Mauritania

The Islamic Republic of Mauritania is a vast, sparsely populated nation that straddles North Africa’s Maghreb and West Africa’s Sahel. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west, with land frontiers shared with Senegal, Mali, Algeria, and Western Sahara. Characterised by its arid desert landscapes, ethnic diversity, and complex social hierarchies, Mauritania remains a bridge between Arab-Berber and sub-Saharan African cultures. Since gaining independence from France in 1960, the country has faced enduring challenges, including slavery, inequality, and authoritarian governance, though recent years have witnessed gradual political liberalisation and movement toward democratic consolidation.

Historical Background

The earliest inhabitants of Mauritania were Amazigh (Berber) and Bafour peoples, among the first in the Sahara to practise settled agriculture. The region evolved into a cultural crossroads between Arab, Berber, and Black African populations, producing a hybrid society that blended North African and sub-Saharan traditions.
Arabisation and Islamisation intensified after the 8th century, when Arab tribes migrated southward, merging linguistically and culturally with indigenous groups. The result was the rise of Hassaniya Arabic, a dialect combining Arab and Berber elements, which remains the dominant lingua franca. Meanwhile, sub-Saharan communities along the Senegal River Valley—notably the Halpulaar, Soninke, and Wolof—preserved their languages and identities, giving Mauritania its distinctive dual character.
French colonisation began in 1904, when the territory was incorporated into French West Africa. Mauritania achieved independence on 28 November 1960, though postcolonial politics were dominated by military and single-party rule. Coups in 1978, 1984, 2005, and 2008 punctuated the nation’s modern history, reflecting instability within its military and elite classes.
General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz seized power in 2008, later legitimising his rule through elections in 2009 and 2014. His presidency focused on economic development and counterterrorism but faced criticism for corruption and restrictions on civil liberties. In 2019, Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, a former general and ally of Aziz, won the presidency—marking Mauritania’s first peaceful transfer of power. His reelection in 2024 affirmed continuity and relative stability.
Despite slavery’s abolition in 1981 and its criminalisation in 2007, remnants of hereditary servitude persist, particularly among the Haratine (Black Moor) community. Government reforms, supported by international pressure, seek to address entrenched social inequalities.
Between 2005 and 2011, Mauritania faced terrorist threats from Al-Qa‘ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), but effective military campaigns and regional cooperation have since contained extremist activity, although insecurity across the Sahel remains a concern.

Geography and Environment

Mauritania covers 1,030,700 square kilometres, making it the 30th largest country globally. The Sahara Desert dominates the landscape, interspersed with rocky plateaus, sand dunes, and semi-arid pastoral zones in the south.

• Location: Western Africa, between Senegal and Western Sahara
• Coastline: 754 km
• Highest point: Kediet Ijill (915 m)
• Lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha (-5 m)
• Climate: Hot, dry, and dusty, with minimal rainfall
• Major river: The Senegal River, vital for agriculture and irrigation

Over two-thirds of Mauritania’s territory lies within the Sahara. Desertification, overgrazing, and drought threaten both rural livelihoods and fragile ecosystems. The Senegal River Valley forms the nation’s main agricultural and population corridor.
Mauritania is rich in natural resources, including iron ore, gold, copper, fish, oil, and natural gas, which underpin the economy. However, overfishing, deforestation, and water scarcity remain persistent environmental issues. The country is a signatory to major environmental conventions, including the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

People and Society

Mauritania’s population was estimated at 4.33 million (2024), with an urbanisation rate of 57.7%. The capital, Nouakchott, houses nearly 1.5 million people and serves as the political and economic heart of the country.

• Median age: 22.1 years
• Life expectancy: 65.9 years
• Fertility rate: 3.4 children per woman

Ethnic composition:

• Black Moors (Haratines): 40% — Arabic-speaking descendants of enslaved Africans.
• White Moors (Beydane): 30% — Arab-Berber elite, historically dominant.
• Sub-Saharan groups: 30% — including Halpulaar, Soninke, Wolof, and Bambara peoples.

