Grenada (2006) | Mauritania (2002) | |
Administrative divisions | 6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick | 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: 33.4% (male 15,097/female 14,820)
15-64 years: 63.4% (male 30,106/female 26,764) 65 years and over: 3.3% (male 1,394/female 1,522) (2006 est.) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops, sugarcane, corn, vegetables | dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep |
Airports | 3 (2006) | 26 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
total: 10 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 6 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 16 17
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 7 under 914 m: 6 3 (2002) |
Area | total: 344 sq km
land: 344 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 1,030,700 sq km
land: 1,030,400 sq km water: 300 sq km |
Area - comparative | twice the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico |
Background | Carib Indians inhabited Grenada when COLUMBUS discovered the island in 1498, but it remained uncolonized for more than a century. The French settled Grenada in the 17th century, established sugar estates, and imported large numbers of African slaves. Britain took the island in 1762 and vigorously expanded sugar production. In the 19th century, cacao eventually surpassed sugar as the main export crop; in the 20th century, nutmeg became the leading export. In 1967, Britain gave Grenada autonomy over its internal affairs. Full independence was attained in 1974 making Grenada one of the smallest independent countries in the Western Hemisphere. Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19 October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections were reinstituted the following year and have continued since that time. Hurricane Ivan struck Grenada in September of 2004 causing severe damage. | 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. Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were generally free and open. Mauritania remains, in reality, a one-party state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between its black minority population and the dominant Maur (Arab-Berber) populace. |
Birth rate | 22.08 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 42.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $85.8 million
expenditures: $102.1 million; including capital expenditures of $28 million (1997) |
revenues: $421 million
expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154 million |
Capital | name: Saint George's
geographic coordinates: 12 03 N, 61 45 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Nouakchott |
Climate | tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds | desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty |
Coastline | 121 km | 754 km |
Constitution | 19 December 1973 | 12 July 1991 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Grenada |
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional short form: Mauritania local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah local short form: Muritaniyah |
Currency | - | ouguiya (MRO) |
Death rate | 6.88 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 13.34 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $347 million (2004) | $1.6 billion (2000) (2000) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Grenada
embassy: Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George's mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176 FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820 |
chief of mission: Ambassador John W. LIMBERT
embassy: Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott telephone: [222] 25-26-60, 25-26-63, 25-11-41, 25-11-45 FAX: [222] 25-25-92 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE
chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561 FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468 consulate(s) general: New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamedou Ould MICHEL
chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $15.4 million (2004) | $220 million (2000) (2000) |
Economy - overview | Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange, especially since the construction of an international airport in 1985. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing, together with the development of an offshore financial industry, have also contributed to growth in national output. | Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though most of the nomads and many 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 half of total exports. The decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. 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. 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. Mauritania withdrew its membership in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in 2000 and subsequently increased commercial ties with Arab Maghreb Union members Morocco and Tunisia, most notably in telecommunications. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential viable extraction at current world oil prices. However, the refinery in Nouadhibou historically has not exceeded 20% of its distillation capacity, and it handled no crude in the year 2000. A new Investment Code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. |
Electricity - consumption | 148.6 million kWh (2003) | 143.22 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2003) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 159.8 million kWh (2003) | 154 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 84%
hydro: 16% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m |
lowest point: Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m
highest point: Kediet Ijill 910 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | 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 |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected 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: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East Indian 5%, and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian | mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30% |
Exchange rates | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001) | ouguiyas per US dollar - 254.350 (December 2001), 238.923 (2000), 209.514 (1999), 188.476 (1998), 151.853 (1997), 137.222 (1996) |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996)
head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general |
chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Cheikh El Avia Ould Mohamed KHOUNA (since 17 November 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 12 December 1997 (next to be held NA December 2003); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected with 90.9% of the vote |
Exports | NA bbl/day | $359 million f.o.b. (2000) |
Exports - commodities | bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace | iron ore, fish and fish products, gold |
Exports - partners | Saint Lucia 12.1%, US 11.3%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.2%, Germany 7.9%, Netherlands 7.8%, Saint Kitts & Nevis 7.4%, Dominica 7.4%, UK 6.8%, France 4.2% (2005) | France 18%, Japan 16%, Italy 13%, Spain 10% (2000) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative divisions | 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 | - | purchasing power parity - $5 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5.4%
