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Compare Paracel Islands (2003) - Mauritania (2004)
Compare Paracel Islands (2003) z Mauritania (2004)
| Paracel Islands (2003) | Mauritania (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 |
| Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 45.9% (male 689,371; female 686,486)
15-64 years: 51.9% (male 767,551; female 788,520) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 27,106; female 39,529) (2004 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | - | dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep |
| Airports | 1 (2002) | 24 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Area | total: NA sq km
land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 1,030,700 sq km
land: 1,030,400 sq km water: 300 sq km |
| Area - comparative | NA | slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico |
| Background | The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. | 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 population and the dominant Moor (Arab-Berber) populace. |
| Birth rate | - | 41.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Budget | - | revenues: $421 million
expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154 million (2002 est.) |
| Capital | - | Nouakchott |
| Climate | tropical | desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty |
| Coastline | 518 km | 754 km |
| Constitution | - | 12 July 1991 |
| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Paracel Islands |
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 | - | 12.74 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
| Debt - external | - | $2.5 billion (2000) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | - | chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON
embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott telephone: [222] 525-2660/525-2663 FAX: [222] 25-25-92 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | - | chief of mission: Ambassador Tijani Ould KERIM
chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623 |
| Disputes - international | occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam | Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years |
| Economic aid - recipient | - | $220 million (2000) |
| Economy - overview | China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism. | 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. 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. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current world oil prices. 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. Substantial oil production and exports probably will not begin until 2005. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and promoting privatization of the economy. |
| Electricity - consumption | - | 146.3 million kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
| Electricity - production | - | 157.4 million kWh (2001) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m |
lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 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; locust infestation |
| 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 |
| Ethnic groups | - | mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30% |
| Exchange rates | - | ouguiyas per US dollar - NA (2003), 271.739 (2002), 255.629 (2001) |
| Executive branch | - | chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Sghair Ould M'BARECK (since 6 July 2003) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be held NA 2009); 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 |
| Exports | - | NA (2001) |
| Exports - commodities | - | iron ore, fish and fish products, gold |
| Exports - partners | - | Japan 12.5%, France 12.1%, Spain 11.4%, Italy 10.4%, Belgium 7.8%, Germany 7.4%, Russia 5%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.2%, Netherlands 4% (2003) |
| 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 - $5.195 billion (2003 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 25%
industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2003 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | - | 4.5% (2003 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 16 30 N, 112 00 E | 20 00 N, 12 00 W |
| Geography - note | composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group | 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%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 30.2% (2000) |
| Imports | - | NA (2001) |
| Imports - commodities | - | machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods |
| Imports - partners | - | France 16.8%, Spain 7.7%, China 6.3%, Belgium 5.1%, Germany 4.9%, Japan 4.3%, UK 4.1%, US 4% (2003) |
| 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 | - | total: 72.35 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 75.22 deaths/1,000 live births female: 69.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 7% (2003 est.) |
| International organization participation | - | ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
| Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 490 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Judicial branch | - | Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts |
| Labor force | - | 786,000 (2001) |
| Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture 50%, industry 10%, services 40% (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: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 0.48%
permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.51% (2001) |
| Languages | - | Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof |
| 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%, 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: 52.32 years
male: 50.15 years female: 54.56 years (2004 est.) |
| Literacy | - | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 41.7% male: 51.8% female: 31.9% (2003 est.) |
| Location | Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara |
| Map references | Southeast Asia | Africa |
| Maritime claims | NA | 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 |
| Merchant marine | - | none |
| Military - note | occupied by China | - |
| Military branches | - | Army, Navy (including Naval Infantry), Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard (BSSP) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $40.8 million (2003) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 3.7% (2003) |
| Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 686,629 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 332,633 (2004 est.) |
| National holiday | - | Independence Day, 28 November (1960) |
| Nationality | - | noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian |
| Natural hazards | typhoons | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts |
| Natural resources | none | iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish |
| Net migration rate | - | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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 [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; 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 although its members were permitted to keep their seats in the National Assembly; parties legalized by constitution ratified 12 July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based |
| 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 | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.) |
2,998,563 (July 2004 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | - | 50% (2001 est.) |
| Population growth rate | - | 2.91% (2004 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded | Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso |
| Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001) |
| Railways | - | 717 km
standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2003) |
| 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: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
| 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: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat |
| Telephones - main lines in use | - | 31,500 (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 300,000 (2003) |
| Television broadcast stations | - | 1 (2002) |
| Terrain | mostly low and flat | mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills |
| Total fertility rate | - | 6.01 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | - | 21% (1999 est.) |
| Waterways | none | some ferry traffic on Senegal River (2004) |
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