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Compare Mauritania (2002) - South Africa (2001)

Compare Mauritania (2002) z South Africa (2001)

 Mauritania (2002)South Africa (2001)
 MauritaniaSouth Africa
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 9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Northern Province, Western Cape
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.)
0-14 years:
32.01% (male 7,023,639; female 6,928,559)

15-64 years:
63.11% (male 13,264,654; female 14,244,484)

65 years and over:
4.88% (male 798,914; female 1,325,847) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products
Airports 26 (2001) 741 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 10 9


2,438 to 3,047 m: 3


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 6 (2002)
total:
142

over 3,047 m:
9

2,438 to 3,047 m:
5

1,524 to 2,437 m:
47

914 to 1,523 m:
71

under 914 m:
10 (2000 est.)
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)
total:
599

1,524 to 2,437 m:
33

914 to 1,523 m:
304

under 914 m:
262 (2000 est.)
Area total: 1,030,700 sq km


land: 1,030,400 sq km


water: 300 sq km
total:
1,219,912 sq km

land:
1,219,912 sq km

water:
0 sq km

note:
includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)
Area - comparative slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico slightly less than twice the size of Texas
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. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.
Birth rate 42.54 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 21.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $421 million


expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154 million
revenues:
$31.1 billion

expenditures:
$34.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (FY01/02)
Capital Nouakchott Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and Bloemfontein the judicial center
Climate desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Coastline 754 km 2,798 km
Constitution 12 July 1991 10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3 February 1997; it is being implemented in phases
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
conventional long form:
Republic of South Africa

conventional short form:
South Africa

former:
Union of South Africa

abbreviation:
RSA
Currency ouguiya (MRO) rand (ZAR)
Death rate 13.34 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 16.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $1.6 billion (2000) (2000) $25.6 billion (2000 est.)
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
chief of mission:
Ambassador Delano E. LEWIS, Sr.

embassy:
877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria

mailing address:
P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001

telephone:
[27] (12) 342-1048

FAX:
[27] (12) 342-2244

consulate(s) general:
Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg
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
chief of mission:
Ambassador Makate Sheila SISULU

chancery:
3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 232-4400

FAX:
[1] (202) 265-1607

consulate(s) general:
Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international none Swaziland has asked South Africa to open negotiations on reincorporating some nearby South African territories that are populated by ethnic Swazis or that were long ago part of the Swazi Kingdom
Economic aid - recipient $220 million (2000) (2000) $676.3 million
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. South Africa is a middle-income, developing country with an abundant supply of resources, well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors, a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world, and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to cut into the 30% unemployment, and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially the problems of poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. Other problems are crime, corruption, and HIV/AIDS. At the start of 2000, President MBEKI vowed to promote economic growth and foreign investment, and to reduce poverty by relaxing restrictive labor laws, stepping up the pace of privatization, and cutting unneeded governmental spending.
Electricity - consumption 143.22 million kWh (2000) 172.393 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 3.884 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 2.457 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 154 million kWh (2000) 186.903 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 84%


hydro: 16%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel:
92.74%

hydro:
0.39%

nuclear:
6.87%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m


highest point: Kediet Ijill 910 m
lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m

highest point:
Njesuthi 3,408 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 lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage threatens to outpace supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
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
party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30% black 75.2%, white 13.6%, Colored 8.6%, Indian 2.6%
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) rand per US dollar - 7.60 (March 2001), 6.93983 (2000), 6.10948 (1999), 5.52828 (1998), 4.60796 (1997), 4.29935 (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
chief of state:
President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999); Executive Deputy President Jacob ZUMA (since 17 June 1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 2 June 1999 (next scheduled for sometime between May and July 2004)

election results:
Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)

note:
ANC-IFP governing coalition
Exports $359 million f.o.b. (2000) $30.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Exports - commodities iron ore, fish and fish products, gold gold, diamonds, other metals and minerals, machinery and equipment
Exports - partners France 18%, Japan 16%, Italy 13%, Spain 10% (2000) UK, Italy, Japan, US, Germany
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
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 two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes

note:
prior to 26 April 1994, the flag was actually four flags in one - three miniature flags reproduced in the center of the white band of the former flag of the Netherlands, which had three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and blue; the miniature flags were a vertically hanging flag of the old Orange Free State with a horizontal flag of the UK adjoining on the hoist side and a horizontal flag of the old Transvaal Republic adjoining on the other side
GDP purchasing power parity - $5 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $369 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 25%


industry: 29%


services: 46% (2001 est.)
agriculture:
5%

industry:
30%

services:
65% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $8,500 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 4% (2001 est.) 3% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 20 00 N, 12 00 W 29 00 S, 24 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 South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland
Highways total: 7,720 km


