Land covered by forest
0.3%% of land area
#202 of 2132023
1% of world average
SERIAL · 478Africa
Mauritania
CapitalNouakchott
CurrencyMRU · Mauritanian ouguiya
LanguageArabic
Area1.0M km²
Since1960
ISOMRT · MR
Population
5.3Mas of 2025
Watermark portrait: Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
— THE COUNTRY —
Country in West Africa
Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country in the Maghreb region of West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to the north and northwest, Algeria to the northeast, Mali to the east and southeast, and Senegal to the southwest. By land area Mauritania is the 11th-largest country in Africa and the 28th-largest in the world; 90% of its territory is in the Sahara desert. Most of its population of 4.3 million live in the temperate south of the country; roughly a third of the population is concentrated in the capital and largest city, Nouakchott, on the Atlantic coast.
Text: Wikipedia — MauritaniaCC BY-SA 4.0 · revised 2026-07-29
— FACTS —
- Capital
- Nouakchott
- Currency
- Mauritanian ouguiya (MRU)
- Official language
- Arabic
- Drives on the
- Right
- Calling code
- +222
- Licence plate code
- RIM
- Top-level domain
- .mr
- Independence / founding
- 28 Nov 1960
- Highest point
- Kediet ej Jill (915 m)
- Lowest point
- Sebkha de Ndrhamcha (-5 m)
- Anthem
- National anthem of Mauritania
— LAND —
Forest area
2,964km²
#150 of 2132023
2% of world average
Agricultural land
38.5%% of land area
#101 of 2092023
104% of world average
Farmable (arable) land
0.4%% of land area
#199 of 2062023
3% of world average
Land area
1.0Mkm²
#28 of 2152023
158% of world average
— PEOPLE —
Population
5.3Mpeople
#125 of 2162025
14% of world average
Population growth
2.8%% per year
#18 of 2162025
282% of world average
Population density
5people per km²
#205 of 2152023
1% of world average
People living in cities
61.5%% of population
#123 of 2162025
97% of world average
Urban population growth
4.2%% per year
#17 of 2162025
276% of world average
People living rurally
38.5%% of population
#94 of 2162025
105% of world average
Population aged 0-14
42.4%% of population
#12 of 2162025
169% of world average
Population aged 15-64
54.4%% of population
#206 of 2162025
85% of world average
Population aged 65+
3.2%% of population
#185 of 2162025
30% of world average
▸ ISSUE 7 MORE
Age dependency ratio
83.9%% of working-age population
#11 of 2162025
146% of world average
Female population
50.9%% of population
#63 of 2162025
102% of world average
Births per woman
5births per woman
#11 of 2162024
197% of world average
Birth rate
34.0 /1,000per 1,000 people
#13 of 2162024
197% of world average
Death rate
5.4 /1,000per 1,000 people
#181 of 2162024
70% of world average
Net migration
-5,044people (5-year total)
#134 of 2162025
-4581% of world average
Migrants living in the country
3.8%% of population
#125 of 2152024
29% of world average
— MONEY —
GDP
$11.68Bcurrent US$
#154 of 2112025
2% of world average
GDP, purchasing power parity
$40.80Bcurrent int'l $
#141 of 1992025
4% of world average
GDP per person
$2,198current US$
#173 of 2112025
9% of world average
GDP per person, purchasing power parity
$7,676current int'l $
#152 of 1992025
23% of world average
GDP growth
4.0%% per year
#77 of 2102025
119% of world average
GDP per person growth
1.2%% per year
#138 of 2102025
50% of world average
Gross national income
$11.62Bcurrent US$
#153 of 2042025
2% of world average
Gross national income per person
$2,210current US$
#162 of 2032025
11% of world average
Gross national income per person, PPP
$7,640current int'l $
#151 of 1972025
24% of world average
▸ ISSUE 26 MORE
Inflation
1.5%% per year
#53 of 1902025
18% of world average
Inflation (GDP deflator)
3.4%% per year
#109 of 2092025
48% of world average
Real interest rate
15.2%%
#9 of 1342017
367% of world average
Lending interest rate
17.0%%
#22 of 1342017
150% of world average
Government consumption
16.0%% of GDP
#93 of 1812025
91% of world average
Household consumption
54.0%% of GDP
#126 of 1812025
84% of world average
Investment (gross capital formation)
44.3%% of GDP
#2 of 1782025
190% of world average
Fixed investment
27.0%% of GDP
#40 of 1732025
121% of world average
Gross savings
34.4%% of GDP
#25 of 1682024
157% of world average
Foreign investment inflows
$1.44Bcurrent US$
#85 of 2012024
17% of world average
Foreign investment inflows
13.2%% of GDP
#12 of 1982024
no comparison
Foreign investment outflows
0.0%% of GDP
#136 of 1792024
2% of world average
Current account balance
-9.6%% of GDP
#164 of 1912024
no comparison
Foreign reserves
$2.04Bcurrent US$
#128 of 1772021
2% of world average
External debt
$4.46Bcurrent US$
#37 of 1212024
6% of world average
Income inequality (Gini)
320-100
#47 of 1472019
90% of world average
People below the poverty line
10.2%% of population
#106 of 1472019
80% of world average
Income share held by richest 10%
24.6%%
#42 of 1472019
88% of world average
Income share held by poorest 10%
3.1%%
#49 of 1472019
111% of world average
Money sent home by workers abroad
$94.5Mcurrent US$
#156 of 1862024
2% of world average
Foreign aid received
3.9%% of GNI
#51 of 1372023
65% of world average
Exchange rate
36local currency per US$
#87 of 2112023
3% of world average
Agriculture's share of the economy
20.0%% of GDP
#38 of 1992025
200% of world average
Industry's share of the economy
29.7%% of GDP
#54 of 2022025
122% of world average
Manufacturing's share of the economy
4.6%% of GDP
#160 of 1952025
42% of world average
Services' share of the economy
42.4%% of GDP
#177 of 2022025
73% of world average
4 of 39 figures unavailable for Mauritania.
