dary with Senegal

_#_Climate: desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

_#_Terrain: mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central
hills

_#_Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate

_#_Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and
pastures 38%; forest and woodland 5%; other 56%; includes irrigated
NEGL%

_#_Environment: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily
in March and April; desertification; only perennial river is the Senegal

_*_People
_#_Population: 1,995,755 (July 1991), growth rate 3.1% (1991)

_#_Birth rate: 49 births/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Death rate: 18 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

_#_Infant mortality rate: 94 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

_#_Life expectancy at birth: 44 years male, 50 years female (1991)

_#_Total fertility rate: 7.2 children born/woman (1991)

_#_Nationality: noun--Mauritanian(s); adjective--Mauritanian

_#_Ethnic divisions: mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%

_#_Religion: Muslim, nearly 100%

_#_Language: Hasaniya Arabic (national); French (official);
Toucouleur, Fula, Sarakole, Wolof

_#_Literacy: 34% (male 47%, female 21%) age 10 and over can
read and write (1990 est.)

_#_Labor force: 465,000 (1981 est.); 45,000 wage earners (1980);
agriculture 47%, services 29%, industry and commerce 14%, government 10%;
53% of population of working age (1985)

_#_Organized labor: 30,000 members claimed by single union,
Mauritanian Workers' Union

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Islamic Republic of Mauritania

_#_Type: republic; military first seized power in bloodless coup
10 July 1978; a palace coup that took place on 12 December 1984 brought
President Taya to power

_#_Capital: Nouakchott

_#_Administrative divisions: 12 regions (regions,
singular--region); Adrar, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, El Acaba,
Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh ech Chargui, Hodh el Gharbi, Inchiri, Tagant,
Tiris Zemmour, Trarza; note--there may be a new capital district of
Nouakchott

_#_Independence: 28 November 1960 (from France)

_#_Constitution: 20 May 1961, abrogated after coup of 10 July 1978;
provisional constitution published 17 December 1980 but abandoned in
1981; new constitutional charter published 27 February 1985

_#_Legal system: based on Islamic law

_#_National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (