Mauritania vs. Senegal
Introduction
| Mauritania | Senegal | |
|---|---|---|
| Background | The Berber and Bafour people were among the first to settle in what is now Mauritania. Originally a nomadic people, they were among the first in recorded history to convert from a nomadic to agricultural lifestyle. These groups account for roughly one third of Mauritania's ethnic makeup. The remainder of Mauritania's ethnic groups derive from former enslaved peoples and sub-Saharan ethnic groups originating mainly from the Senegal River Valley. These three groups constitute a strict caste system with deep ethnic divides that still exists today. The country faces a number of issues, including ethnic tensions and a terrorist threat. Between 2005 and 2011, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) launched a series of attacks killing American and foreign tourists and aid workers, attacking diplomatic and government facilities, and ambushing Mauritanian soldiers and gendarmes. Although Mauritania has not seen an attack since 2011, AQIM and similar groups remain active in the Sahel region and continue to pose a threat to Mauritanians and foreign visitors. | Senegal is one of the few countries in the world with evidence of continuous human life from the Paleolithic era to present. Between the 14th and 16th centuries, the Jolof Empire ruled most of Senegal. Starting in the 15th century, Portugal, the Netherlands, France, and Great Britain traded along the Senegalese coast. Senegal's location on the western tip of Africa made it a favorable base for the European slave trade. European powers used the Senegalese island of Goree as a base to purchase slaves from the warring chiefdoms on the mainland, and at the height of the slave trade in Senegal, over one-third of the Senegalese population was enslaved. In 1815, France abolished slavery and began expanding inland. During the second half of the 19th century, France took possession of Senegal as a French colony. In 1959, the French colonies of Senegal and French Sudan were merged and granted independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation. The union broke up after only a few months. In 1982, Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia. The envisaged integration of the two countries was never implemented, and the union dissolved in 1989. Since the 1980s, the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance - a separatist movement based in southern Senegal - has led a low-level insurgency. Several attempts at reaching a comprehensive peace agreement have failed. Since 2012, despite sporadic incidents of violence, an unofficial cease-fire has remained largely in effect. Senegal is one of the most stable democracies in Africa and has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping and regional mediation. The Socialist Party of Senegal ruled for 40 years until Abdoulaye WADE was elected president in 2000 and re-elected in 2007. WADE amended Senegal's constitution over a dozen times to increase executive power and weaken the opposition. In 2012, WADE's decision to run for a third presidential term sparked public backlash that led to his defeat to current President Macky SALL. A 2016 constitutional referendum limited future presidents to two consecutive five-year terms. The change, however, does not apply to SALL's first term. In February 2019, SALL won his bid for re-election; his second term will end in 2024. One month after the 2019 election, the National Assembly voted to abolish the office of the prime minister. Opposition and civil society organizations criticized the decision as a further concentration of power in the executive branch at the expense of the legislative and judicial branches. |
Geography
| Mauritania | Senegal | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania |
| Geographic coordinates | 20 00 N, 12 00 W | 14 00 N, 14 00 W |
| Map references | Africa | Africa |
| Area | total: 1,030,700 sq km land: 1,030,700 sq km water: 0 sq km | total: 196,722 sq km land: 192,530 sq km water: 4,192 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico; about six times the size of Florida | slightly smaller than South Dakota; slightly larger than twice the size of Indiana |
| Land boundaries | total: 5,002 km border countries (4): Algeria 460 km, Mali 2236 km, Morocco 1564 km, Senegal 742 km | total: 2,684 km border countries (5): The Gambia 749 km, Guinea 363 km, Guinea-Bissau 341 km, Mali 489 km, Mauritania 742 km |
| Coastline | 754 km | 531 km |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
| Climate | desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty | tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind |
| Terrain | mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills | generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast |
| Elevation extremes | highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m mean elevation: 276 m | highest point: unnamed elevation 2.8 km southeast of Nepen Diaka 648 m lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m mean elevation: 69 m |
| Natural resources | iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish | fish, phosphates, iron ore |
| Land use | agricultural land: 38.5% (2018 est.) arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 38.1% (2018 est.) forest: 0.2% (2018 est.) other: 61.3% (2018 est.) | agricultural land: 46.8% (2018 est.) arable land: 17.4% (2018 est.) permanent crops: 0.3% (2018 est.) permanent pasture: 29.1% (2018 est.) forest: 43.8% (2018 est.) other: 9.4% (2018 est.) |
