Access to THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1994 provided courtesy of
the libraries of the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
======================================================
National Trade Data Bank
ITEM ID     : CI WOFACT WO0155
DATE        : Oct 28, 1994
 
AGENCY      : CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
PROGRAM     : WORLD FACTBOOK
TITLE       : World Factbook: Mauritania
 
Source key      : CI 
Program key     : CI WOFACT 
Update sched.   : Annually         
Data type       : TEXT 
End year        : 1994
Date of record  : 19941020
Keywords 3      :  
Keywords 3      : | Mauritania 
 
 
                                Mauritania
 
 
                                 Geography
 
Location:
     Northern Africa, along the North Atlantic Ocean, between Western
     Sahara and Senegal
Map references:
     Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
     1,030,700 sq km
land area:
     1,030,400 sq km
comparative area:
     slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico
Land boundaries:
     total 5,074 km, Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western
     Sahara 1,561 km
Coastline:
     754 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
     24 nm
continental shelf:
     200 nm or the edge of continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
     200 nm
territorial sea:
     12 nm
International disputes:
     boundary with Senegal
Climate:
     desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Terrain:
     mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Natural resources:
     iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate
Land use:
arable land:
     1%
permanent crops:
     0%
meadows and pastures:
     38%
forest and woodland:
     5%
other:
     56%
Irrigated land:
     120 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
     overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are
     contributing to desertification; water scarcity away from the Senegal
     which is the only perennial river
 
 
natural hazards:
     hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and
     April
international agreements:
     party to - Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands; signed, but not
     ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
Note:
     most of the population concentrated along the Senegal River in the
     southern part of the country
 
                                  People
 
Population:
     2,192,777 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     3.16% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     47.65 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     16.09 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     85.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     48.06 years
male:
     45.23 years
female:
     51.01 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     6.99 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
     Mauritanian(s)
adjective:
     Mauritanian
Ethnic divisions:
     mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%
Religions:
     Muslim 100%
Languages:
     Hasaniya Arabic (official), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (official)
Literacy:
     age 10 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population:
     34%
male:
     47%
female:
     21%
Labor force:
     465,000 (1981 est.); 45,000 wage earners (1980)
 
 
by occupation:
     agriculture 47%, services 29%, industry and commerce 14%, government
     10%
note:
     53% of population of working age (1985)
 
                                Government
 
Names:
conventional long form:
     Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional short form:
local long form:
     Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
local short form:
     Muritaniyah
Digraph:
     MR
Type:
     republic
Capital:
     Nouakchott
Administrative divisions:
     12 regions (regions, singular - region); Adrar, Assaba, Brakna,
     Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh ech Chargui, Hodh el
     Gharbi, Inchiri, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza
note:
     there may be a new capital district of Nouakchott
Independence:
     28 November 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
     Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
Constitution:
     12 July 1991
Legal system:
     three-tier system: Islamic (Shari'a) courts, special courts, state
     security courts (in the process of being eliminated)
Suffrage:
     18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government:
     President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984);
     election last held January 1992 (next to be held January 1998);
     results - President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid 'Ahmed TAYA elected
cabinet:
     Council of Ministers
Legislative branch:
     bicameral legislature
Senate (Majlis al-Shuyukh):
     elections last held 15 April 1994 (one-third of the seats up for
     re-election in 1996)
National Assembly (Majlis al-Watani):
     elections last held 6 and 13 March 1992 (next to be held March 1997)
 
 
Judicial branch:
     Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Political parties and leaders:
     legalized by constitution passed 12 July 1991, however, politics
     continue to be tribally based; emerging parties include Democratic and
     Social Republican Party (PRDS), led by President Col. Maaouya Ould
     Sid'Ahmed TAYA; Union of Democratic Forces - New Era (UFD/NE), headed
     by Ahmed Ould DADDAH; Assembly for Democracy and Unity (RDU), Ahmed
     Ould SIDI BABA; Popular Social and Democratic Union (UPSD), Mohamed
     Mahmoud Ould MAH; Mauritanian Party for Renewal (PMR), Hameida
     BOUCHRAYA; National Avant-Garde Party (PAN), Khattry Ould JIDDOU;
     Mauritanian Party of the Democratic Center (PCDM), Bamba Ould SIDI
     BADI
Other political or pressure groups:
     Mauritanian Workers Union (UTM)
Member of:
     ABEDA, ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC,
     CEAO, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
     ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN,
     UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Mohamed Fall Ould AININA
chancery:
     2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
     (202) 232-5700
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
     Ambassador Gordon S. BROWN
embassy:
     address NA, Nouakchott
mailing address:
     B. P. 222, Nouakchott
telephone:
     [222] (2) 526-60 or 526-63
FAX:
     [222] (2) 515-92
Flag:
     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
 
