Mauritania
Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Population
5.20M
Area
1,030,700 km²
GDP
$10.77B
GDP Per Capita
$6,400
Pop. Density
5/km²
Quick Facts
Currency
UMMauritanian ouguiya(MRU)
Calling Code
+222
Timezone
UTC
Languages
Arabic
Driving Side
right
Demonym
Mauritanian
Background
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.
Historical Trends
GDP (USD)
↑178.3% since 2006Population
↑71.5% since 2006Life Expectancy at Birth
Latest: 68.5 yearsData source: World Bank Open Data
Geography20
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara
Geographic coordinates
20 00 N, 12 00 W
Map references
Africa
Area
land: 1,030,700 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico; about six times the size of Florida
Land boundaries
border countries: Algeria 460 km; Mali 2,236 km; Morocco 1,564 km; Senegal 742 km
Coastline
754 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Terrain
mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Elevation
lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
mean elevation: 276 m
Natural resources
iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish
Land use
agricultural land
agricultural land: arable land
agricultural land: permanent crops
agricultural land: permanent pasture
forest
other
Irrigated land
450 sq km (2012)
Major rivers (by length in km)
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Major aquifers
Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin, Taodeni-Tanzerouft Basin
Population distribution
vast areas of the country, particularly in the central, northern, and eastern areas, are desert and lack 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
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind primarily in March and April; periodic droughts
Geography - note
Mauritania is considered part of both 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 & Society35
Population
male: 2,578,114
female: 2,623,995
Nationality
adjective: Mauritanian
Ethnic groups
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
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.
Religions
Muslim (official) 100%
Age structure
15-64 years: 59.9% (male 1,227,347/female 1,363,938)
65 years and over: 4.4% (2024 est.) (male 80,308/female 110,280)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 77.8 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 7 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 14.3 (2025 est.)
Median age
male: 21.1 years
female: 23.1 years
Population growth rate
2.88% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
34.01 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
5.18 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution
vast areas of the country, particularly in the central, northern, and eastern areas, are desert and lack 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
rate of urbanization: 3.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.492 million NOUAKCHOTT (capital) (2023)
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 (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
21.8 years (2019/21)
Maternal mortality ratio
381 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male: 54.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 42.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
male: 63.4 years
female: 68.5 years
Total fertility rate
4.76 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
2.34 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban
improved: rural
improved: total
unimproved: urban
unimproved: rural
unimproved: total
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 6.3% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
0.26 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban
improved: rural
improved: total
unimproved: urban
unimproved: rural
unimproved: total
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
12.7% (2016)
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.)
Tobacco use
male: 15.5% (2025 est.)
female: 1.7% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
22.4% (2022 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
66.1% (2020 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 18: 36.6% (2021)
men married by age 18: 1.2% (2021)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% national budget): 32% national budget (2024 est.)
Literacy
male: 70.1% (2020 est.)
female: 51.8% (2020 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male: 8 years (2020 est.)
female: 8 years (2020 est.)
Government23
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.); its name derives from the Mauri (Moors) of northwest Africa
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 15 58 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the meaning of the name is unclear; it may derive from the Berber nawakshut, meaning "place of the winds;" other variants could translate as "the place where water appears in a new well," "the land where shells abound," "a place with pasture," "a windy place," or "without ears" (the last referring to a local chieftain who could have been the place's namesake)
Administrative divisions
Legal system
mixed system of Islamic and French civil law
Constitution
amendment process: 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
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
head of government
cabinet
election/appointment process
most recent election date
election results
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%
expected date of next election
Legislative branch
legislature name
legislative structure
chamber name
number of seats
electoral system
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
parties elected and seats per party
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
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
Political parties
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
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:
ambarimwashington@diplomatie.gov.mr
mauritaniaembassyus.org – Mauritania Embassy washington
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
embassy
mailing address
telephone
FAX
email address and website
consularnkc@state.gov
https://mr.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
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
Independence
28 November 1960 (from France)
National holiday
Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
Flag
meaning: the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; green also represents hope for a bright future; yellow stands for the sands of the Sahara, and red for blood shed in the fight for independence
National symbol(s)
five-pointed star between the horns of a horizontal crescent moon
National color(s)
green, yellow
National anthem(s)
lyrics/music: unknown/Rageh DAOUD
history: adopted 2017
National heritage
selected World Heritage Site locales: Ancient Ksour (Fortified Villages) of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt, and Oualata (c); Banc d'Arguin National Park (n)
Economy30
Economic overview
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: $31.434 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $29.514 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 6.5% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 6.8% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2023: $6,300 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $6,100 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$10.767 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 5% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 9.5% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 30.6% (2024 est.)
services: 43.2% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
government consumption
investment in fixed capital
investment in inventories
exports of goods and services
imports of goods and services
Agricultural products
rice, milk, goat milk, sorghum, sheep milk, lamb/mutton, beef, camel meat, camel milk, dates (2023)
Industries
fish processing, oil production, mining (iron ore, gold, copper)
Industrial production growth rate
2.8% (2024 est.)
Labor force
1.21 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2023: 10.5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 10.6% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 19.9% (2024 est.)
female: 30.1% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
31.8% (2019 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Household income or consumption by percentage share
highest 10%: 24.6% (2019 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022: 1.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0.1% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget
expenditures: $1.407 billion (2019 est.)
Public debt
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022: -$1.424 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: -$807.862 million (2021 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022: $4.132 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $3.18 billion (2021 est.)
Exports - partners
China 25%, Switzerland 14%, Canada 12%, UAE 9%, Spain 7% (2023)
Exports - commodities
gold, iron ore, fish, processed crustaceans, copper ore (2023)
Imports
Imports 2022: $5.77 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $4.312 billion (2021 est.)
Imports - partners
China 19%, UAE 14%, Morocco 6%, Spain 6%, France 5% (2023)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, raw sugar, palm oil, wheat, soybean oil (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020: $1.493 billion (2020 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019: $1.029 billion (2019 est.)
Debt - external
Exchange rates
Currency
Exchange rates 2023
Exchange rates 2022
Exchange rates 2021
Exchange rates 2020
Exchange rates 2019
Energy7
Electricity access
electrification - urban areas: 91.6%
Electricity
consumption: 1.7 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports: 378 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 320 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
solar: 8.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 6.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 12.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal
Petroleum
crude oil estimated reserves: 20 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
Energy consumption per capita
Communications6
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 92 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media
12 TV stations, 6 state-owned and 6 private; 19 radio broadcasters, including 15 state-owned and 4 (Radio Nouakchott Libre, Radio Tenwir, Radio Kobeni and Mauritanid) private; 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 (2022)
Internet country code
.mr
Internet users
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
Transportation6
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
5T
Airports
25 (2025)
Heliports
3 (2025)
Railways
standard gauge: 728 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge
Merchant marine
by type: general cargo 2, other 9
Ports
total ports
large
medium
small
very small
ports with oil terminals
key ports
Military & Security7
Military and security forces
Ministry of Interior and Decentralization: National Police, National Guard (2025)
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2023: 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 2.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 2.4% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 2.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
estimated 17,000 active Mauritanian Armed Forces; estimated 3,000 Gendarmerie (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
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 from several suppliers, including China, France, and the UAE (2025)
Military service age and obligation
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 (2025)
Military deployments
450 (plus about 325 police) Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (2025)
Military - note
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; border and maritime security, regional stability, and the threat of terrorist groups operating in the Sahel, particularly Mali, are key areas of focus; Mauritania has received security assistance from the EU, France, NATO, and the US (2025)