| Irrigated land | 450 sq km (2012) | 1,200 sq km (2012) |
| Natural hazards | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind primarily in March and April; periodic droughts | lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts |
| Environment - current issues | overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; limited natural freshwater resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial river; locust infestation | deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; periodic droughts; seasonal flooding; overfishing; weak environmental protective laws; wildlife populations threatened by poaching |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Geography - note | Mauritania is considered both a part of North Africa's Maghreb region and West Africa's Sahel region; most of the population is concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country | westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost an enclave within Senegal |
| Total renewable water resources | 11.4 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | 38.97 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Population distribution | with most of the country being a desert, vast areas of the country, particularly in the central, northern, and eastern areas, are without sizeable population clusters; half the population lives in or around the coastal capital of Nouakchott; smaller clusters are found near the southern border with Mali and Senegal as shown in this population distribution map | the population is concentrated in the west, with Dakar anchoring a well-defined core area; approximately 70% of the population is rural as shown in this population distribution map |
Demographics
| Mauritania | Senegal | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,079,284 (July 2021 est.) | 16,082,442 (July 2021 est.) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 37.56% (male 755,788/female 748,671) 15-24 years: 19.71% (male 387,140/female 402,462) 25-54 years: 33.91% (male 630,693/female 727,518) 55-64 years: 4.9% (male 88,888/female 107,201) 65 years and over: 3.92% (male 66,407/female 90,707) (2020 est.) | 0-14 years: 40.38% (male 3,194,454/female 3,160,111) 15-24 years: 20.35% (male 1,596,896/female 1,606,084) 25-54 years: 31.95% (male 2,327,424/female 2,700,698) 55-64 years: 4.21% (male 283,480/female 378,932) 65 years and over: 3.1% (male 212,332/female 275,957) (2020 est.) |
| Median age | total: 21 years male: 20.1 years female: 22 years (2020 est.) | total: 19.4 years male: 18.5 years female: 20.3 years (2020 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 2.02% (2021 est.) | 2.25% (2021 est.) |
| Birth rate | 28.49 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 31.31 births/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Death rate | 7.54 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) | 7.55 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Net migration rate | -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) | -1.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.87 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.83 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2020 est.) | at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.86 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.75 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2020 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 52.05 deaths/1,000 live births male: 57.96 deaths/1,000 live births female: 45.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) | total: 47.72 deaths/1,000 live births male: 54.66 deaths/1,000 live births female: 40.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 64.86 years male: 62.43 years female: 67.37 years (2021 est.) | total population: 63.83 years male: 61.59 years female: 66.14 years (2021 est.) |
| Total fertility rate | 3.59 children born/woman (2021 est.) | 3.97 children born/woman (2021 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 0.3% (2020 est.) | 0.3% (2020 est.) |
| Nationality | noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian | noun: Senegalese (singular and plural) adjective: Senegalese |
| Ethnic groups | Black Moors (Haratines - Arab-speaking slaves, former slaves, and their descendants of African origin, enslaved by white Moors) 40%, White Moors (of Arab-Berber descent, known as Beydane) 30%, Sub-Saharan Mauritanians (non-Arabic speaking, largely resident in or originating from the Senegal River Valley, including Halpulaar, Fulani, Soninke, Wolof, and Bambara ethnic groups) 30% | Wolof 37.1%, Pular 26.2%, Serer 17%, Mandinka 5.6%, Jola 4.5%, Soninke 1.4%, other 8.3% (includes Europeans and persons of Lebanese descent) (2017 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 8,500 (2020 est.) | 39,000 (2020 est.) |
| Religions | Muslim (official) 100% | Muslim 95.9% (most adhere to one of the four main Sufi brotherhoods), Christian 4.1% (mostly Roman Catholic) (2017 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | <500 (2020 est.) | 1,100 (2020 est.) |
