| Population :
| 2,998,563 (July 2004 est.) .
|
| Age structure 0-14 % :
| 45,90%.
|
| Age structure 0-14.m :
| 689 371.
|
| Age structure 0-14.f :
| 686 486.
|
| Age structure 15-64 % :
| 51,90%.
|
| Age structure 15-64.m :
| 767 551.
|
| Age structure 15-64.f :
| 788 520.
|
| Age structure 65 % :
| 2,20%.
|
| Age structure 65.m :
| 27 106.
|
| Age structure 65.f :
| 39 529.
|
| Age structure est :
| 2004 est..
|
| Median age total :
| 16.9 years .
|
| Median age male :
| 16.7 years .
|
| Median age female :
| 17.2 years (2004 est.) .
|
| Population growth rate :
| 2.91% (2004 est.) .
|
| Population growth rate note :
| .
|
| Birth rate :
| 41.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) .
|
| Death rate :
| 12.74 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) .
|
| Net migration rate :
| 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) .
|
|
| Sex ratio at birth :
| 1.03 male(s)/female .
|
| Sex ratio under 15 :
| 1 male(s)/female .
|
| Sex ratio 15-64 :
| 0.97 male(s)/female .
|
| Sex ratio 65 :
| 0.69 male(s)/female .
|
| Sex ratio total :
| 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) .
|
| Infant mortality rate male :
| 75.22 deaths/1,000 live births .
|
| Infant mortality rate female :
| 69.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) .
|
| Life expectancy at birth total :
| 52.32 years .
|
| Life expectancy at birth male :
| 50.15 years .
|
| Life Expectancy at birth female :
| 54.56 years (2004 est.) .
|
| Total fertility rate :
| 6.01 children born/woman (2004 est.) .
|
| hiv aids :
| 0.6% (2003 est.) .
|
| hiv aids people :
| 9,500 (2003 est.) .
|
| hiv aids deaths :
| less than 500 (2003 est.) .
|
|
| Nationality noun :
| Mauritanian(s) .
|
| Nationality adjective :
| Mauritanian .
|
| Ethnic groups :
| mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30% .
|
| Religions :
| Muslim 100% .
|
| Languages :
| Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (official), French .
|
|
| Literacy definition :
| age 15 and over can read and write .
|
| Literacy total :
| 41,70%.
|
| Literacy male :
| 51,80%.
|
| Literacy female :
| 31.9% (2003 est.) .
|
| Government type :
| republic .
|
| Independence :
| 28 November 1960 (from France) .
|
| National holiday :
| Independence Day, 28 November (1960) .
|
| Suffrage :
| 18 years of age; universal .
|
| 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.
|
|
| Population below poverty line :
| 50% (2001 est.) .
|
| Labor force by occupation :
| agriculture 50%, industry 10%, services 40% (2001 est.) .
|
| Agriculture products :
| dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep .
|
| Industries :
| fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum .
|
| Exports commodities :
| iron ore, fish and fish products, gold .
|
| Exports partners :
| Japan 12.5%, France 12.2%, Spain 11.5%, Italy 10.5%, Belgium 7.8%, Germany 7.5%, Russia 4.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.2%, Netherlands 4% (2003 est.) .
|
| Imports commodities :
| Independence Day, 28 November (1960) .
|
| Imports partners :
| Independence Day, 28 November (1960) .
|
|
| Internet users :
| 10,000 (2002) .
|
| Hymne :
| .
|
