General
Information
|
Total Land Area: |
1,025,520 km2 |
|
Land boundaries: |
5,074 km |
|
Coastline: |
754 km |
|
Capital: |
Nouakchott |
|
Other Large
Cities: |
Nouadhibou,
Kaedi, Kiffa |
|
Official
Language: |
Arabic, Wolof |
|
National
Currency Unit: |
Ouguyia (MRO) |
|
National Day: |
November 28 |
Location and
Geography
Mauritania is
located on the
Atlantic Ocean in
North-west Africa.
It is bordered by
Algeria in the
North-east, Mali in
the East and Senegal
in the South.
Mauritania shares
its long northern
border with the
former Spanish
Sahara. The country
has three distinct
geographic regions.
The Riverine zone
with its
well-watered
alluvial soil
stretching along the
Senegal River valley
in the South, the
Sahelian zone which
is a broader East to
West band that
extends from the
Riverine zone to the
North of Nouakchott,
and the Saharan zone
that comprises the
Northern two-thirds
of Mauritania. There
is a limited area of
arable land where
only meadows and
pastures are
observed in certain
regions.
Mauritania’s climate
is hot and arid.
Sandstorms can occur
throughout the year
although they are
less frequent during
summer and fall.
Demography
|
Population:
|
2.80 million
(2002) |
|
Crude Birth
Rate:
|
35 per thousand
people (2002) |
|
Crude Death
Rate:
|
15 per thousand
people (2002) |
|
Infant Mortality
Rate:
|
120 per thousand
(2002) |
|
Life Expectancy:
|
Male: 49 years,
Female: 53 years
(2002) |
|
Urban
Population:
|
60.0 percent
(2002) |
|
Adult Literacy:
|
40.70 percent
(2001) |
Economy
The economy is
entirely traditional
and rural, based on
livestock and
agriculture.
Sorghum, beans,
yams, corn and
cotton are the main
agricultural
products of the
country. The
majority of the work
force in Mauritania
is engaged in
subsistence farming.
Most food products
are consumed
domestically and
Mauritania is a net
importer of
foodstuffs. The most
important sector of
the economy is based
on the rich fishing
waters that lie off
the Atlantic coast.
Other income sources
include salt and gum
arabic. The natural
resources are iron
ore, gypsum, gold,
copper and
phosphate.
Mauritania is the
world’s thirteenth
largest producer of
iron ore. Primary
energy resources
consist of fuel wood
and small-scale
thermal electricity.
|
GDP at Current
Market Prices:
|
1058 million US$
(1997) |
|
Per Capita GDP:
|
430 US$ (1997) |
|
Share of Sectors
in GDP:
|
21.0%
Agriculture,
29.0% Industry,
50.0% Services,
(2002) |
|
Total Exports:
|
542 million US$
(2002) |
|
Total Imports:
|
859 million US$
(2002) |
|
Major Exports
Items: |
Fish and fish
products, gold
and iron ore |
|
Major Imports
Items: |
Foodstuffs,
consumer goods
and petroleum
products |
|
Major Trading
Partners: |
France, Spain,
Italy and
Belgium
|
|
