Compare Mauritania (2006) - Oman (2003)

Compare Mauritania (2006) z Oman (2003)

	Mauritania (2006)	Oman (2003)

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	6 regions (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah) and 2 governorates* (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat, Musandam, Zufar; note - the US Embassy in Oman reports that Masqat is a governorate, but this has not been confirmed by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN)
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.)	0-14 years: 42.2% (male 603,664; female 580,469) 15-64 years: 55.4% (male 934,621; female 620,158) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 36,504; female 31,709) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep	dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish
Airports	25 (2006)	139 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2006)	total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2006)	total: 133 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 55 914 to 1,523 m: 37 under 914 m: 32 (2002)
Area	total: 1,030,700 sq km land: 1,030,400 sq km water: 300 sq km	total: 212,460 sq km land: 212,460 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico	slightly smaller than Kansas
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.	In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a long-standing political and military relationship with the UK. Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.
Birth rate	40.99 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)	37.47 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: $421 million expenditures: $378 million; including capital expenditures of $154 million (2002 est.)	revenues: $9.2 billion expenditures: $6.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital	name: Nouakchott geographic coordinates: 18 06 N, 15 57 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)	Muscat
Climate	desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty	dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south
Coastline	754 km	2,092 km
Constitution	12 July 1991	none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal decree promulgating a new basic law which, among other things, clarifies the royal succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from holding interests in companies doing business with the government, establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil liberties for Omani citizens
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: Sultanate of Oman conventional short form: Oman local long form: Saltanat Uman local short form: Uman former: Muscat and Oman
Currency	-	Omani rial (OMR)
Death rate	12.16 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)	3.97 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$2.5 billion (2000)	$5.7 billion (2002 est.)
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 Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos, Muscat telephone: [968] 698989, extension 203 FAX: [968] 699771
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: Ambassador Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani AL-KHUSSAIBY chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988 FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933
Disputes - international	Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years	boundary agreement signed and ratified with UAE in 2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves
Economic aid - recipient	$305.7 million (2002)	$76.4 million (1995)
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.	Oman's economic performance improved significantly in 2000 due largely to the upturn in oil prices. The government is moving ahead with privatization of its utilities, the development of a body of commercial law to facilitate foreign investment, and increased budgetary outlays. Oman continues to liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTrO) in November 2000. GDP growth improved in 2001 despite the global slowdown and then fell back to 2.2% in 2002. In order to reduce unemployment, the government is trying to replace expatriate workers with local workers. Another government objective is the development of the nation's gas resources.
Electricity - consumption	172.6 million kWh (2003)	8.625 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2003)	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	185.6 million kWh (2003)	9.274 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m	lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 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	rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited natural fresh water resources
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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%	Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi), African
Exchange rates	ouguiyas per US dollar - NA (2005), NA (2004), 263.03 (2003), 271.74 (2002), 255.63 (2001)	Omani rials per US dollar - 0.38 (2002), 0.38 (2001), 0.38 (2000), 0.38 (1999), 0.38 (1998)
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: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said Al Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
Exports	NA bbl/day	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	iron ore, fish and fish products, gold	petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles
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)	Japan 20.5%, South Korea 18.5%, China 14.1%, Thailand 11.7%, UAE 9.2%, Singapore 4.3%, US 4.1% (2002)
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	three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $22.4 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 25% industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.)	agriculture: 3% industry: 55% services: 42% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	5.5% (2005 est.)	2.2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	20 00 N, 12 00 W	21 00 N, 57 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	strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil
Heliports	-	1 (2002)
Highways	-	total: 34,965 km paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways) unpaved: 25,292 km (2001)
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 (2001)
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods	machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, livestock, lubricants
Imports - partners	France 18.5%, UK 7.2%, US 7%, China 6%, Spain 5%, Belgium 4.3% (2005)	UAE 27.5%, Japan 16.7%, UK 7.4%, US 6.9%, Germany 5% (2002)
Independence	28 November 1960 (from France)	1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)
Industrial production growth rate	2% (2000 est.)	4% (2000 est.)
Industries	fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum	crude oil production and refining, natural gas production, construction, cement, copper
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.)	total: 21.01 deaths/1,000 live births male: 24.03 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	7% (2003 est.)	-0.5% (2002 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	ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	1 (2000)
Irrigated land	490 sq km (2002)	620 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts	Supreme Court note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has non-Islamic judges as well as traditional Islamic judges
Labor force	786,000 (2001)	920,000 (2002 est.)
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture: 50% industry: 10% services: 40% (2001 est.)	agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
Land boundaries	total: 5,074 km border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km	total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km
Land use	arable land: 0.2% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.79% (2005)	arable land: 0.08% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.7% (1998 est.)
Languages	Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof	Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects
Legal system	a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law	based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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	bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis al-Dawla (48 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats; members elected by limited suffrage for three-year term, however, the monarch makes final selections and can negate election results; body has some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only advisory powers) elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2006) election results: NA
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 53.12 years male: 50.88 years female: 55.42 years (2006 est.)	total population: 72.58 years male: 70.4 years female: 74.86 years (2003 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: 75.8% male: 83.1% female: 67.2% (2003 est.)
Location	Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara	Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE
Map references	Africa	Middle East
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	contiguous zone: 24 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	-	total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,291 GRT/9,457 DWT ships by type: container 1, passenger 2 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Singapore 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Marine Mauritanienne; includes naval infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2005)	Royal Omani Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force), Royal Omani Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$19.32 million (2005 est.)	$2.424 billion (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.4% (2005 est.)	12.2% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 788,429 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 438,326 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age	-	14 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 29,485 (2003 est.)
National holiday	Independence Day, 28 November (1960)	Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)
Nationality	noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian	noun: Omani(s) adjective: Omani
Natural hazards	hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts	summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in interior; periodic droughts
Natural resources	iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish	petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium, gypsum, natural gas
Net migration rate	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)	0.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines	-	gas 3,599 km; oil 3,187 km (2003)
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
Population	3,177,388 (July 2006 est.)	2,807,125 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	40% (2004 est.)	NA%
Population growth rate	2.88% (2006 est.)	3.38% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Matrah, Mina' al Fahl, Mina' Raysut
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)	AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)
Railways	717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2005)	0 km
Religions	Muslim 100%	Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu
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.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.51 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.15 male(s)/female total population: 1.28 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	in Oman's most recent elections in 2000, limited to approximately 175,000 Omanis chosen by the government to vote in elections for the Majlis al-Shura
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: modern system consisting of open-wire, microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited coaxial cable domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat
Telephones - main lines in use	41,000 (2005)	201,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular	745,600 (2005)	59,822 (1997)
Television broadcast stations	1 (2002)	13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)
Terrain	mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills	central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south
Total fertility rate	5.86 children born/woman (2006 est.)	5.94 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	20% (2004 est.)	NA%
Waterways	-	none

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