desertification;
very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal which
is the only perennial river

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate
Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Geography - note: most of the population
concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the
Senegal River in the southern part of the country

People Mauritania

Population: 2,828,858 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 46.1% (male 653,005; female 650,530) 15-64
years: 51.7% (male 720,473; female 741,094) 65 years and over: 2.2%
(male 26,251; female 37,505) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.92% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 42.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 13.34 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 75.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 53.71 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 6.15 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 1.8% (2000 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 6,600 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 610 (1999 est.)

Nationality: noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic groups: mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%

Religions: Muslim 100%

Languages: Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof
(official), French

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 41.2% male: 51.5% female: 31.3% (2002 est.)

Government Mauritania

Country name: conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional
Muritaniyah local long form:
Government type: republic

Capital: Nouakchott

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