Mauritania

Facts

Population:  2,747,312 (July 2001 est.)
Age structure:  0-14 years:  46.14% (male 634,940; female 632,654) 15-64 years:  51.59% (male 698,433; female 718,883) 65 years and over:  2.27% (male 25,840; female 36,562) (2001 est.)
Population growth rate:  2.93% (2001 est.)
Birth rate:  42.95 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Death rate:  13.65 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Net migration rate:  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Sex ratio:  at birth:  1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years:  1 male(s)/female 15-64 years:  0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over:  0.71 male(s)/female total population:  0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Infant mortality rate:  76.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:  total population:  51.14 years male:  49.06 years female:  53.29 years (2001 est.)
Total fertility rate:  6.22 children born/woman (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:  1.8% (2000 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:  6,600 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:  610 (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:  46.7% male:  53.4% female:  40% (1998 est.)
GDP:  purchasing power parity - $5.4 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:  5% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita:  purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:  agriculture:  25% industry:  31% services:  44% (1997)
Population below poverty line:  50% (1996 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:  lowest 10%:  2.3% highest 10%:  29.9% (1995)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):  4.5% (2000 est.)
Labor force:  750,000 (1999)
Labor force - by occupation:  agriculture 47%, services 39%, industry 14%
Unemployment rate:  23% (1995 est.)
Budget:  revenues:  $329 million expenditures:  $265 million, including capital expenditures of $75 million (1996 est.)
Industries:  fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum
Industrial production growth rate:  2.2% (1999)
Electricity - production:  151 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source:  fossil fuel:  82.78% hydro:  17.22% nuclear:  0% other:  0% (1999)
Electricity - consumption:  140.4 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports:  0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports:  0 kWh (1999)
Agriculture - products:  dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep
Exports:  $333 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities:  iron ore, fish and fish products, gold
Exports - partners:  Japan 18%, France 17%, Italy 16%, Spain 11% (1998)
Imports:  $305 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities:  machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners:  France 27%, Benelux 9%, Germany 7%, Spain 7% (1998)
Debt - external:  $2.1 billion (1999)
Economic aid - recipient:  $300 million (1998)
Currency:  ouguiya (MRO)
Currency code:  MRO
Exchange rates:  ouguiyas per US dollar - 250.870 (December 2000), 238.923 (2000), 209.514 (1999), 188.476 (1998), 151.853 (1997), 137.222 (1996)
Fiscal year:  calendar year

Statistics: CIA World Factbook.

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