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Compare Mauritania (2002) - Arctic Ocean (2005)
Compare Mauritania (2002) z Arctic Ocean (2005)
| Mauritania (2002) | Arctic Ocean (2005) | |
 |  | |
| 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 | - |
| 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.) |
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| Agriculture - products | dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep | - |
| Airports | 26 (2001) | - |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 10 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 6 (2002) |
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| 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) |
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| Area | total: 1,030,700 sq km
land: 1,030,400 sq km water: 300 sq km |
total: 14.056 million sq km
note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico | slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US |
| Background | 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. | The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean. |
| Birth rate | 42.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | - |
| Budget | revenues: $421 million
expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154 million |
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| Capital | Nouakchott | - |
| Climate | desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty | polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow |
| Coastline | 754 km | 45,389 km |
| Constitution | 12 July 1991 | - |
| Country name | conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional short form: Mauritania local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah local short form: Muritaniyah |
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| Currency | ouguiya (MRO) | - |
| Death rate | 13.34 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | - |
| Debt - external | $1.6 billion (2000) (2000) | - |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 |
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| Diplomatic representation in the US | 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 |
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| Disputes - international | none | some maritime disputes (see littoral states) |
| Economic aid - recipient | $220 million (2000) (2000) | - |
| Economy - overview | 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. | Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals. |
| Electricity - consumption | 143.22 million kWh (2000) | - |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | - |
| Electricity - production | 154 million kWh (2000) | - |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 84%
hydro: 16% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
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| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m
highest point: Kediet Ijill 910 m |
lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m
highest point: sea level 0 m |
| Environment - current issues | 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 | endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack |
| 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: none of the selected agreements |
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| Ethnic groups | mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30% | - |
| Exchange rates | 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: 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 |
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| Exports | $359 million f.o.b. (2000) | - |
| Exports - commodities | iron ore, fish and fish products, gold | - |
| Exports - partners | France 18%, Japan 16%, Italy 13%, Spain 10% (2000) | - |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | - |
| Flag description | 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: 25%
industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.) |
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| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2001 est.) | - |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4% (2001 est.) | - |
| Geographic coordinates | 20 00 N, 12 00 W | 90 00 N, 0 00 E |
| 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 | major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10 months |
| Highways | total: 7,720 km
paved: 830 km unpaved: 6,890 km (2000) |
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| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 3%
highest 10%: 30% (2000) (2000) |
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| Imports | $335 million f.o.b. (2000) | - |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods | - |
| Imports - partners | France 33%, US 10%, Spain 9%, Algeria 6%, Germany 6%, Benelux 5% (2000) | - |
| Independence | 28 November 1960 (from France) | - |
| Industrial production growth rate | 2% (2000 est.) | - |
| Industries | fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum | - |
| Infant mortality rate | 75.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | - |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4.4% (2001 est.) | - |
| International organization participation | 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 | 490 sq km (1998 est.) | - |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts | - |
| Labor force | 786,000 (2001) (2001) | - |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 50%, services 40%, industry 10% (2001 est.) | - |
| Land boundaries | total: 5,074 km
border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km |
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| Land use | arable land: 0.48%
permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.51% (1998 est.) |
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| Languages | Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (official), French | - |
| Legal system | a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law | - |
| Legislative branch | 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 |
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| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 51.53 years
male: 49.42 years female: 53.71 years (2002 est.) |
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| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 41.2% male: 51.5% female: 31.3% (2002 est.) |
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| Location | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara | body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly north of the Arctic Circle |
| Map references | Africa | Arctic Region |
| Maritime claims | 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 |
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| Merchant marine | none (2002) | - |
| Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard | - |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $37.1 million (FY01) | - |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 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, 28 November (1960) | - |
| Nationality | noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian |
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| Natural hazards | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts | ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from October to May |
| Natural resources | iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil; fish | sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales) |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | - |
| Political parties and leaders | 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 |
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| Political pressure groups and leaders | 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 | 2,828,858 (July 2002 est.) | - |
| Population below poverty line | 50% (2001 est.) | - |
| Population growth rate | 2.92% (2002 est.) | - |
| Ports and harbors | Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso | Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US) |
| Radio broadcast stations | 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) |
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| Religions | Muslim 100% | - |
| 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.) |
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| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
| Telephone system | 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 |
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| Telephones - main lines in use | 26,500 (2001) | - |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 35,000 (2001) | - |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (2002) | - |
| Terrain | mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills | central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that, on average, is about 3 meters thick, although pressure ridges may be three times that thickness; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge) |
| Total fertility rate | 6.15 children born/woman (2002 est.) | - |
| Transportation - note | - | sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways |
| Unemployment rate | 21% (1999 est.) | - |
| Waterways | note: ferry traffic on the Senegal River | - |
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