| Languages | Arabic (official and national), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French; note - the spoken Arabic in Mauritania differs considerably from the modern standard Arabic used for official written purposes or in the media; the Mauritanian dialect, which incorporates many Berber words, is referred to as Hassaniya major-language sample(s): ???? ????? ??????? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ????????? ??? ????????? ???????? (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. | French (official), Wolof, Pular, Jola, Mandinka, Serer, Soninke |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 53.5% male: 63.7% female: 43.4% (2017) | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51.9% male: 64.8% female: 39.8% (2017) |
| Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever animal contact diseases: rabies respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis | degree of risk: very high (2020) food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever water contact diseases: schistosomiasis animal contact diseases: rabies respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis |
| Food insecurity | severe localized food insecurity: due to poor performance of pastoral cropping season - according to the latest analysis, about 484,000 people are assessed to need humanitarian assistance in the June-August 2021 period as a result of fodder production deficits in Trarza, Brakna, Gorgol, Guidimaka and Assaba districts (2021) | severe localized food insecurity: due to localized shortfalls in cereal production - according to the latest analysis, about 490,000 people are estimated to need humanitarian assistance in the June-August 2021 period due to the effects of adverse weather events (droughts and floods) on cereal and fodder production (2021) |
| School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) | total: 9 years male: 9 years female: 10 years (2019) | total: 9 years male: 8 years female: 9 years (2019) |
| Education expenditures | 1.9% of GDP (2019) | 4.8% of GDP (2018) |
| Urbanization | urban population: 56.1% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 3.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) | urban population: 48.6% of total population (2021) rate of urbanization: 3.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) |
| Drinking water source | improved: urban: 98.7% of population rural: 68.4% of population total: 84.4% of population unimproved: urban: 1.3% of population rural: 31.6% of population total: 15.6% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 92.3% of population rural: 74.5% of population total: 83.3% of population unimproved: urban: 6.7% of population rural: 25.5% of population total: 16.7% of population (2017 est.) |
| Sanitation facility access | improved: urban: 83.5% of population rural: 25.2% of population total: 56% of population unimproved: urban: 16.5% of population rural: 74.8% of population total: 44% of population (2017 est.) | improved: urban: 91.2% of population rural: 48.5% of population total: 68.4% of population unimproved: urban: 8.8% of population rural: 51.5% of population total: 31.6% of population (2017 est.) |
| Major cities - population | 1.372 million NOUAKCHOTT (capital) (2021) | 3.230 million DAKAR (capital) (2021) |
| Maternal mortality rate | 766 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) | 315 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.) |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 19.2% (2018) | 14.4% (2019) |
| Health expenditures | 4.6% (2018) | 4% (2018) |
| Physicians density | 0.19 physicians/1,000 population (2018) | 0.07 physicians/1,000 population (2017) |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 12.7% (2016) | 8.8% (2016) |
| Demographic profile | With a sustained total fertility rate of about 4 children per woman and almost 60% of the population under the age of 25, Mauritania's population is likely to continue growing for the foreseeable future. Mauritania's large youth cohort is vital to its development prospects, but available schooling does not adequately prepare students for the workplace. Girls continue to be underrepresented in the classroom, educational quality remains poor, and the dropout rate is high. The literacy rate is only about 50%, even though access to primary education has improved since the mid-2000s. Women's restricted access to education and discriminatory laws maintain gender inequality - worsened by early and forced marriages and female genital cutting. The denial of education to black Moors also helps to perpetuate slavery. Although Mauritania abolished slavery in 1981 (the last country in the world to do so) and made it a criminal offense in 2007, the millenniums-old practice persists largely because anti-slavery laws are rarely enforced and the custom is so ingrained. According to a 2018 nongovernmental organization's report, a little more than 2% of Mauritania's population is enslaved, which includes individuals sujbected to forced labor and forced marriage, although many thousands of individuals who are legally free contend with discrimination, poor education, and a lack of identity papers and, therefore, live in de facto slavery. The UN and international press outlets have claimed that up to 20% of Mauritania's population is enslaved, which would be the highest rate worldwide. Drought, poverty, and unemployment have driven outmigration from Mauritania since the 1970s. Early flows were directed toward other West