:
general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines,
minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications
stations (improvements being made)
domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed
domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with
regional capitals
international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
410,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (2002)

Televisions:
98,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
.mr

Internet hosts:
25 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
5 (2001)

Internet users:
10,000 (2002)

Transportation Mauritania

Railways:
717 km
standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
total: 7,660 km
paved: 866 km
unpaved: 6,794 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
some ferry traffic on Senegal River (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

Airports:
24 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Mauritania

Military branches:
Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Marine Mauritanienne;
includes Naval Infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne Islamique de
Mauritanie, FAIM) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 2 years;
majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service in Air
Force and Navy is voluntary (April 2005)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 606,463 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 370,513 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$20.8 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.7% (2004)

Transnational Issues Mauritania

Disputes - international:
Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent
years

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@Mauritius

Introduction Mauritius

Background:
Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was subsequently
held by the Dutch, French, and British before independenc