban areas - population [time series]

NOUAKCHOTT (capital) 709,000 (2009)

Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]

510 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 19

Median age [time series]

total: 19.8 years male: 18.8 years female: 20.7 years (2013 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth [time series]

21.9 (2001 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 146

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

12.7% (2008) country comparison to the world: 127

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

0.13 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population [time series]

3,437,610 (July 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 134

Population growth rate [time series]

2.29% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Religions [time series]

Muslim (official) 100%

Sanitation facility access [time series]

improved: urban: 51% of population rural: 9% of population total: 26% of population unimproved: urban: 49% of population rural: 91% of population total: 74% of population (2010 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 8 years male: 8 years female: 8 years (2011)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.86 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.15 children born/woman (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 36

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 41.5% of total population (2011) rate of urbanization: 2.91% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 26,000 (Western Saharan - Sahrawis) (2012); 67,200 (Mali) (2013)

Trafficking in persons [time series]

current situation: Mauritania is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to conditions of forced labor and sex trafficking; adults and children from traditional slave castes are subjected to slavery-related practices rooted in ancestral master-slave relationships; Mauritanian boys called talibe are trafficked within the country by religious teachers for forced begging; Mauritanian girls, as well as girls from Mali, Senegal, The Gambia, and other West African countries are forced into domestic servitude; Mauritanian women and girls are forced into prostitution in the country or transported to countries in the Middle East for the same purpose tier rating: Tier 3 - Mauritania does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; after the previous year's unprecedented progress in prosecuting and convicting trafficking offenders, the government has not convicted any traffickers; the government has not provided adequate protective services to victims or ensure their referral to NGOs, which provide the majority of care to trafficking victims and generally do not receive government financial support; the absence of measures in place to identify trafficking victims among vulnerable populations may have led to victims being punished for acts committed as a result of being trafficked; the effectiveness of the 2007 anti-slavery law remains impaired because the slaves, many of whom are illiterate, are first required to file a legal complaint, and the government provides no programs to assist victims in lodging slavery complaints (2013)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

30 (2013) country comparison to the world: 116

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 9 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2013)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

Railways [time series]

728 km standard gauge: 728 km 1.435-m gauge (2008)

Roadways [time series]

total: 10,628 km country comparison to the world: 133 paved: 3,158 km unpaved: 7,470 km (2010)

Waterways [time series]

(some navigation is possible on the Senegal River) (2011)