African countries, including Senegal, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, and Gambia. The 1989 Mauritania-Senegal conflict forced thousands of black Mauritanians to take refuge in Senegal and pushed labor migrants toward the Gulf, Libya, and Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Mauritania has accepted migrants from neighboring countries to fill labor shortages since its independence in 1960 and more recently has received refugees escaping civil wars, including tens of thousands of Tuaregs who fled Mali in 2012. Mauritania was an important transit point for Sub-Saharan migrants moving illegally to North Africa and Europe. In the mid-2000s, as border patrols increased in the Strait of Gibraltar, security increased around Spain's North African enclaves (Ceuta and Melilla), and Moroccan border controls intensified, illegal migration flows shifted from the Western Mediterranean to Spain's Canary Islands. In 2006, departure points moved southward along the West African coast from Morocco and then Western Sahara to Mauritania's two key ports (Nouadhibou and the capital Nouakchott), and illegal migration to the Canaries peaked at almost 32,000. The numbers fell dramatically in the following years because of joint patrolling off the West African coast by Frontex (the EU's border protection agency), Spain, Mauritania, and Senegal; the expansion of Spain's border surveillance system; and the 2008 European economic downturn. | Senegal has a large and growing youth population but has not been successful in developing its potential human capital. Senegal's high total fertility rate of almost 4.5 children per woman continues to bolster the country's large youth cohort - more than 60% of the population is under the age of 25. Fertility remains high because of the continued desire for large families, the low use of family planning, and early childbearing. Because of the country's high illiteracy rate (more than 40%), high unemployment (even among university graduates), and widespread poverty, Senegalese youths face dim prospects; women are especially disadvantaged. Senegal historically was a destination country for economic migrants, but in recent years West African migrants more often use Senegal as a transit point to North Africa - and sometimes illegally onward to Europe. The country also has been host to several thousand black Mauritanian refugees since they were expelled from their homeland during its 1989 border conflict with Senegal. The country's economic crisis in the 1970s stimulated emigration; departures accelerated in the 1990s. Destinations shifted from neighboring countries, which were experiencing economic decline, civil wars, and increasing xenophobia, to Libya and Mauritania because of their booming oil industries and to developed countries (most notably former colonial ruler France, as well as Italy and Spain). The latter became attractive in the 1990s because of job opportunities and their periodic regularization programs (legalizing the status of illegal migrants). Additionally, about 16,000 Senegalese refugees still remain in The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau as a result of more than 30 years of fighting between government forces and rebel separatists in southern Senegal's Casamance region. |
| Contraceptive prevalence rate | 17.8% (2015) | 26.9% (2019) |
| Dependency ratios | total dependency ratio: 75 youth dependency ratio: 69.5 elderly dependency ratio: 5.6 potential support ratio: 18 (2020 est.) | total dependency ratio: 84.2 youth dependency ratio: 78.4 elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 potential support ratio: 17.5 (2020 est.) |
Government
| Mauritania | Senegal | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 etymology: named for the ancient kingdom of Mauretania (3rd century B.C. to 1st century A.D.) and the subsequent Roman province (1st-7th centuries A.D.), which existed further north in present-day Morocco; the name derives from the Mauri (Moors), the Berber-speaking peoples of northwest Africa | conventional long form: Republic of Senegal conventional short form: Senegal local long form: Republique du Senegal local short form: Senegal former: Senegambia (along with The Gambia), Mali Federation etymology: named for the Senegal River that forms the northern border of the country; many theories exist for the origin of the river name; perhaps the most widely cited derives the name from "Azenegue," the Portuguese appellation for the Berber Zenaga people who lived north of the river |
| Government type | presidential republic | presidential republic |
| Capital | name: Nouakchott geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 15 58 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: may derive from the Berber "nawakshut" meaning "place of the winds" | name: Dakar geographic coordinates: 14 44 N, 17 38 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the Atlantic coast trading settlement of Ndakaaru came to be called "Dakar" by French colonialists |
| Administrative divisions | 15 regions (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott Nord, Nouakchott Ouest, Nouakchott Sud, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza | 14 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaffrine, Kaolack, Kedougou, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Sedhiou, Tambacounda, Thies, Ziguinchor |
