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

Coat of Arms

• desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

• 20 00 N, 12 00 W

• total: 5,074 km
• border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km

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

• iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish

• total: 1,030,700 sq km
  land: 1,030,400 sq km
  water: 300 sq km
• (Compare to other countries)

• mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara ; some central hills

• most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country

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National parks & reserves

• Banc d'Arguin National Park
  Diawling National Park

From the 3rd to 7th centuries, the migration of Berber tribes from North Africa displaced the Bafours, the original inhabitants of present-day Mauritania and the ancestors of the Soninke. The Bafours were primarily agriculturalist, among the first Saharan people to abandon their historically nomadic lifestyle. With the gradual desification of the Sahara, they headed South. Following them came a migration of not only Central Saharans into West Africa, but Berbers and Arabs as well.

By the 11Century AD, the once small Bafour people had grown into a very large and wealthy Soninke empire - Ghana , which stretched from Mauritania into the neighboring states of Senegal and Mali. Likewise, in the North, the Arab-Berber population had achieved an impressive empire of their own, the territory of which stretched across the Mediterranean into Spain and Portugal. Local nomadic Berber tribes, on the other hand, though influential, remained largely without power, having been conquered by the Soninke.

In 1076, Islamic warrior monks (Almoravid or Al Murabitun) attacked and conquered the ancient Ghana Empire. Over the next 500 years, Arabs overcame fierce resistance from the local population (Berber and non-Berber alike) and came to dominate Mauritania. The Mauritanian Thirty-Year War (1644-74) was the unsuccessful final effort to repel the Yemeni Maqil Arab invaders led by the Beni Hassan tribe. The descendants of the Yemeni Beni Hassan warriors became the upper stratum of Moorish society. Berbers retained influence by producing the majority of the region's Marabouts - those who preserve and teach Islamic tradition.

French colonization at the beginning of the 20th century brought legal prohibitions against slavery and an end to interclan warfare. During the colonial period, the population remained nomadic, but many sedentary peoples, whose ancestors had been expelled centuries earlier, began to trickle back into Mauritania . As the country gained independence in 1960, the capital city Nouakchott was founded at the site of a small colonial village, the Ksar, and 90% of the population was still nomadic. With independence, larger numbers of the indigenous peoples (Haalpulaar, Soninke, and Wolof) entered Mauritania, moving into the area north of the Senegal River. Educated in French language and customs, many of these recent arrivals became clerks, soldiers, and administrators in the new state.

Moors reacted to this change by increasing pressure to Arabize many aspects of Mauritanian life, such as law and language. A schism developed between those who consider Mauritania to be an Arab country (mainly Moors) and those who seek a dominant role for the non-Moorish peoples. The discord between these two conflicting visions of Mauritanian society was evident during intercommunal violence that broke out in April 1989 (the "1989 Events"), but has since subsided. The tension between these two visions remains a feature of the political dialogue. A significant number from both groups, however, seek a more diverse, pluralistic society. From Wikipedia.

The Mauritanian Thirty-Year War (1644-74) was the unsuccessful final Berber effort to repel the Maqil Arab invaders led by the Beni Hassan tribe. The descendants of Beni Hassan warriors became the upper stratum of Moorish society.

Berbers retained influence by producing the majority of the region's Marabouts -- those who preserve and teach Islamic tradition. Hassaniya, a mainly oral, Berber-influenced Arabic dialect that derives its name from the Beni Hassan tribe, became the dominant language among the largely nomadic population. Within Moorish society, aristocratic and servant classes developed, yielding "white" (aristocracy) and "black" Moors (the enslaved indigenous class).

28 November 1960 - Country gains independence from France. Country's first president, Moktar Ould Daddah, takes power.

The capital city of Nouakchott was founded at the site of a small colonial village. Ninety percent of the population was still nomadic. With independence, larger numbers of ethnic Sub-Saharan Africans (Haalpulaar, Soninke, and Wolof) entered Mauritania, moving into the area north of the Senegal River. Educated in French, many of these recent arrivals became clerks, soldiers, and administrators in the new state.

Moors reacted to this change by trying to Arabicize much of Mauritanian life, such as law and language. A schism developed between those who considered Mauritania to be an Arab country (mainly Moors) and those who sought a dominant role for the Sub-Saharan peoples.

Democratic process adopted. Country's first multi-party elections in April. The PRDS, led by President Maaouiya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, takes power.

Presidential election. Six candidates, including Mauritania's first female and first Haratine (former slave family) candidates, represented a wide variety of political goals and backgrounds. Incumbent President Maaouiya Sid'Ahmed Taya won reelection with 67.02% of the popular vote, according to official figures.

group of current and former Army officers launched a bloody but unsuccessful coup attempt on June 8, 2003.

