Compare Mauritania (2006) - Holy See (Vatican City) (2004)

Compare Mauritania (2006) z Holy See (Vatican City) (2004)

	Mauritania (2006)	Holy See (Vatican City) (2004)

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	none
Age structure	0-14 years: 45.6% (male 726,376/female 723,013) 15-64 years: 52.2% (male 818,408/female 839,832) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 28,042/female 41,717) (2006 est.)	-
Agriculture - products	dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep	-
Airports	25 (2006)	none (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2006)	-
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2006)	-
Area	total: 1,030,700 sq km land: 1,030,400 sq km water: 300 sq km	total: 0.44 sq km land: 0.44 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico	about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
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. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984. 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. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council headed by Col. Ely Ould Mohamed VALL, which declared it would remain in power for up to two years while it created conditions for genuine democratic institutions and organized elections. For now, however, Mauritania remains an autocratic state, and the country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population and different Moor (Arab-Berber) communities.	Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the Middle East, terrorism, the failing health of Pope JOHN PAUL II, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.
Birth rate	40.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $421 million expenditures: $378 million; including capital expenditures of $154 million (2002 est.)	revenues: $245.2 million expenditures: $260.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2002)
Capital	name: Nouakchott geographic coordinates: 18 06 N, 15 57 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	Vatican City
Climate	desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty	temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)
Coastline	754 km	0 km (landlocked)
Constitution	12 July 1991	new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope John Paul II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929)
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: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)
Currency	-	euro (EUR)
Death rate	12.16 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	-
Debt - external	$2.5 billion (2000)	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Steven KOUTSIS 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	chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Tijani Ould Mohamed EL KERIM chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623	chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036
Disputes - international	Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years	none
Economic aid - recipient	$305.7 million (2002)	none
Economy - overview	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 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 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. Mauritania has an estimated 1 billion barrels of proved reserves. Substantial oil production and exports are scheduled to begin in early 2006 and may average 75,000 barrels per day for that year. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and promoting privatization of the economy.	This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an annual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world, as well as by special collections (known as Peter's Pence); the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; fees for admission to museums; and the sale of publications. Investments and real estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.
Electricity - consumption	172.6 million kWh (2003)	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2003)	0 kWh
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2003)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
Electricity - production	185.6 million kWh (2003)	NA kWh
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m	lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 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; locust infestation	NA
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification
Ethnic groups	mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%	Italians, Swiss, other
Exchange rates	ouguiyas per US dollar - NA (2005), NA (2004), 263.03 (2003), 271.74 (2002), 255.63 (2001)	euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003),1.1324 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)
Executive branch	chief of state: Col. Ely Ould Mohamed VALL, whose Military Council for Justice and Democracy deposed longtime President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA in a coup on 3 August 2005 head of government: Prime Minister Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBAKAR (since 8 August 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second consecutive term); note - passage of a constitutional reform referendum in July 2006 limits president to two five-year terms; election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be held 11 March 2007); prime minister appointed by the president election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected for a third term with 60.8% of the vote	chief of state: Pope JOHN PAUL II (since 16 October 1978) head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since 1 December 1990) cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals; election last held 16 October 1978 (next to be held after the death of the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope election results: Karol WOJTYLA elected pope
Exports	NA bbl/day	0 kWh
Exports - commodities	iron ore, fish and fish products, gold	-
Exports - partners	Italy 14.9%, Japan 12.3%, France 11.8%, Belgium 8.5%, Germany 8.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 7.2%, Spain 6.5%, Russia 5%, Netherlands 4.4% (2005)	-
Fiscal year	calendar 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	two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the white band
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 25% industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	5.5% (2005 est.)	-
Geographic coordinates	20 00 N, 12 00 W	41 54 N, 12 27 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	urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights
Highways	-	none; all city streets
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Imports	NA bbl/day	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods	-
Imports - partners	France 18.5%, UK 7.2%, US 7%, China 6%, Spain 5%, Belgium 4.3% (2005)	-
Independence	28 November 1960 (from France)	11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the 8th century
Industrial production growth rate	2% (2000 est.)	-
Industries	fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum	printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps, a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities
Infant mortality rate	total: 69.48 deaths/1,000 live births male: 72.44 deaths/1,000 live births female: 66.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	7% (2003 est.)	-
International organization participation	ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO	CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer), WTrO (observer)
Irrigated land	490 sq km (2002)	0 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts	there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius XII on 1 May 1946
Labor force	786,000 (2001)	NA
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 50% industry: 10% services: 40% (2001 est.)	essentially services with a small amount of industry; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican
Land boundaries	total: 5,074 km border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km	total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km
Land use	arable land: 0.2% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.79% (2005)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001)
Languages	Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof	Italian, Latin, French, various other languages
Legal system	a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law	based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it
Legislative branch	bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; a portion of 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 (95 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 9 and 16 April 2004 (next to be held 21 January 2007); National Assembly - last held 19 November and 3 December 2006 election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA	unicameral Pontifical Commission
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 53.12 years male: 50.88 years female: 55.42 years (2006 est.)	-
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 41.7% male: 51.8% female: 31.9% (2003 est.)	definition: NA total population: 100% male: NA female: NA
Location	Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara	Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)
Map references	Africa	Europe
Maritime claims	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	none (landlocked)
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of Italy; Swiss Papal Guards are posted at entrances to the Vatican City to provide security and protect the Pope
Military branches	Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Marine Mauritanienne; includes naval infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2005)	Swiss Guards Corps (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$19.32 million (2005 est.)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.4% (2005 est.)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 28 November (1960)	Coronation Day of Pope JOHN PAUL II, 22 October (1978)
Nationality	noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian	noun: none adjective: none
Natural hazards	hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts	NA
Natural resources	iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish	none
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	-
Political parties and leaders	Action for Change or AC (no longer active) [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Alliance for Justice and Democracy or AJD [Cisse Amadou CHEIKHOU]; National Union for Democracy and Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party for Liberty, Equality, and Justice or PLEJ [Ba Mamdou ALASSANE]; Party of Democratic Convergence or PCD [Cheikh Ould HORMA]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Progress Force Union or UFP (no longer active) [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]; 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 (formerly ruling Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS) [Boullah Ould MOGUEYA]; Right Way or SAWAB [Cheikh Ould Sidi Ould HANANA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]; Union of Forces of Progress or UFP [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD] note: the Party of Democratic Convergence was banned in October 2005 because it was regarded as Islamist and therefore in breach of Mauritanian law	none
Political pressure groups and leaders	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]	none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)
Population	3,177,388 (July 2006 est.)	921 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	40% (2004 est.)	NA
Population growth rate	2.88% (2006 est.)	0.01% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	none
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)	AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)
Railways	717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)	-
Religions	Muslim 100%	Roman Catholic
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)	-
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	limited to cardinals less than 80 years old
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: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat	general assessment: automatic exchange domestic: tied into Italian system international: country code - 39; uses Italian system
Telephones - main lines in use	41,000 (2005)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	745,600 (2005)	NA
Television broadcast stations	1 (2002)	1 (1996)
Terrain	mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills	low hill
Total fertility rate	5.86 children born/woman (2006 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	20% (2004 est.)	-

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