| Independence | 28 November 1960 (from France) | 4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960 |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 28 November (1960) | Independence Day, 4 April (1960) |
| Constitution | history: previous 1964; latest adopted 12 July 1991 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; consideration of amendments by Parliament requires approval of at least one third of the membership; a referendum is held only if the amendment is approved by two-thirds majority vote; passage by referendum requires simple majority vote by eligible voters; passage of amendments proposed by the president can bypass a referendum if approved by at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament; amended 2006, 2012, 2017 | history: previous 1959 (preindependence), 1963; latest adopted by referendum 7 January 2001, promulgated 22 January 2001 amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by the National Assembly; passage requires Assembly approval and approval in a referendum; the president can bypass a referendum and submit an amendment directly to the Assembly, which requires at least three-fifths majority vote; the republican form of government is not amendable; amended several times, last in 2019 |
| Legal system | mixed legal system of Islamic and French civil law | civil law system based on French law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Mohamed Cheikh El GHAZOUANI (since 1 August 2019) head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Ould BILAL (since 6 August 2020) cabinet: Council of Ministers - nominees suggested by the prime minister, appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 22 June 2019 (next scheduled for 22 June 2024); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Mohamed Cheikh El GHAZOUANI elected president in first round; percent of vote - Mahamed Cheikh El GHAZOUANI (UPR) 52%, Biram Dah Ould ABEID (independent) 18.6%, Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBACAR (independent) 17.9%, other 11.55% | chief of state: President Macky SALL (since 2 April 2012) head of government: President Macky SALL (since 2 April 2012) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a single renewable 5-year term; election last held on 24 February 2019 (next to be held in February 2024) election results: Macky SALL elected president in first round; percent of vote - Macky SALL (APR) 58.3%, Idrissa SECK (Rewmi) 20.5%, Ousmane SONKO (PASTEF) 15.7% |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Parliament or Barlamane consists of the National Assembly or Al Jamiya Al Wataniya (157 seats; 113 members in single- and multi-seat constituencies directly elected by a combination of plurality and proportional representation voting systems, 40 members in a single, nationwide constituency directly elected by proportional representation vote, and 4 members directly elected by the diaspora; all members serve 5-year terms) elections: first held as the unicameral National Assembly in 2 rounds on 1 and 15 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023) election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA note: a referendum held in August 2017 approved a constitutional amendment to change the Parliament structure from bicameral to unicameral by abolishing the Senate and creating Regional Councils for local development | description: unicameral National Assembly or Assemblée Nationale (165 seats; 105 members including 15 representing Senegalese diaspora directly elected by plurality vote in single- and multi-seat constituencies and 60 members directly elected by proportional representation vote in single- and multi-seat constituencies) elections: National Assembly - last held on 2 July 2017 (next to be held in July 2022) election results: National Assembly results - percent of vote by party/coalition - BBK 49.5%, CGWS 16.7%, MTS 11.7%, PUR 4.7%, CP-Kaddu Askan Wi 2%, other 15.4%; seats by party/coalition - BBY 125, CGWS 19, MTS 7, PUR 3, CP-Kaddu Askan Wi 2, other 9; composition - men 96, women 69, percent of women 41.8% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (subdivided into 7 chambers: 2 civil, 2 labor, 1 commercial, 1 administrative, and 1 criminal, each with a chamber president and 2 councilors ); Constitutional Council (consists of 6 members) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by the president of the republic to serve a 5-year renewable term; Constitutional Council members appointed - 3 by the president of the republic, 2 by the president of the National Assembly, and 1 by the president of the Senate; members serve single, 9-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 3 years subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; courts of first instance or wilya courts are established in the regions' headquarters and include commercial and labor courts, criminal courts, Moughataa (district) Courts, and informal/customary courts | highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of the court president and 12 judges and organized into civil and commercial, criminal, administrative, and social chambers); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionel (consists of 7 members, including the court president, vice president, and 5 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon recommendation of the Superior Council of the Magistrates, a body chaired by the president and minister of justice; judge tenure varies, with mandatory retirement either at 65 or 68 years; Constitutional Council members appointed - 5 by the president and 2 by the National Assembly speaker; judges serve 6-year terms, with renewal of 2 members every 2 years subordinate courts: High Court of Justice (for crimes of high treason by the president); Courts of Appeal; Court of Auditors; assize courts; regional and district courts; Labor Court |
