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Compare Bosnia and Herzegovina (2006) - Mauritania (2008)

Compare Bosnia and Herzegovina (2006) z Mauritania (2008)

 Bosnia and Herzegovina (2006)Mauritania (2008)
 Bosnia and HerzegovinaMauritania
Administrative divisions 2 first-order administrative divisions and 1 internationally supervised district* - Brcko district (Brcko Distrikt)*, the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska; note - Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is an administrative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the district remains under international supervision 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
Age structure 0-14 years: 15.5% (male 359,739/female 336,978)


15-64 years: 70.1% (male 1,590,923/female 1,564,665)


65 years and over: 14.4% (male 265,637/female 381,034) (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 45.5% (male 744,995/female 741,369)


15-64 years: 52.4% (male 845,272/female 866,998)


65 years and over: 2.2% (male 28,564/female 42,867) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep
Airports 28 (2006) 25 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 8


2,438 to 3,047 m: 4


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


under 914 m: 3 (2006)
total: 8


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 20


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 12 (2006)
total: 17


1,524 to 2,437 m: 9


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 1 (2007)
Area total: 51,129 sq km


land: 51,129 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 1,030,700 sq km


land: 1,030,400 sq km


water: 300 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than West Virginia slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico
Background Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of sovereignty in October 1991 was followed by a declaration of independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Peace Accords retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were charged with overseeing most government functions. The Office of the High Representative (OHR) was established to oversee the implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission was to deter renewed hostilities. European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR in December 2004; their mission is to maintain peace and stability throughout the country. Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984 and ruled Mauritania with a heavy hand for over two decades. A series of presidential elections that he held were widely seen as flawed. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council that oversaw a transition to democratic rule. Independent candidate Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDALLAHI was inaugurated in April 2007 as Mauritania's first freely and fairly elected president. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population (Afro-Mauritanians) and White and Black Moor (Arab-Berber) communities, although the new government is attempting to ameliorate some of these tensions.
Birth rate 8.77 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 40.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $4.373 billion


expenditures: $4.401 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
revenues: $421 million


expenditures: $378 million (2002 est.)
Capital name: Sarajevo


geographic coordinates: 43 52 N, 18 25 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
name: Nouakchott


geographic coordinates: 18 07 N, 16 02 W


time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along coast desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Coastline 20 km 754 km
Constitution the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December 1995, included a new constitution now in force; note - each of the entities also has its own constitution 12 July 1991
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina


local long form: none


local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina


former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania


conventional short form: Mauritania


local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah


local short form: Muritaniyah
Death rate 8.27 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 11.89 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $3.116 billion (2005 est.) $2.5 billion (2000)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas L. McELHANEY


embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo


mailing address: use street address


telephone: [387] (33) 445-700


FAX: [387] (33) 659-722


branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar
chief of mission: Ambassador Mark M. BOULWARE


embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott


mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott


telephone: [222] 525-2660/525-2663


FAX: [222] 525-1592
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Bisera TURKOVIC


chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037


telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500


FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502


consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York
chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahima DIA


chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701


FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623
Disputes - international Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro have delimited most of their boundary, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute; discussions continue with Croatia on several small disputed sections of the boundary related to maritime access that hinder ratification of the 1999 border agreement Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant
Economic aid - recipient $650 million (2001 est.) $190.4 million (2005)
Economy - overview Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to Macedonia as the poorest republic in the old Yugoslav federation. Although agriculture is almost all in private hands, farms are small and inefficient, and the republic traditionally is a net importer of food. Industry remains greatly overstaffed, a holdover from the socialist economic structure of Yugoslavia. TITO had pushed the development of military industries in the republic with the result that Bosnia was saddled with a host of industrial firms with little commercial potential. The interethnic warfare in Bosnia caused production to plummet by 80% from 1992 to 1995 and unemployment to soar. With an uneasy peace in place, output recovered in 1996-99 at high percentage rates from a low base; but output growth slowed in 2000-02. Part of the lag in output was made up in 2003-05. National-level statistics are limited and do not capture the large share of black market activity. The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark or BAM)- the national currency introduced in 1998 - is pegged to the euro, and confidence in the currency and the banking sector has increased. Implementation of privatization, however, has been slow, and local entities only reluctantly support national-level institutions. Banking reform accelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments bureaus were shut down; foreign banks, primarily from Western Europe, now control most of the banking sector. A sizeable current account deficit and high unemployment rate remain the two most serious economic problems. The country receives substantial amounts of reconstruction assistance and humanitarian aid from the international community but will have to prepare for an era of declining assistance. Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for nearly 40% of total exports. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt, which now stands at more than three times the level of annual exports. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. A new investment code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current world oil prices. Oil prospects, while initially promising, have failed to materialize. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and promoting privatization of the economy.
Electricity - consumption 8.849 billion kWh (2003) 230.6 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 3.2 billion kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 2.271 billion kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 10.51 billion kWh (2003) 248 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m


highest point: Maglic 2,386 m
lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m


highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m
Environment - current issues air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife; deforestation overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial river; locust infestation
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Bosniak 48%, Serb 37.1%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000)


