Identity
- Official name
- Islamic Republic of Mauritania
- Status
- Sovereign country profile
- Demonym
- Mauritanian
- Codes
- MR / MRT
Daily discoveryDid you know?
Mauritania covers 1,030,700 km².
MRIslamic Republic of MauritaniaSovereign country profile
Mauritania
Mauritania is in Western Africa. This profile brings its status, flag, geography, people, languages, and latest available indicators into one clear visual story.
FlagMRT · 115 / 207
🇲🇷 The flag shown for Mauritania. Profile code: MR / MRT.
01Population5.5M
UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
02CapitalNouakchott
Islamic Republic of Mauritania
03CurrencyMRU
Mauritanian ouguiya (MRU)
04Life expectancy69.2 years
UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
National anthemNational anthem of MauritaniaInstrumental audio · Wikidata / Wikimedia Commons · 1:27
Basic info
Expanded country facts
Core identity, people, geography, government, and practical reference data in one scan-friendly board.
People
- Population
- 5.5M · UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
- Median age
- 17.5 years · UN DESA 2026 medium projection
- Languages
- Arabic
- Largest cities
- Nouakchott
Place
- Region
- Africa
- Subregion
- Western Africa
- Area
- 1,030,700 km²
- Coordinates
- 20.0° N, 12.0° W
Practical
- Currency
- Mauritanian ouguiya (MRU)
- Calling code
- +222
- Time zones
- Profile-specific value pending
- Emergency
- Emergency numbers vary; check official guidance
Government
- Type
- Not published
- Head of state
- Mohamed Ould Ghazouani
- Head of government
- Moctar Ould Djay
- Constitution
- Comparable date pending
Geography
- Connections
- This profile has coastal access and listed land connections.
- Climate
- Tropical to subtropical zones
- Highest point
- Kediet ej Jill
- Driving side
- Right
Compare profiles
See Mauritania
in context.
Start with a neighbor or a similar regional profile, then adjust the matchup across the complete atlas.
At a glance
Meet
Mauritania.
Mauritania is a world profile in Western Africa. Its status is sovereign country profile.
RegionWestern Africa
DemonymMauritanian
Area1,030,700 km²
Calling code+222
Economy
The latest available indicators.
Economic values use the latest non-empty World Bank year from 2019–2026, shown below each figure.
GDP$11.7B2025 · current USD
GDP per person$2.2K2025 · current USD
GDP growth4.0%2025 annual growth
A deeper profile
People, systems
& everyday life.
Comparable facts are shown with clear dates and neutral framing. Gaps stay visible instead of being filled with guesses.
How people live
Urban 61.5%Rural 38.5%
World Bank · 2025- Median age
- 17.5 years
- Languages
- Arabic
- Capital / principal city
- Nouakchott
Ethnic and religious categories vary by national census and are not presented without a directly comparable, dated source.
Placed in context
Population0.1× atlas average
GDP#150 of 192
Population compares the 207 atlas profiles. GDP ranking includes profiles with a published World Bank value.
A concise timeline
Wikidata records the current state as dating from 1960. Earlier state forms, independence milestones, and later constitutional changes may use different dates, so this is a starting point rather than a complete national timeline.
- Government
- Not published
- Head of state
- Mohamed Ould Ghazouani
- Head of government
- Moctar Ould Djay
- Current constitution
- Comparable date pending
Land and climate
- Climate
- Tropical to subtropical zones
- Geography
- Mauritania is in Western Africa and has coastal access. Its listed area is 1,030,700 km².
- Highest point
- Kediet ej Jill
- Major rivers
- Profile-specific value pending
- Natural resources
- Profile-specific value pending
Practical essentials
- Driving side
- Right
- Calling code
- +222
- Time zones
- Profile-specific value pending
- Plug types
- Profile-specific value pending
- Tipping
- Local customs vary by setting
- Emergency numbers
- Emergency numbers vary; check official guidance
Remember Mauritania
- Nouakchott is the capital city.
- Mauritania covers 1,030,700 km².
- Mauritania has coastal access.
- It shares land borders with Algeria, Mali, Senegal, ESH.
- Listed official languages include Arabic.
- Its international calling code is +222.
