which is the only perennial river
Environment--international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Wetlands
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
People
Population: 2,581,738 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 47% (male 600,901; female 600,225)
15-64 years: 51% (male 641,481; female 678,951)
65 years and over: 2% (male 25,156; female 35,024) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.99% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 44.1 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 14.2 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 76.46 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 50.48 years
male: 47.39 years
female: 53.65 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.35 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian
Ethnic groups: mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%
Religions: Muslim 100%
Languages: Hasaniya Arabic (official), Pular, Soninke, Wolof
(official), French
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 37.7%
male: 49.6%
female: 26.3% (1995 est.)
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional short form: Mauritania
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
local short form: Muritaniyah
Data code: MR
Government type: republic
Capital: Nouakchott
Administrative divisions: 12 regions (regions, singular--region)
and 1 capital district*; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou,
Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri,
Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza
Independence: 28 November 1960 (from France)
National holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
Constitution: 12 July 1991
Legal system: a combination of Shar
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