note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam
mixed Moor/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%
Exchange rates marka per US dollar - 1.5727 (2005), 1.5752 (2004), 1.7329 (2003), 2.0782 (2002), 2.1857 (2001)


note: the marka is pegged to the euro
ouguiyas per US dollar - NA (2007), 271.3 (2006), 267.04 (2005), 265.8 (2004), 263.03 (2003)
Executive branch chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency Nebojsa RADMANOVIC (chairman since 6 November 2006; presidency member since 1 October 2006 - Serb); other members of the three-member presidency rotating (every eight months): Zeljko KOMSIC (since 1 October 2006 - Croat) and Haris SILAJDZIC (since 1 October 2006 - Bosniak)


head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Adnan TERZIC (since 20 December 2002)


cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman; approved by the National House of Representatives


elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term (eligible for a second term, but then ineligible for four years); the member with the most votes becomes the chairman unless he or she was the incumbent chairman at the time of the election, but the chairmanship rotates every eight months; election last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); the chairman of the Council of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the National House of Representatives


election results: percent of vote - Nebojsa RADMANOVIC with 53.3% of the Serb vote; Zeljko KOMSIC received 39.6% of the Croat vote; Haris SILAJDZIC received 62.8% of the Bosniak vote


note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Niko LOZANCIC (since 27 January 2003); Vice Presidents Sahbaz DZIHANOVIC (since in 2003) and Desnica RADIVOJEVIC (since in 2003); President of the Republika Srpska: Milan JELIC (since 9 November 2006)
chief of state: Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI (since 19 April 2007)


head of government: Prime Minister Zeine Ould ZEIDANE (since 20 April 2007)


cabinet: Council of Ministers


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); election last held 11 March 2007 with a runoff between the two leading candidates held on 25 March 2007 (next to be held 2012); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: percent of vote - (second round) Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDELLAHI 52.8%, Ahmed Ould DADDAH 47.2%
Exports NA bbl/day 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities metals, clothing, wood products iron ore, fish and fish products, gold
Exports - partners Croatia 18.4%, Italy 17.1%, Slovenia 14.6%, Germany 12.8%, Austria 6.5%, Hungary 5.2%, China 4.2% (2005) China 26.1%, Italy 11.7%, France 10.5%, Spain 6.9%, Belgium 6.8%, Japan 5.4%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.6% (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse of the triangle green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 14.2%


industry: 30.8%


services: 55% (2002)
agriculture: 25%


industry: 29%


services: 46% (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 5% (2005 est.) 1.5% (2007 est.)
Geographic coordinates 44 00 N, 18 00 E 20 00 N, 12 00 W
Geography - note within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro (Montenegro), and traditionally has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the east most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country
Heliports 5 (2006) -
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 2.5%


highest 10%: 29.5% (2000)
Illicit drugs minor transit point for marijuana and opiate trafficking routes to Western Europe; remains highly vulnerable to money-laundering activity given a primarily cash-based and unregulated economy, weak law enforcement, and instances of corruption -
Imports NA bbl/day 19,960 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners Croatia 24.7%, Germany 13.7%, Slovenia 13.1%, Italy 11%, Austria 6.9%, Hungary 5.5% (2005) France 11.9%, China 8.1%, Belgium 6.8%, US 6.7%, Italy 5.9%, Spain 5.7%, Brazil 5.5% (2006)
Independence 1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence was completed 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3 March 1992) 28 November 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate 5.5% (2003 est.) 2% (2000 est.)
Industries steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, tank and aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil refining fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
Infant mortality rate total: 9.82 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 11.26 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 8.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
total: 68.07 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 71.07 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 64.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.4% (2005 est.) 7% (2003 est.)
International organization participation BIS, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE, SECI, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer) ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land 30 sq km (2003) 490 sq km (2002)
Judicial branch BH Constitutional Court (consists of nine members: four members are selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of Representatives, two members by the Republika Srpska's National Assembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of the European Court of Human Rights); BH State Court (consists of nine judges and three divisions - Administrative, Appellate and Criminal - having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law and appellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities); note - a War Crimes Chamber opened in March 2005


note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska has five municipal courts
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts
Labor force 1.026 million (2001) 786,000 (2001)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: NA%


industry: NA%


services: NA%
agriculture: 50%


industry: 10%


services: 40% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries total: 1,459 km


border countries: Croatia 932 km, Montenegro 225 km, Serbia 302 km
total: 5,074 km


border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km
Land use arable land: 19.61%


permanent crops: 1.89%


other: 78.5% (2005)
arable land: 0.2%


permanent crops: 0.01%


other: 99.79% (2005)
Languages Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof
Legal system based on civil law system a combination of Islamic law and French civil law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of the national House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats - elected by proportional representation, 28 seats allocated from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats from the Republika Srpska; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); and the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats - 5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of Representatives and the Republika Srpska's National Assembly to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's election law specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order administrative division entity legislatures


elections: national House of Representatives - elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in 2010); House of Peoples - last constituted in January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007)


