Mauritania

Abstract

The Islamic Republic of Mauritania is found in north-west Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, a disputed region of Morocco (Western Sahara), Algeria, Senegal, and Mali. It is the eleventh largest country in Africa (1.030 million square kilometres (km)) with a population of about 4.3 million in 2016. Its population density of 3.9 inhabitants per square kilometre makes it the fourth least densely populated country in Africa. Mauritania is a desert country with as little as 0.5 per cent of its land being considered arable. Its capital city is Nouakchott which is also the biggest city in terms of inhabitants. Other main towns are Nouadhibou, Rosso, Atar, Tidjika, and Néma. The majority of the population, however, lives in rural areas.