                                  Economy
 
 
Overview:
     A majority of 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 almost 50% 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 recent years, drought and economic mismanagement have
     resulted in a substantial buildup of foreign debt. The government has
     begun the second stage of an economic reform program in consultation
     with the World Bank, the IMF, and major donor countries.
National product:
     GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $2.2 billion (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate:
     3.3% (1993 est.)
National product per capita:
     $1,050 (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
     11.5% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate:
     20% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues:
     $280 million
expenditures:
     $346 million, including capital expenditures of $61 million (1989
     est.)
Exports:
     $432 million (f.o.b., 1992 est)
commodities:
     iron ore, fish and fish products
partners:
     Japan 27%, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg
Imports:
     $413 million (c.i.f., 1992 est)
commodities:
     foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods
partners:
     Algeria 15%, China 6%, US 3%, France, Germany, Spain, Italy
External debt:
     $1.9 billion (1992 est.)
Industrial production:
     growth rate 4.4% (1988 est.); accounts for almost 30% of GDP
Electricity:
capacity:
     190,000 kW
production:
     135 million kWh
consumption per capita:
     70 kWh (1991)
Industries:
     fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
 
 
Agriculture:
     accounts for 25% of GDP (including fishing); largely subsistence
     farming and nomadic cattle and sheep herding except in Senegal river
     valley; crops - dates, millet, sorghum, root crops; fish products
     number-one export; large food deficit in years of drought
Economic aid:
recipient:
     US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $168 million; Western
     (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.3
     billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $490 million; Communist
     countries (1970-89), $277 million; Arab Development Bank (1991), $20
     million
Currency:
     1 ouguiya (UM) = 5 khoums
Exchange rates:
     ouguiyas (UM) per US$1 - 124.480 (December 1993), 87.082 (1992),
     81.946 (1991), 80.609 (1990), 83.051 (1989)
Fiscal year:
     calendar year
 
                              Communications
 
Railroads:
     690 km 1.435-meter (standard) gauge, single track, owned and operated
     by government mining company
Highways:
total:
     7,525 km
paved:
     1,685 km
unpaved:
     gravel, crushed stone, otherwise improved 1,040 km; unimproved earth
     4,800 km (roads, trails, tracks)
Inland waterways:
     mostly ferry traffic on the Senegal River
Ports:
     Nouadhibou, Nouakchott
Merchant marine:
     1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,290 GRT/1,840 DWT
Airports:
total:
     28
usable:
     28
with permanent-surface runways:
     9
with runways over 3,659 m:
     0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     5
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     17
 
 
Telecommunications:
     poor system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay
     links, and radio communications stations (improvements being made);
     broadcast stations - 2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; satellite earth stations - 1
     Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 2 ARABSAT, with six planned
 
                              Defense Forces
 
Branches:
     Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National
     Police, Presidential Guard
Manpower availability:
     males age 15-49 467,677; fit for military service 228,385
Defense expenditures:
     exchange rate conversion - $40 million, 4.2% of GDP (1989)
 
 
 
===========================================================================
This section of THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1994 produced by the United States
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was derived from the US Dept. of Commerce
Economics and Statistics Division's NATIONAL TRADE DATA BANK (NTDB) CD-ROM,
November, 1994, SuDoc No. C 1.88:994/11/v.1-2 / Presented by Raleigh Muns,
(srcmuns@umslvma.umsl.edu) University of Missouri-St. Louis Libraries.