from the Senegal which is
the only perennial river
natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows
primarily in March and April; periodic droughts
international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified -
Biodiversity, Desertification, Law of the Sea

Note: most of the population concentrated along the Senegal River in
the southern part of the country

@Mauritania:People

Population: 2,263,202 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 48% (female 544,674; male 551,099)
15-64 years: 49% (female 574,282; male 542,762)
65 years and over: 3% (female 28,955; male 21,430) (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.17% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 47.32 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 15.66 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 83.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 48.54 years
male: 45.66 years
female: 51.54 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.92 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic divisions: mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%

Religions: Muslim 100%

Languages: Hasaniya Arabic (official), Pular, Soninke, Wolof
(official)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1988)
total population: 35%
male: 46%
female: 25%

Labor force: 465,000 (1981 est.); 45,000 wage earners (1980)
by occupation: agriculture 47%, services 29%, industry and commerce
14%, government 10%

@Mauritania:Government

Names:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional short form: Mauritania
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
local short form: Muritaniyah

Digraph: MR

Type: republic

Capital: Nouakchott

Administrative divisions: 12 regions (regions, singular - region);
Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh ech
Chargui, Hodh el Gharbi, Inchiri, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza
note: there may be a new capital district of Nouakchott

Independence: 28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Constitution: 12 July 1991

Legal system: three-tier system: Islamic (Shari'a) courts, special
courts, state security courts (in the process of b