— TRADE —
Exports
39.9%% of GDP
#85 of 1872025
92% of world average
Imports
54.2%% of GDP
#66 of 1872025
109% of world average
Trade balance
-14.3%% of GDP
#145 of 1872025
no comparison
Total trade (openness)
87.3%% of GDP
#37 of 2052025
135% of world average
Goods exported
$4.51Bcurrent US$
#127 of 2072025
4% of world average
Goods imported
$5.69Bcurrent US$
#136 of 2072025
5% of world average
Services exported
$229.6Mcurrent US$
#168 of 1912024
0% of world average
Services imported
$1.05Bcurrent US$
#148 of 1912024
2% of world average
Goods and services exported
$4.05Bcurrent US$
#140 of 1912024
2% of world average
▸ ISSUE 3 MORE
Goods and services imported
$5.37Bcurrent US$
#142 of 1912024
3% of world average
High-tech share of exports
9.4%% of manufactured exports
#69 of 1792024
78% of world average
Terms of trade
123index
#37 of 2062024
116% of world average
— HEALTH —
Life expectancy
68.7 yrsyears
#163 of 2162024
93% of world average
Life expectancy, women
70.7 yrsyears
#170 of 2162024
92% of world average
Life expectancy, men
66.7 yrsyears
#158 of 2162024
93% of world average
Infant deaths
30.2 /1,000per 1,000 live births
#150 of 1962024
163% of world average
Deaths under age 5
36.9 /1,000per 1,000 live births
#148 of 1962024
152% of world average
Maternal deaths
381per 100,000 live births
#180 of 1942023
328% of world average
Health spending
4.3%% of GDP
#146 of 1932023
64% of world average
Health spending per person
$92current US$
#146 of 1932023
6% of world average
Physicians
0.3 /1,000per 1,000 people
#149 of 1872022
12% of world average
▸ ISSUE 10 MORE
Nurses and midwives
1.6 /1,000per 1,000 people
#152 of 1962022
34% of world average
Hospital beds
0.4 /1,000per 1,000 people
not enough data to rank2006
14% of world average
Access to clean drinking water
77.3%% of population
#180 of 2142024
85% of world average
Access to basic sanitation
58.7%% of population
#170 of 2132024
73% of world average
Suicide rate
3per 100,000 people
#25 of 1852021
32% of world average
Adults who smoke
9.9%% of adults
#32 of 1662024
50% of world average
HIV prevalence
0.1%% aged 15-49
#21 of 1532024
7% of world average
Tuberculosis cases
65per 100,000 people
#133 of 2082024
65% of world average
Undernourishment
8.7%% of population
#106 of 1682023
86% of world average
Children vaccinated against measles
93.0%% of children 12-23 months
#80 of 1932024
108% of world average
— LEARNING —
Education spending
7.6%% of GDP
#11 of 1902024
176% of world average
Education spending
31.9%% of government spending
#1 of 1892024
236% of world average
Adult literacy
59.5%% aged 15+
#105 of 1192020
71% of world average
Youth literacy
70.9%% aged 15-24
#115 of 1262020
78% of world average
Primary school enrolment
105.4%% gross
#53 of 2002024
105% of world average
Secondary school enrolment
36.0%% gross
#180 of 1882020
41% of world average
University enrolment
6.0%% gross
#160 of 1672020
12% of world average
Primary school completion
73.4%% of relevant age group
#151 of 1802020
82% of world average
Pupils per teacher, primary school
34pupils per teacher
#133 of 1602018
154% of world average
▸ ISSUE 1 MORE
Years of compulsory education
9.0 yrsyears
#139 of 1972025
90% of world average
— WORK —
Unemployment
10.3%% of labour force
#149 of 1862025
149% of world average
Youth unemployment
22.9%% of labour force aged 15-24
#150 of 1862025
146% of world average
Labour force participation
40.8%% aged 15+
#176 of 1862025
67% of world average
Women in the labour force
26.2%% of women aged 15+
#169 of 1862025
51% of world average
Men in the labour force
56.6%% of men aged 15+
#173 of 1862025
81% of world average
Labour force
1.2Mpeople
#140 of 1862025
6% of world average
Working in agriculture
32.1%% of employment
#55 of 1862025
146% of world average
Working in industry
15.0%% of employment
#141 of 1862025
77% of world average
Working in services
52.8%% of employment
#113 of 1862025
90% of world average
▸ ISSUE 3 MORE
Self-employed
57.4%% of employment
#49 of 1862025
149% of world average
Labour force with advanced education
70.7%% of labour force
#138 of 1712019
