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| Mauritania Practical Info |
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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
Independence: 28 November 1960 (from France)
Legal system: a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ahmed Ben Khalifa BEN JIDDOU
chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700
FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Timberlake FOSTER
embassy: Rue Abdallahi Ould Oubeid, Nouakchott
mailing address: B. P. 222, Nouakchott
telephone: [222] (2) 526-60, 526-63
FAX: [222] (2) 515-92
Economy
Economy - overview: A majority of the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though most of the nomads and many subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for almost 50% of total exports. The decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In recent years, drought and economic mismanagement have resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. In March 1999, the government signed an agreement with a joint World Bank-IMF mission on a $54 million enhanced structural adjustment facility (ESAF). The economic objectives have been set for 1999-2002. Privatization remains one of the key issues. Mauritania is unlikely to meet ESAF's annual GDP growth objectives of 4%-5%.
Population below poverty line: 57% (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.8% (1998)
Industries: fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
Agriculture - products: dates, millet, sorghum, root crops; cattle, sheep; fish products
Currency: 1 ouguiya (UM) = 5 khoums
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 9,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1995)
Telephone system: poor system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations (improvements being made)
domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals
international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat
Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)
Radios: 360,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Televisions: 62,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): NA
Transportation
Railways:
total: 704 km (single track); note - owned and operated by government mining company
standard gauge: 704 km 1.435-m gauge (1995)
Highways:
total: 7,660 km
paved: 866 km
unpaved: 6,794 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: mostly ferry traffic on the Senegal River
Ports and harbors: Bogue, Kaedi, Nouadhibou, Nouakchott, Rosso
Merchant marine: none (1999 est.)
Airports: 26 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.) |
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