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Mauritania
Area: Mauritania has a 700 km (435 ml) Atlantic coastline and is approximately twice the size of France.
Population: 3.1m (2005 est.)
Capital City: Nouakchott
Language(s): Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof, French. French is widely used in business.
Religion(s): Muslim
Life expectancy: 51 years (men), 54 years (women)
Currency: Ouguiya
Government: Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi was elected President of Mauritania on 25 March. The EU described the elections as calm, transparent and properly conducted, and concluded that the Mauritanian people had the opportunity to express their political will through free and pluralist elections. The elections marked a return to democracy in Mauritania, nineteen months after a coup d’etat in August 2005. Legislative elections took place in November and December 2006. In June 2006 the Mauritanian people voted strongly in favour of adopting a new constitution, which provides for a civilian government composed of a dominant executive branch, a senate, and a national assembly.
Head of State: M. Ould Cheikh Abdallahi.
Prime Minister: M. Zeine Ould Zeidane
Foreign Minister: M. Mohamed Saleck Ould Mohamed Lemine
Membership of international groupings/organisations: Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA), Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation (ACCT - associate), African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), African Development Bank (AfDB), Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), Arab League (AL), Arab Monetary Fund (AMF), Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), Agency for Air Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA), African Union (AU) (currently suspended), Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU), Customs Cooperation Council (CCC), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Group of 77 at the United Nations (G-77), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM), International Development Association (IDA), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO - pending member), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Maritime Organisation (IMO), International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (Intelsat), International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol), Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Non Aligned Movement (NAM), Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Organisation pour la Mise en Valeur du fleuve Sénégal (OMVS), Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), United Nations (UN), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Confederation on Labour (WCL), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), World Tourism Organisation (WtoO), World Trade Organisation (WtrO)
GEOGRAPHYThe Islamic Republic of Mauritania lies mainly in the Sahara Desert belt of West Africa. Mauritania is a poor country with few sources of income and great vulnerability to climatic and environmental factors. Sharing borders with Morocco, Algeria, Mali and Senegal, Mauritania is about 60% desert. The capital city and major port is Nouakchott. Other major towns are Kiffa, Rosso, Atar, Kaedi, Zouerate and the port of Nouadhibou.
HISTORYIn the 11th century Mauritania formed part of the Islamic religious Almoravid state, which subjugated Ghana, Morocco and western Algeria and dominated Muslim Spain until the mid 12th century. The strength of Islam in Mauritania dates from those times. Between the 13th -15th centuries Mauritania was invaded by Maqil Bedouin tribes. From the 15th century the Portuguese and Spanish established trading settlements on the coast. They were followed by the French who first set up posts along the Senegal river but later gained control of the coastal region, and in 1903 incorporated Mauritania into the French West Africa protectorate. In 1920 Mauritania became a French colony and in 1958 an autonomous state, remaining within the French Community. It gained full independence as the Islamic Republic of Mauritania on 28 November 1960. In 1973 Mauritania joined the Arab League.
POLITICSOn 3 August 2005 the 'Military Council for Justice and Democracy' seized power in a largely bloodless coup d’etat. The Military Council appointed a transitional government and undertook to return the country to democracy by March 2007. Prior to the coup, President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed TAYA governed from 1984, first as head of a military junta, and from 1992-2005 as head of an elected civilian government.
A new constitution was approved by 97% of voters in a referendum in June 2006. Legislative elections were held in November and December 2006. Turnout was around 70%. Results published on 5 December show that over both rounds no party won outright. Independents did well, winning 39 of the 95 seats contested. The 11-member ‘Coalition of Forces for Democratic Change’, made up of parties which opposed former President Taya, took 41 seats. Women won 17 seats and will make up 18% of the National Assembly. International observers considered the legislative elections free and transparent. Presidential elections took place in March 2007 The first round of Presidential elections on 11 March 2007 did not produce a decisive winner. A second round run-off between the first round’s two leading candidates was held on 25 March 2007. Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheik Abdellahi narrowly defeated his veteran opposition rival, Ahmed Ould Daddah, 52% to 48%. Turnout was 67.5%. The EU Presidency, US and AU issued statements commending the conduct of the elections.
ECONOMY Basic Economic FactsGDP: US\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\$1.9 billion (2005)
GDP (PPP) per capita: US\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\$ 2600 (2006 est)
Annual Growth: 11.2% (2006 est)
Inflation: 8.9% (2006 est)
Major Industries: Exports: iron ore, fish and fish products. Imports: machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods
Major trading partners: France, UK, US, China (2005). Export partners: Italy, France, Germany, Japan
Exchange rate: US\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\$1 = 266 Mauritanian Ouguiya (May 2007); £1 = 528 Ouguiya)
A majority of 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 a diverse range of mineral resources, including gold and diamonds. However, exploitation of these resources has been limited by the country’s poor infrastructure. A significant iron ore mining industry contributes up to 11% of the country’s GNP, as well as 40% of export earnings.. A significant expansion in the mining sector should help to raise real growth in non-oil GDP to 5.6% in 2007.
Mauritania has offshore oil and gas deposits and a growing upstream oil industry. Offshore oil extraction began in February 2006. GDP surged 11.2% in 2006, one of the highest growth rates in the world. However, technical difficulties affected oil production in the second half of 2006 causing a sharp fall in output from 75,000 barrels per day in February to around 22,000 barrels p/d in December. Production is expected to stabilise at around 30,000 barrels p/d in 2007 thereby moderating recent GDP growth.It is one of the four oil refining countries in West Africa. Its downstream oil industry is a significant element in the country’s economy. Oil derived products supply 95% of the country’s commercial energy needs.
In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a build-up 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 June 2006 Mauritania had its Multilateral debt cancelled under the G8 Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI). Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. The government’s main objectives remain the reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and promoting privatisation of the economy.
If the promising oil and gas prospects now being explored offshore are brought to fruition, Mauritania will have the chance to diversify its currently narrow export base. In addition, Mauritania has Least Developed Country status. This means it can export to the EU most goods (provided that they meet EU standards) on a tariff-free basis.
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