These divisions underpin Mauritania’s social hierarchy, which historically linked ethnicity with class and occupation. The Haratine community remains marginalised, though inclusion and representation efforts have expanded under recent governments.
Languages:

• Official: Arabic
• National languages: Pular, Soninke, Wolof
• Other: French (used administratively and in education)

Religion:

• Islam (Sunni, 100%), serving as both the state religion and a key component of identity.

Social Indicators:

• Literacy rate: 59.5% (male 70.1%, female 51.8%)
• School life expectancy: 8 years
• Maternal mortality: 381 deaths per 100,000 live births
• Infant mortality: 48.9 deaths per 1,000 live births
• Access to improved water: 78% (urban 95%, rural 56%)
• Access to improved sanitation: 65.5% (urban 90%, rural 34%)

Mauritania faces gender inequality, child marriage (37%), and limited rural healthcare access. The government has initiated reforms to expand girls’ education and improve maternal health through UN-supported programmes.

Government and Politics

• Official name: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
• System: Presidential republic
• Capital: Nouakchott
• Head of State: President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani (since 2019; reelected 2024)
• Prime Minister: Moctar Ould Diay (since August 2024)
• Legislature: National Assembly (Al Jamiya Al-Wataniya) – 176 seats
• Judicial system: Mixed Islamic law (Sharia) and French civil law traditions

The 2024 presidential election, won by Ghazouani with 56.1% of the vote, reaffirmed the country’s relative stability and democratic trajectory. The 2023 parliamentary elections further consolidated the ruling Equity Party (El Insaf), which dominates Mauritania’s political landscape.
Politics remain influenced by tribal loyalties, military elites, and Islamic movements, though civil society and opposition parties—such as TAWASSOUL (Islamist) and liberal reformists—play a growing role. Despite ongoing restrictions on press freedom and anti-slavery activism, Mauritania’s governance has become more pluralistic compared with its post-independence past.

Economy

Mauritania’s economy is lower-middle-income, heavily reliant on extractive industries, fisheries, and pastoralism. Despite steady GDP growth, income inequality and rural poverty remain widespread.

• GDP (PPP, 2024): $33.1 billion
• GDP per capita (PPP): $6,400
• Real GDP growth: 5.2% (2024)
• Inflation: 2.5%
• Unemployment: 10.4%
• Poverty rate: 31.8%

Sectoral composition:

• Agriculture: 18.6% — livestock, dates, millet, and subsistence crops.
• Industry: 30.6% — mining, oil, and light manufacturing.
• Services: 43.2% — trade, administration, and transport.

Main exports: Gold, iron ore, fish, copper, and crustaceans.Key export partners: China, Switzerland, Canada, UAE, Spain.
Main imports: Refined petroleum, sugar, wheat, and palm oil.Primary import partners: China, UAE, Morocco, Spain, France.
Economic challenges:

• High youth unemployment (23%).
• Overdependence on commodity exports.
• Limited infrastructure and electricity access (49%).
• Corruption and weak land rights.
• Environmental vulnerability to drought and desert encroachment.

Growth potential:

• Offshore natural gas reserves (≈28 billion m³) promise future revenue.
• Expanding solar and wind energy projects aim to reduce dependency on imported fuels.
• Membership in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) signals commitment to fiscal accountability.

Defence and Security

Mauritania maintains an active defence and internal security apparatus, with approximately 17,000 military personnel and 3,000 Gendarmerie members.

• Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie, National Guard.
• Defence spending: 2.4% of GDP.

The Mauritanian Armed Forces play a key role in counterterrorism and border security, particularly in the Sahel’s unstable environment. The country contributes 450 troops and 325 police to the UN Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and partners with the EU, France, and the US on security cooperation and training.

Culture and National Identity

Mauritania’s culture fuses Arab, Berber, and sub-Saharan African influences. Islam permeates all aspects of social life, shaping customs, education, and jurisprudence under the guidance of Maliki Sunni law.
Traditional music, poetry, and oral storytelling—often performed in Hassaniya Arabic—remain central to cultural identity. The country’s blue robes and veils, worn by desert nomads, symbolise resilience and dignity in the Sahara.