| Political parties and leaders | Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal or AJD/MR [Ibrahima Moctar SARR] Burst of Youth for the Nation [Lalla Mint CHERIF] Coalition of Majority Parties or CPM (includes UPR, UDP) El Karama Party [Cheikhna Ould Mohamed Ould HAJBOU] El Vadila Party [Ethmane Ould Ahmed ABOULMAALY] National Forum for Democracy and Unity or FNDU [Mohamed Ould MAOLOUD] (coalition of hard-line opposition parties, includes RNRD-TAWASSOUL) National Rally for Reform and Development or RNRD-TAWASSOUL [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould SEYIDI] Party of Unity and Development or PUD [Mohamed BARO] Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messaoud Ould BOULKHEIR] Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH] Ravah Party [ Mohamed Ould VALL] Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR [Mintata Mint HEDEID] Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS] Union of Progress Forces [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD] Union for the Republic or UPR [Seyidna Ali Ould MOHAMED KHOUNA] | Alliance for the Republic-Yakaar or APR-Yakaar [Macky SALL] Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP [Moustapha NIASSE] Alliance for Citizenship and Labor or ACT [Abdoul MBAYE] And-Jef/African Party for Democracy and Socialism or AJ/PADS [Mamadou DIOP Decriox] Benno Bokk Yakaar or BBY (United in Hope) [Macky SALL] (coalition includes AFP, APR, BGC, LD-MPT, PIT, PS, and UNP) Bokk Gis Gis coalition [Pape DIOP] Citizen Movement for National Reform or MCRN-Bes Du Nakk [Mansour Sy DJAMIL] Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Abdoulaye BATHILY] Dare the Future movement [Aissata Tall SALL] Front for Socialism and Democracy/Benno Jubel or FSD/BJ [Cheikh Abdoulaye Bamba DIEYE] Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS] General Alliance for the Interests of the Republic or AGIR [Thierno BOCOUM] Grand Party or GP [Malick GAKOU] Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Magatte THIAM] Madicke 2019 coalition [Madicke NIANG] National Union for the People or UNP [Souleymane Ndene NDIAYE] Only Senegal movement [Pierre Goudiaby ATEPA] Party for Truth and Development or PVD [Cheikh Ahmadou Kara MBAKE] Party of Unity and Rally or PUR [El Hadji SALL] Patriotic Convergence Kaddu Askan Wi or CP-Kaddu Askan Wi [Abdoulaye BALDE] Patriots of Senegal for Ethics, Work and Fraternity or (PASTEF) [Ousmane SONKO] Rewmi Party [Idrissa SECK] Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE] Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG] Tekki Movement [Mamadou Lamine DIALLO] |
| International organization participation | ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU (candidate), EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MIUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ACP, AfDB, AU, CD, CPLP (associate), ECOWAS, EITI (candidate country), FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jiddou JIDDOU, First Secretary (since 24 June 2021) chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623 email address and website: office@mauritaniaembassyus.com http://mauritaniaembassyus.com/ | chief of mission: Ambassador Mansour Elimane KANE (since 6 January 2020) chancery: 2215 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 629-2961 email address and website: contact@ambasenegal-us.org http://www.ambasenegal-us.org/index.php consulate(s) general: Houston, New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia KIERSCHT (since 27 January 2021) embassy: Nouadhibou Road, Avenue Al Quds, NOT PRTZ, Nouakchott mailing address: 2430 Nouakchott Place, Washington DC 20521-2430 telephone: [222] 4525-2660 FAX: [222] 4525-1592 email address and website: consularnkc@state.gov https://mr.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador Tulinabo S. MUSHINGI (since August 2017); note - also accredited to Guinea-Bissau embassy: Route des Almadies, Dakar mailing address: 2130 Dakar Place, Washington DC 20521-2130 telephone: [221] 33-879-4000 email address and website: DakarACS@state.gov https://sn.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | green with a yellow, five-pointed star between the horns of a yellow, upward-pointing crescent moon; red stripes along the top and bottom edges; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; green also represents hope for a bright future; the yellow color stands for the sands of the Sahara; red symbolizes the blood shed in the struggle for independence | three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; green represents Islam, progress, and hope; yellow signifies natural wealth and progress; red symbolizes sacrifice and determination; the star denotes unity and hope note: uses the popular Pan-African colors of Ethiopia; the colors from left to right are the same as those of neighboring Mali and the reverse of those on the flag of neighboring Guinea |
