l Muritaniyah
local short form:
Muritaniyah
Digraph:
MR
Type:
republic
Capital:
Nouakchott
Administrative divisions:
12 regions(regions, singular - region); Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet
Nouadhibou, 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:
12 July 1991
Legal system:
three-tier system: Islamic (Shari'a) courts, special courts, state security
courts (in the process of being eliminated)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
Political parties and leaders:
legalized by constitution passed 12 July 1991, however, politics continue to
be tribally based; emerging parties include Democratic and Social Republican
Party (PRDS), led by President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed TAYA; Union of
Democratic Forces - New Era (UFD/NE), headed by Ahmed Ould DADDAH; Assembly
for Democracy and Unity (RDU), Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA; Popular Social and
Democratic Union (UPSD), Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH; Mauritanian Party for
Renewal (PMR), Hameida BOUCHRAYA; National Avant-Garde Party (PAN), Khattry
Ould JIDDOU; Mauritanian Party of the Democratic Center (PCDM), Bamba Ould
SIDI BADI
Other political or pressure groups:
Mauritanian Workers Union (UTM)
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Elections:
President:
last held January 1992 (next to be held January 1998); results - President
Col. Maaouya Ould Sid 'Ahmed TAYA elected
Senate:
last held 3 and 10 April 1992 (one-third of the seats up for re-election in
1994)
National Assembly:
last held 6 and 13 March 1992 (next to be held March 1997)
Executive branch:
president
Legislative branch:
bicameral legislature consists of an upper house or Senate (Majlis
al-Shuyukh) and a lower house or National Assembly (Majlis al-Watani)

*Mauritania, Government

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984)
Member of:
ABEDA, ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, CEAO,
ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF,
IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission