irports: 26 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 3

1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 9

under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.)

Mauritania Military

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie,
National Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard

Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 624,375 (2001
est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15-49:
302,699 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $41 million (FY97/98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.7% (FY97/98)

Mauritania Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

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@Mauritius

Mauritius Introduction

Background: Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was
subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before
independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular
free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has
attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of
Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and
declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth leading to some
protests over standards of living in the Creole community.

Mauritius Geography

Location: Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
Madagascar

Geographic coordinates: 20 17 S, 57 33 E

Map references: World

Area: total: 1,860 sq km

land: 1,850 sq km

water: 10 sq km

note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint
Brandon), and Rodrigues

Area - comparative: almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 177 km

Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the
continental margin

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry
winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Terrain: small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains
encircling central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Natural resources: arable land, fish

Land use: arable land: 49%

permanent crops: 3%

permanent pastures: 3%

forests and woodland: