were widely
seen as being flawed; 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.

Mauritania Geography

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

Geographic coordinates: 20 00 N, 12 00 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total: 1,030,700 sq km

land: 1,030,400 sq km

water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly larger than three times the size of New
Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 5,074 km

border countries: 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 to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

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

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m

highest point: Kediet Ijill 910 m

Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate,
diamonds, gold

Land use: arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 38%

forests and woodland: 4%

other: 58% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 490 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows
primarily in March and April; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: 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

Environment - international agreements: 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

Geography - note: most of the population concentrated in the cities
of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the
southern part of the country

Mauritania People

Population: 2,747,312 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.14% (male 634,940; female 632,654)

15-64 years: 51.59% (male 698,433; female 718,883)

65 years and over: 2.27% (male 25,840; female 36,562) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.93