| National anthem | name: "Hymne National de la Republique Islamique de Mauritanie" (National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania) lyrics/music: Baba Ould CHEIKH/traditional, arranged by Tolia NIKIPROWETZKY note: adopted 1960; the unique rhythm of the Mauritanian anthem makes it particularly challenging to sing; Mauritania in November 2017 adopted a new national anthem, "Bilada-l ubati-l hudati-l kiram" (The Country of Fatherhood is the Honorable Gift) composed by Rageh Daoud (sound file of the new anthem is forthcoming) | name: "Pincez Tous vos Koras, Frappez les Balafons" (Pluck Your Koras, Strike the Balafons) lyrics/music: Leopold Sedar SENGHOR/Herbert PEPPER note: adopted 1960; lyrics written by Leopold Sedar SENGHOR, Senegal's first president; the anthem sometimes played incorporating the Koras (harp-like stringed instruments) and Balafons (types of xylophones) mentioned in the title |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | five-pointed star between the horns of a horizontal crescent moon; national colors: green, yellow | lion; national colors: green, yellow, red |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Mauritania dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Senegal dual citizenship recognized: no, but Senegalese citizens do not automatically lose their citizenship if they acquire citizenship in another state residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Economy
| Mauritania | Senegal | |
|---|---|---|
| Economy - overview | Mauritania's economy is dominated by extractive industries (oil and mines), fisheries, livestock, agriculture, and services. Half the population still depends on farming and raising livestock, even though many nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s, 1980s, 2000s, and 2017. Recently, GDP growth has been driven largely by foreign investment in the mining and oil sectors. Mauritania's extensive mineral resources include iron ore, gold, copper, gypsum, and phosphate rock, and exploration is ongoing for tantalum, uranium, crude oil, and natural gas. Extractive commodities make up about three-quarters of Mauritania's total exports, subjecting the economy to price swings in world commodity markets. Mining is also a growing source of government revenue, rising from 13% to 30% of total revenue from 2006 to 2014. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, and fishing accounts for about 15% of budget revenues, 45% of foreign currency earnings. Mauritania processes a total of 1,800,000 tons of fish per year, but overexploitation by foreign and national fleets threaten the sustainability of this key source of revenue. The economy is highly sensitive to international food and extractive commodity prices. Other risks to Mauritania's economy include its recurring droughts, dependence on foreign aid and investment, and insecurity in neighboring Mali, as well as significant shortages of infrastructure, institutional capacity, and human capital. In December 2017, Mauritania and the IMF agreed to a three year agreement under the Extended Credit Facility to foster economic growth, maintain macroeconomic stability, and reduce poverty. Investment in agriculture and infrastructure are the largest components of the country's public expenditures. | Senegal's economy is driven by mining, construction, tourism, fisheries and agriculture, which are the primary sources of employment in rural areas. The country's key export industries include phosphate mining, fertilizer production, agricultural products and commercial fishing and Senegal is also working on oil exploration projects. It relies heavily on donor assistance, remittances and foreign direct investment. Senegal reached a growth rate of 7% in 2017, due in part to strong performance in agriculture despite erratic rainfall. President Macky SALL, who was elected in March 2012 under a reformist policy agenda, inherited an economy with high energy costs, a challenging business environment, and a culture of overspending. President SALL unveiled an ambitious economic plan, the Emerging Senegal Plan (ESP), which aims to implement priority economic reforms and investment projects to increase economic growth while preserving macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability. Bureaucratic bottlenecks and a challenging business climate are among the perennial challenges that may slow the implementation of this plan. Senegal receives technical support from the IMF under a Policy Support Instrument (PSI) to assist with implementation of the ESP. The PSI implementation continues to be satisfactory as concluded by the IMF's fifth review in December 2017. Financial markets have signaled confidence in Senegal through successful Eurobond issuances in 2014, 2017, and 2018. The government is focusing on 19 projects under the ESP to continue The government's goal under the ESP is structural transformation of the economy. Key projects include the Thiès-Touba Highway, the new international airport opened in December 2017, and upgrades to energy infrastructure. The cost of electricity is a chief constraint for Senegal's development. Electricity prices in Senegal are among the highest in the world. Power Africa, a US presidential initiative led by USAID, supports Senegal's plans to improve reliability and increase generating capacity. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | $23.52 billion (2019 est.) $22.203 billion (2018 est.) $21.743 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars | $55.324 billion (2019 est.) $52.553 billion (2018 est.) $49.402 billion (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