- The latest published population in this atlas is 5.3M (2025).
- The listed currency code is MRU.
Connected places
Neighboring profiles
Continue exploring across each listed land border or connected geography.
This profile has coastal access and listed land connections.
Visual atlas
Mauritania in view
People & place
Country
essentials.
Arabic
Languages listed in the open country catalog for Mauritania.
4 listed connections
This profile has coastal access and listed land connections.
Mauritanian ouguiya (MRU)
The primary currency code and name used in the country catalog.
Identity card
Four essentials
MRTwo-letter country code
MRTThree-letter country code
NouakchottCapital city
AfricaWorld region
Sources & notes
Numbers you can trace.
Statistics show their reference year because country data changes. Unavailable values are clearly marked instead of estimated.
- UN DESA World Population Prospects — population, age, sex balance, and longevity ↗
- World Bank — latest available economic indicators ↗
- World Bank — urban population share ↗
- Wikidata — government and current officeholders ↗
- National anthem audio source — National anthem of Mauritania ↗
- Open country catalog — names, codes and geography ↗
- OpenStreetMap — map data ↗
Verified data & AI projection
Mauritania
Special Report.
Mauritania is profiled through long-run World Bank indicators covering the economy, population, health, work, technology, and environment. Western Africa context, regional connectivity, demographic direction, and long-run development indicators.
Current demographic baselineUN DESA · 2026
Medium projection from World Population Prospects, 2024 Revision
Executive read
What the numbers suggest
- Population has moved up since 2000, giving the report a clear demographic baseline.
- Life expectancy is higher than in 2000, showing the direction of health and longevity conditions.
- Recent GDP growth averages 4.9% across the latest 5 available observations.
Human development pressure
7.1MPopulation base
71.0 yrsLife expectancy
3.90Fertility rate
84.7%Internet access
2035 scenarios are simple educational trend projections from recent historical observations. They are not official forecasts.
economy · NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG
HighGDP growth
2000-3.92%
20254.03%
2035 base3.98%
Low4.00%Base3.98%High3.96%
recent average · % annual
people · SP.POP.GROW
HighPopulation growth
20002.78%
20252.78%
2035 base2.61%
Low2.67%Base2.61%High2.55%
linear trend · % annual
people · SP.POP.TOTL
HighPopulation
20002.6M
20255.3M
2035 base7.1M
Low6.4MBase7.1MHigh7.9M
compound trend · people
health · SP.DYN.LE00.IN
HighLife expectancy
200061.0 yrs
202468.7 yrs
2035 base71.0 yrs
Low70.2 yrsBase71.0 yrsHigh71.8 yrs
linear trend · years
people · SP.DYN.TFRT.IN
HighFertility rate
20005.46
20244.63
2035 base3.90
Low4.16Base3.90High3.65
linear trend · births per woman
people · SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
HighUrban population
200038.1%
202561.5%
2035 base70.8%
Low67.6%Base70.8%High74.1%
linear trend · % of total
economy · FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG
HighInflation
20003.25%
20251.55%
2035 base3.36%
Low2.72%Base3.36%High3.99%
recent average · % annual
work · SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
HighUnemployment
200010.0%
202510.3%
2035 base10.5%
Low10.4%Base10.5%High10.6%
recent average · % labor force
economy · NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
HighGDP per capita
2000$680.9
2025$2.2K
2035 base$3.1K
Low$2.8KBase$3.1KHigh$3.5K
compound trend · current US$
environment · EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
HighCO2 per person
20000.40
20240.97
2035 base1.31
Low1.19Base1.31High1.43
linear trend · t CO2e/capita
technology · IT.NET.USER.ZS
HighInternet access
20000.19%
202445.8%
2035 base84.7%
Low71.1%Base84.7%High98.3%
linear trend · % of people
economy · NY.GDP.MKTP.CD
HighGDP
2000$1.8B
2025$11.7B
2035 base$22.1B
Low$17.7BBase$22.1BHigh$27.3B
compound trend · current US$
Educational projection, not an official forecast.Historical values are World Bank observations retrieved 2026-08-13. The 2026 demographic baseline is the official UN DESA medium projection from World Population Prospects 2024. The atlas's 2035 scenarios use simple trend math.