election results: national House of Representatives - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA%; seats by party/coalition - SDA 9, SBiH 8, SNSD 7, SDP 5, SDS 3, HDZ-BH 3, other 7; House of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition - NA; seats by party/coalition - NA


note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that consists of a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in October 2010); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SDA 28, SBiH 24, SDP 17, HDZ-BH 8, HDZ100 7, other 14; and a House of Peoples (60 seats - 30 Bosniak, 30 Croat); last constituted December 2002; the Republika Srpska has a National Assembly (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 1 October 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2010); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party/coalition - SNSD 41, SDS 17, PDP 8, DNS 4, SBH 4, SPRS 3, SDA 3, other 3; as a result of the 2002 constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska Council of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska National Assembly including eight Croats, eight Bosniaks, eight Serbs, and four members of the smaller communities
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms; a portion of seats up for election every two years) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (95 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: Senate - last held 21 January and 4 February 2007 (next to be held 2009); National Assembly - last held 19 November and 3 December 2006 (next to be held in 2011)


election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime) 37, CFCD (coalition of political parties) 15, representatives of the diaspora (yet to be chosen) 3, undecided 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Mithaq 51 (independents 37, PRDR 7, UDP 3, RDU 3, Alternative (El-Badil) 1), CFCD 41 (RFD 16, UFP 9, APP 6, Centrist Reformists 4, HATEM-PMUC 3, RD 2, PUDS 1), RNDLE 1, UCD 1, FP 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78 years


male: 74.39 years


female: 81.88 years (2006 est.)
total population: 53.51 years


male: 51.24 years


female: 55.85 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 94.6%


male: 98.4%


female: 91.1% (2000 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 51.2%


male: 59.5%


female: 43.4% (2000 census)
Location Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara
Map references Europe Africa
Maritime claims no data available territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Military branches VF Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commands within the Army), VRS Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commands within the Army) Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Mauritanian Navy (Marine Mauritanienne; includes naval infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2007)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $234.3 million (FY02) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 4.5% (FY02) 5.5% (2006)
National holiday National Day, 25 November (1943) Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
Nationality noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s)


adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian
noun: Mauritanian(s)


adjective: Mauritanian
Natural hazards destructive earthquakes hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts
Natural resources coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, forests, hydropower iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish
Net migration rate 13.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Political parties and leaders Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK]; Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Civic Democratic Party or GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croat Christian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Marin TOPIC]; Croat Party of Rights or HSP [Zvonko JURISIC]; Croat Peasants Party or HSS [Marko TADIC]; Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BH [Dragan COVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union 100 or HDZ100; Croatian Peoples Union [Milenko BRKIC]; Democratic National Union or DNZ [Rifet DOLIC]; Democratic Peoples Alliance or DNS [Marko PAVIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Rasim KADIC]; New Croat Initiative or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina or SBiH [Haris SILAJDZIC]; Party for Democratic Action or SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen IVANIC]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Dragan CAVIC]; Serb Radical Party of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICA]; Serb Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Radislav KANJERIC]; Social Democratic Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Social Democratic Union or SDU [Sejfudin TOKIC]; Socialist Party of Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC] Alternative or El-Badil; Centrist Reformists (independent moderate Islamists); Coalition for Forces for Democratic Change or CFCD (coalition of political parties including APP, Centrist Reformists (independent moderate Islamists), HATEM-PMUC, PUDS, RD, RFD, UFP); Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS; Democratic Renewal or RD; Mauritanian Party for Unity and Change or HATEM-PMUC; Mithaq (coalition of independents and parties associated with the former regime including Alternative or El-Badil, PRDR, UDP, RDU); National Rally for Freedom, Democracy and Equality or RNDLE; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR [Boullah Ould MOGUEYA] (formerly ruling Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS); Socialist and Democratic Unity Party or PUDS; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]; Union of Democratic Centre or UCD; Union of the Forces for Progress or UFP
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Arab nationalists; Ba'thists; General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general]; Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]
Population 4,498,976 (July 2006 est.) 3,270,065 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 25% (2004 est.) 40% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate 1.35% (2006 est.) 2.867% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)
Railways total: 608 km (777 km electrified)


standard gauge: 608 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)
717 km


standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2006)
Religions Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14% Muslim 100%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.005 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.975 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.666 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age, universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: telephone and telegraph network needs modernization and expansion; many urban areas are below average as contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav republics


domestic: NA


international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations
general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations; mobile-cellular services expanding rapidly


domestic: Mauritel, the national telecommunications company, was privatized in 2001 but remains the monopoly provider of fixed-line services; fixed-line teledensity 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular network coverage extends mainly to urban areas with a teledensity approaching 35 per 100 persons; mostly cable and open-wire lines; a domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals


international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 2 Arabsat
Telephones - main lines in use 968,900 (2005) 34,900 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular 1.594 million (2005) 1.06 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations 33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995) 1 (2002)
Terrain mountains and valleys mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Total fertility rate 1.22 children born/woman (2006 est.) 5.78 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 45.5% official rate; grey economy may reduce actual unemployment to 25-30% (31 December 2004 est.) 20% (2004 est.)
Waterways Sava River (northern border) open to shipping but use limited (2006) -
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