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NAVIGATION
Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were generally free and open. Mauritania remains, in reality, a one-party state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between its black minority population and the dominant Maur (Arab-Berber) populace. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara |
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Geographic coordinates:
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20 00 N, 12 00 W |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total: 1,030,700 sq km
land: 1,030,400 sq km water: 300 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 5,074 km
border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km |
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Coastline:
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754 km |
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Maritime claims:
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contiguous zone: 24 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM |
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Climate:
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desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty |
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Terrain:
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mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m
highest point: Kediet Ijill 910 m |
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Natural resources:
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iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil; fish |
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Land use:
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arable land: 0.48%
permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.51% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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490 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal which is the only perennial river |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
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Geography - note:
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most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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2,828,858 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 46.1% (male 653,005; female 650,530)
15-64 years: 51.7% (male 720,473; female 741,094) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 26,251; female 37,505) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.92% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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42.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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13.34 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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75.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 51.53 years
female: 53.71 years (2002 est.) male: 49.42 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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6.15 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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1.8% (2000 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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6,600 (1999 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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610 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian |
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Ethnic groups:
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mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30% |
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Religions:
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Muslim 100% |
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Languages:
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Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (official), French |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 41.2% male: 51.5% female: 31.3% (2002 est.) |