industry: 18% services: 76.6% (2000) |
agriculture: 25%
industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 0.9% (2005 est.) | 4% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 12 07 N, 61 40 W | 20 00 N, 12 00 W |
Geography - note | the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada | most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country |
Highways | - | total: 7,720 km
paved: 830 km unpaved: 6,890 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 30% (2000) (2000) |
Illicit drugs | small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for marijuana and cocaine to US | - |
Imports | NA bbl/day | $335 million f.o.b. (2000) |
Imports - commodities | food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel | machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods |
Imports - partners | Trinidad and Tobago 27.8%, US 27%, UK 6% (2005) | France 33%, US 10%, Spain 9%, Algeria 6%, Germany 6%, Benelux 5% (2000) |
Independence | 7 February 1974 (from UK) | 28 November 1960 (from France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 0.7% (1997 est.) | 2% (2000 est.) |
Industries | food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism, construction | fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum |
Infant mortality rate | total: 14.27 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 13.87 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
75.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3% (2005 est.) | 4.4% (2001 est.) |
International organization participation | ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO | ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 5 (2001) |
Irrigated land | NA | 490 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of a court of Appeal and a High Court of Justice (a High Court judge is assigned to and resides in Grenada) | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts |
Labor force | 42,300 (1996) | 786,000 (2001) (2001) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 24%
industry: 14% services: 62% (1999 est.) |
agriculture 50%, services 40%, industry 10% (2001 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 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: 5.88%
permanent crops: 29.41% other: 64.71% (2005) |
arable land: 0.48%
permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.51% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), French patois | Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (official), French |
Legal system | based on English common law | a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law |
Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member body, 10 appointed by the government and 3 by the leader of the opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by November 2008) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NNP 46.65%, NDC 44.12%; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 7 |
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2002 (next to be held NA April 2004); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRDS 54, RFD 1, UNDD 1; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - PRDS 79%, RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, RDF 4%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%; seats by party - PRDS 64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RFD 3, UFP 3, and FP 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 64.87 years
male: 63.06 years female: 66.68 years (2006 est.) |
total population: 51.53 years
male: 49.42 years female: 53.71 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96% male: NA% female: NA% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 41.2% male: 51.5% female: 31.3% (2002 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Africa |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2002) |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | NA | $37.1 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | 3.7% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 644,294 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 312,276 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 7 February (1974) | Independence Day, 28 November (1960) |
Nationality | noun: Grenadian(s)
adjective: Grenadian |
noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian |
Natural hazards | lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to November | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts |
Natural resources | timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors | iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil; fish |
Net migration rate | -12.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Good Old Democracy or GOD [Justin MCBURNIE]; Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Gloria Payne BANFIELD]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Tillman THOMAS]; New National Party or NNP [Keith MITCHELL]; People Labor Movement or PLM [Dr. Francis ALEXIS] | Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Alliance for Justice and Democracy or AJD [Kebe ABDOULAYE]; Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party) [President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for Renewal and Concorde or PMRC [Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National Union for Democracy and Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party for Liberty, Equality and Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress Alliance or APP [Mohamed El Hafed Ould ISMAEL]; Popular Social and Democratic Union or UPSD [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force Union or UFP [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]
note: the Action for Change party was banned in January 2002; parties legalized by constitution ratified 12 July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Arab nationalists; Ba'athists; 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 | 89,703 (July 2006 est.) | 2,828,858 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 32% (2000) | 50% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.26% (2006 est.) | 2.92% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001) |
Radios | - | 410,000 (2001) |
Railways | - | 704 km
standard gauge: 704 km 1.435-m gauge note: owned and operated by government mining company (2001) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2% | Muslim 100% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
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.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links international: country code - 1-473; new SHF radiotelephone links to Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to Trinidad |
general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations (improvements being made)
domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat |
Telephones - main lines in use | 32,700 (2004) | 26,500 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 43,300 (2004) | 35,000 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (1997) | 1 (2002) |
Terrain | volcanic in origin with central mountains | mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills |
Total fertility rate | 2.34 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 6.15 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 12.5% (2000) | 21% (1999 est.) |
Waterways | - | note: ferry traffic on the Senegal River |