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Geography of Mauritania

Location:Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara
Geographic coordinates:20 00 N, 12 00 W
Map references:Africa
Area:total: 1,030,700 sq km
land: 1,030,400 sq km
water: 300 sq km
Area - comparative:slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico
Land boundaries:total: 5,074 km
border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km
Coastline:754 km
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
Climate:desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Terrain:mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Elevation extremes:lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m
Natural resources:iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish
Land use:arable land: 0.2%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.79% (2005)
Irrigated land:490 sq km (2002)
Natural hazards:hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts
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
Environment - international agreements:party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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

Mauritania Quickstats

  • Population: 3,270,065 (July 2007 est.)
  • Area: 1,030,700 sq km
  • Density: 3.0 /km² (221st)
  • GDP (total): $7.159 billion (144th)
  • GDP (per capita): $2,402 (132nd)
  • Literacy: 51.2%

Languages of Mauritania

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  • Currency: Ouguiya (MRO)
  • Dial code: +222

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