paved: 830 km


unpaved: 6,890 km (2000)
total:
358,596 km

paved:
59,753 km (including 1927 km of expressways)

unpaved:
298,843 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 30% (2000) (2000)
lowest 10%:
1.1%

highest 10%:
45.9% (1994)
Illicit drugs - transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana, and possibly cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana
Imports $335 million f.o.b. (2000) $27.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods machinery, foodstuffs and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific instruments
Imports - partners France 33%, US 10%, Spain 9%, Algeria 6%, Germany 6%, Benelux 5% (2000) Germany, US, UK, Japan
Independence 28 November 1960 (from France) 31 May 1910 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate 2% (2000 est.) 2.4% (2000 est.)
Industries fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs
Infant mortality rate 75.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 60.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.4% (2001 est.) 5.3% (2000 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 ACP, AfDB, BIS, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, NSG, OAU, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 5 (2001) 44 (2000)
Irrigated land 490 sq km (1998 est.) 12,700 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts; Magistrate Courts
Labor force 786,000 (2001) (2001) 17 million economically active (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 50%, services 40%, industry 10% (2001 est.) agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total: 5,074 km


border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km
total:
4,750 km

border countries:
Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 855 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km
Land use arable land: 0.48%


permanent crops: 0.01%


other: 99.51% (1998 est.)
arable land:
10%

permanent crops:
1%

permanent pastures:
67%

forests and woodland:
7%

other:
15% (1993 est.)
Languages Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (official), French 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Legal system a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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
bicameral parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note - following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new constitution

elections:
National Assembly and National Council of Provinces - last held 2 June 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results:
National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC 66.4%, DP 9.6%, IFP 8.6%, NP 6.9%, UDM 3.4%, ACDP 1.4%, FF 0.8%, other 2.9%; seats by party - ANC 266, DP 38, IFP 34, NP 28, UDM 14, ACDP 6, FF 3, other 11; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ANC 61, NP 17, FF 4, IFP 5, DP 3
Life expectancy at birth total population: 51.53 years


male: 49.42 years


female: 53.71 years (2002 est.)
total population:
48.09 years

male:
47.64 years

female:
48.56 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 41.2%


male: 51.5%


female: 31.3% (2002 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
81.8%

male:
81.9%

female:
81.7% (1995 est.)
Location Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Map references Africa Africa
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
contiguous zone:
24 NM

continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine none (2002) total:
8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 271,650 GRT/268,604 DWT

ships by type:
container 6, petroleum tanker 2 (2000 est.)
Military - note - the National Defense Force continues to integrate former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces
Military branches Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard South African National Defense Force or SANDF (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Medical Services), South African Police Service or SAPS
Military expenditures - dollar figure $37.1 million (FY01) $2 billion (FY00/01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.7% (FY01) 1.5% (FY99/00)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 644,294 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
11,469,812 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 312,276 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
6,977,328 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
466,399 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 28 November (1960) Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
Nationality noun: Mauritanian(s)


adjective: Mauritanian
noun:
South African(s)

adjective:
South African
Natural hazards hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts prolonged droughts
Natural resources iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil; fish gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 931 km; petroleum products 1,748 km; natural gas 322 km
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
African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI, president]; Democratic Alliance (formed from the merger of the Democratic Party or DP and the New National Party or NP) [Anthony LEON, leader]; Freedom Front or FF [Constand VILJOEN, president]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]
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] Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC
Population 2,828,858 (July 2002 est.) 43,586,097

note:
South Africa took a census October 1996 which showed a population of 40,583,611 (after an official adjustment for a 6.8% underenumeration based on a postenumeration survey); estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 50% (2001 est.) 50% (2000 est.)
Population growth rate 2.92% (2002 est.) 0.26% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso Cape Town, Durban, East London, Mosselbaai, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001) AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios 410,000 (2001) 13.75 million (1997)
Railways 704 km


standard gauge: 704 km 1.435-m gauge


note: owned and operated by government mining company (2001)
total:
21,431 km

narrow gauge:
20,995 km 1.067-m gauge (9,087 km electrified); 436 km 0.610-m gauge (1995)
Religions Muslim 100% Christian 68% (includes most whites and Coloreds, about 60% of blacks and about 40% of Indians), Muslim 2%, Hindu 1.5% (60% of Indians), indigenous beliefs and animist 28.5%
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.)
at birth:
1.02 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 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
general assessment:
the system is the best developed and most modern in Africa

domestic:
consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable, radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth, and Pretoria

international:
2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 26,500 (2001) 5.075 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 35,000 (2001) over 2,000,000 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2002) 556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Total fertility rate 6.15 children born/woman (2002 est.) 2.43 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 21% (1999 est.) 30% (2000 est.)
Waterways note: ferry traffic on the Senegal River NA
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