$385 million (c.i.f., 1990)
commodities:
foodstuffs, consumer goods, petroleum products, capital goods
partners:
EC 60%, Algeria 15%, China 6%, US 3%
External debt:
$1.9 billion (1990)
Industrial production:
growth rate 4.4% (1988 est.); accounts for almost 33% of GDP
Electricity:
190,000 kW capacity; 135 million kWh produced, 70 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
Agriculture:
accounts for 50% of GDP (including fishing); largely subsistence farming and
nomadic cattle and sheep herding except in Senegal river valley; crops -
dates, millet, sorghum, root crops; fish products number-one export; large
food deficit in years of drought

*Mauritania, Economy

Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $168 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.3 billion; OPEC
bilateral aid (1979-89), $490 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $277
million; Arab Development Bank (1991), $20 million
Currency:
1 ouguiya (UM) = 5 khoums
Exchange rates:
ouguiya (UM) per US$1 - 116.990 (February 1993), 87.082 (1992), 81.946
(1991), 80.609 (1990), 83.051 (1989), 75.261 (1988)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

*Mauritania, Communications

Railroads:
690 km 1.435-meter (standard) gauge, single track, owned and operated by
government mining company
Highways:
7,525 km total; 1,685 km paved; 1,040 km gravel, crushed stone, or otherwise
improved; 4,800 km unimproved roads, trails, tracks
Inland waterways:
mostly ferry traffic on the Senegal River
Ports:
Nouadhibou, Nouakchott
Merchant marine:
1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,290 GRT/1,840 DWT
Airports:
total:
29
usable:
29
with permanent-surface runways:
9
with runways over 3,659 m:
1
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
5
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
16
Telecommunications:
poor system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links,
and radio communications stations (improvements being made); broadcast
stations - 2 AM, no FM, 1 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT and 2 ARABSAT, with six planned

*Mauritania, Defense Forces

Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National
Police, Presidential Guard
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 452,008; fit for military service 220,717 (1993 est.);
conscription law not imp