93% of world average
Employed
36.6%% aged 15+
#172 of 1862025
65% of world average
— CONNECTED —
People online
45.8%% of population
#166 of 2072024
64% of world average
Mobile phone subscriptions
92per 100 people
#156 of 2102024
80% of world average
Fixed broadband subscriptions
1per 100 people
#170 of 2082024
5% of world average
Fixed telephone lines
0per 100 people
#185 of 2132024
2% of world average
Access to electricity
52.2%% of population
#199 of 2142024
59% of world average
Access to clean cooking fuel
49.4%% of population
#134 of 1892023
71% of world average
Air passengers carried
328,992passengers
#123 of 1652023
1% of world average
Air freight
0million tonne-km
#159 of 1632019
0% of world average
Rail network
728route-km
#71 of 842021
7% of world average
▸ ISSUE 6 MORE
Rail passengers
47million passenger-km
not enough data to rank2008
0% of world average
Container port traffic
84,458TEU
#129 of 1672019
2% of world average
Research and development spending
0.0%% of GDP
#126 of 1272018
1% of world average
Scientific journal articles published
47count
#156 of 1972023
0% of world average
Tourists arriving
30,000count
not enough data to rank2000
1% of world average
Money earned from tourism
$6.4Mcurrent US$
#171 of 1752020
0% of world average
3 of 18 figures unavailable for Mauritania.
— NATURE —
Carbon emissions per person
1tonnes per person
#63 of 2032024
22% of world average
Carbon emissions
5Mt CO2
#69 of 2032024
3% of world average
Greenhouse gas emissions
18Mt CO2-equivalent
#78 of 2032024
7% of world average
Protected land
0.6%% of land area
#207 of 2132025
3% of world average
Protected coastal waters
3.7%% of territorial waters
#74 of 1742025
36% of world average
Freshwater withdrawn
337.1%% of internal resources
#169 of 1772022
266% of world average
Renewable water available per person
82m³ per person
#172 of 1832022
1% of world average
Renewable energy use
19.6%% of final energy consumption
#108 of 2122022
67% of world average
Electricity from renewables
19.4%% of total
#116 of 2062021
56% of world average
▸ ISSUE 2 MORE
Electricity from fossil fuels
80.6%% of total
#130 of 2092021
136% of world average
Electricity from nuclear power
0.0%% of total
#135 of 2082021
0% of world average
1 of 12 figures unavailable for Mauritania.
— STATE —
Military spending
2.2%% of GDP
#51 of 1562024
97% of world average
Military spending
$260.1Mcurrent US$
#120 of 1602024
2% of world average
Military spending
9.6%% of government spending
#33 of 1532024
130% of world average
Armed forces personnel
21,000people
#105 of 1702020
13% of world average
Armed forces
2.0%% of labour force
#27 of 1682020
160% of world average
Homicides
1per 100,000 people
#43 of 1582020
13% of world average
1 of 7 figures unavailable for Mauritania.
— TRADE PARTNERS —
Loading trade partner map…
— TRADE —
No trade data available for Mauritania.
— EXTRAS —
Anthem
National anthem of MauritaniaAudio: Wikimedia Commons
Capital time
--:--:--Nouakchott · approx. UTC-1
Neighbours
Landmarks
Banc d'Arguin National ParkImage: Wikimedia Commons 
Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt and OualataImage: Wikimedia Commons
People
Mohamed Ould Abdel AzizPresident of Mauritania from 2009 to 2019
Mohamed Ould GhazouaniMauritanian retired general and politician; President of Mauritania (2019–present)
Moktar Ould DaddahPresident of Mauritania from 1960 to 1978
Abderrahmane SissakoMauritanian film director and film producer (born 1961)
Sidi Ould Cheikh AbdallahiMauritanian politician (1938–2020)
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed TayaPresident of Mauritania from 1984 to 2005
Med HondoMauritanian actor (1935–2019)
Aboubakar KamaraMauritanian and French association football player
Ely Ould Mohamed VallMauritanian President (1953-2017)
Mohamed Ould BilalMauritanian politician
MaloumaMauritanian singer, politician
Fatimata M’bayejudge in Mauritania
History
28 Nov 1960Mauritania — founding / independence (Wikidata)
Size, side by side
Loading size comparison…
1960 → now
2026
Population5.3M2025
GDP$11.68B2025
GDP per person$2,1982025