birth:
total population: 53.12 years
male: 50.88 years
female: 55.42 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.86 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
9,500 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 500 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and Rift Valley fever are high risks
in some locations
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2007)
Nationality:
noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian
Ethnic groups:
mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%
Religions:
Muslim 100%
Languages:
Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 41.7%
male: 51.8%
female: 31.9% (2003 est.)
Government Mauritania
Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional short form: Mauritania
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
local short form: Muritaniyah
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Nouakchott
geographic coordinates: 18 06 N, 15 57 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*;
Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh
Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris
Zemmour, Trarza
Independence:
28 November 1960 (from France)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
Constitution:
12 July 1991
Legal system:
a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Col. Ely Ould Mohamed VALL, whose Military Council
for Justice and Democracy deposed longtime President Maaouya Ould
Sid Ahmed TAYA in a coup on 3 August 2005
head of government: Prime Minister Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBAKAR (since
8 August 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second consecutive term); note - passage of a
constitutional reform referendum in July 2006 limits president to
two fi
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