President Maaouiya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya is overthrown in August 2005.

The Parliament was dissolved by the Military Council in August 2005.

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

• adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2003 est.) (Compare to other countries)
• people living with HIV/AIDS: 9,500 (2003 est.) (Compare to other countries)

• total: 70.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 73.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 67.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
• (Compare to other countries)

• Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Hassaniya, Wolof, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy

• total population: 52.73 years
  male: 50.52 years
  female: 55 years (2005 est.)
• (Compare to other countries)

• total population: 41.7%
  male: 51.8%
  female: 31.9% (2003 est.)

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• noun: Mauritanian(s)
  adjective: Mauritanian

• 3,086,859 (July 2005 est.)
• (Compare to other countries)

• 2.9% (2005 est.)

• Muslim 100%

School enrollment
(% relevant age group) From UNESCO.

• Net primary enrollment: 65.9% (2000)
• Net secondary enrollment: 14.4% (2000)
• Years compulsory - 6

• The Mauritania national football team, nicknamed Mourabitounes, is the national team of Mauritania

• 5.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)
• (Compare to other countries)

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• 12 regions: Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza
• 1 capital district: Nouakchott

• Nouakchott

• chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984); note - President TAYA deposed in a coup by the Military Council for Justice and Democracy led by Col. Ely Ould Mohamed VALL on 3 August 2005
• head of government: Prime Minister Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBAKAR (since 8 August 2005)
• cabinet: Council of Ministers
• elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be held NA 2009); prime minister appointed by the president

• republic

• Jan 1 - New Year’s Day
• Tabaski (Feast of the Sacrifice) (changes)
• Islamic New Year (changes)
• Mouloud (Prophet’s Birthday) (changes)
• May 1 - Labour Day
• May 25 - African Liberation Day (Anniversary of the OAU’s Foundation)
• Jul 10 - Armed Forces Day
• Korité (End of Ramadan) (changes)
• Nov 28 - Independence Day

• 28 November 1960 (from France )

• bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

• Nouakchott;Nouâdhibou;Rosso;Bogué;Adel Bagrou

• National Anthem of Mauritania (Click here for full anthem)

• 24 (2004 est.) (8 paved, 16 unpaved) (Compare to other countries)

• total: 7,660 km
  paved: 866 km
  unpaved: 6,794 km (1999 est.)
• (Compare to other countries)

• Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso

Fixed lines
& mobile telephones
(per 1,000 people)
(From ITU)

• 13.4 m (2000)
• 141.4 m (2003)

• + 222

• .mr

• 10,000 (2002)
• (Compare to other countries)

Press

• Chaab
• Horizon
• Journal Officiel
• Le Calame
• L'Eveil-Hebdo
• Rajoul Echaree
• Nouakchott Info
• Mauritanian News Agency (AMI)

TV

• Mauritanian TV

Radio

• Radio Mauritania

• 9.8 (2000)
• NA (2003)

• .10 (2000)
• .10 (2003)

• 31,500 (2002)
• (Compare to other countries)

• 300,000 (2003)
• (Compare to other countries)

• UTC/GMT 0 (no offset)
• Find the local time: Time and Date

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

• ouguiya (MRO)
• Currency converter

• ouguiyas per US dollar - NA(2004), 263.03 (2003), 271.74 (2002), 255.63 (2001), 238.92 (2000)

• iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

• Japan 13%, France 10.9%, Spain 9.6%, Italy 9.5%, Germany 8.7%, Belgium 7.4%, China 5.8%, Russia 4.8% (2004)

• calendar year

• purchasing power parity - $5.534 billion (2004 est.)
• (Compare to other countries)

• 3% (2004 est.)
• (Compare to other countries)

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

• France 14.5%, US 7.7%, China 7.4%, Spain 5.9%, Belgium 4.3%, UK 4.3% (2004)

• fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

• 7% (2003 est.)
• (Compare to other countries)

• 40% (2004 est.)

• 20% (2004 est.)
• (Compare to other countries)

• Chinguetti desert
• Nouakchott, the capital
• Ouadâne ruins
• Parc National du Banc d'Arguin
• Tichit - Isolated ancient town

• 30,000 (2000)

• Visas are required for all, except citizens of France and Italy

• Banc d'Arguin National Park (1989)
• Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt and Oualata (1996)

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• Chaab
• Horizon
• Journal Officiel
• Le Calame
• L'Eveil-Hebdo
• Rajoul Echaree
• Nouakchott Info
• Mauritanian News Agency (AMI)