| GDP - real growth rate | 3.5% (2017 est.) 1.8% (2016 est.) 0.4% (2015 est.) | 7.2% (2017 est.) 6.2% (2016 est.) 6.4% (2015 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | $5,197 (2019 est.) $5,042 (2018 est.) $5,077 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars | $3,395 (2019 est.) $3,315 (2018 est.) $3,204 (2017 est.) note: data are in 2010 dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 27.8% (2017 est.) industry: 29.3% (2017 est.) services: 42.9% (2017 est.) | agriculture: 16.9% (2017 est.) industry: 24.3% (2017 est.) services: 58.8% (2017 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 31% (2014 est.) | 46.7% (2011 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 29.5% (2000) | lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 31.1% (2011) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.2% (2019 est.) 3.1% (2018 est.) 2.2% (2017 est.) | -0.8% (2019 est.) 0.4% (2018 est.) 1.3% (2017 est.) |
| Labor force | 1.437 million (2017 est.) | 6.966 million (2017 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 50% industry: 1.9% services: 48.1% (2014 est.) | agriculture: 77.5% industry: 22.5% industry and services: 22.5% (2007 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 10.2% (2017 est.) 10.1% (2016 est.) | 48% (2007 est.) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 32.6 (2014 est.) 39 (2006 est.) | 40.3 (2011 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: 1.354 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 1.396 billion (2017 est.) | revenues: 4.139 billion (2017 est.) expenditures: 4.9 billion (2017 est.) |
| Industries | fish processing, oil production, mining (iron ore, gold, copper) note: gypsum deposits have never been exploited | agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer production, petroleum refining, zircon, and gold mining, construction materials, ship construction and repair |
| Industrial production growth rate | 1% (2017 est.) | 7.7% (2017 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | rice, milk, goat milk, sheep milk, sorghum, mutton, beef, camel milk, camel meat, dates | groundnuts, watermelons, rice, sugar cane, cassava, millet, maize, onions, sorghum, vegetables |
| Exports | $321 million (2019 est.) $290 million (2018 est.) $302 million (2017 est.) | $2.362 billion (2017 est.) $2.498 billion (2016 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | iron ore, fish products, gold, mollusks, processed crustaceans (2019) | gold, refined petroleum, phosphoric acid, fish, ground nuts (2019) |
| Exports - partners | China 32%, Switzerland 13%, Spain 9%, Japan 9%, Italy 5% (2019) | Mali 22%, Switzerland 14%, India 9%, China 7% (2019) |
| Imports | $318 million (2019 est.) $321 million (2018 est.) $319 million (2017 est.) | $5.217 billion (2017 est.) $4.966 billion (2016 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | ships, aircraft, wheat, raw sugar, refined petroleum (2019) | refined petroleum, crude petroleum, rice, cars, malt extract, clothing and apparel (2019) |
| Imports - partners | China 26%, France 6%, Spain 6%, Morocco 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019) | China 17%, France 11%, Belgium 7%, Russia 7%, Netherlands 7% (2019) |
| Debt - external | $4.15 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $3.899 billion (31 December 2016 est.) | $8.571 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $6.327 billion (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Exchange rates | ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar - 363.6 (2017 est.) 352.37 (2016 est.) 352.37 (2015 est.) 319.7 (2014 est.) 299.5 (2013 est.) | Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 617.4 (2017 est.) 593.01 (2016 est.) 593.01 (2015 est.) 591.45 (2014 est.) 494.42 (2013 est.) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Public debt | 96.6% of GDP (2017 est.) 100% of GDP (2016 est.) | 48.3% of GDP (2017 est.) 47.8% of GDP (2016 est.) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | $875 million (31 December 2017 est.) $849.3 million (31 December 2016 est.) | $1.827 billion (31 December 2017 est.) $116.9 million (31 December 2016 est.) |
| Current Account Balance | -$711 million (2017 est.) -$707 million (2016 est.) | -$1.547 billion (2017 est.) -$769 million (2016 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate) | $706 million (2018 est.) | $23.576 billion (2019 est.) |
| Ease of Doing Business Index scores | Overall score: 51.1 (2020) Starting a Business score: 92.2 (2020) Trading score: 60.3 (2020) Enforcement score: 66 (2020) | Overall score: 59.3 (2020) Starting a Business score: 91.2 (2020) Trading score: 60.9 (2020) Enforcement score: 50.6 (2020) |
| Taxes and other revenues | 27.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | 19.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -0.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.) | -3.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.) |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | total: 21.1% male: 18.8% female: 24.9% (2017 est.) | total: 4.8% male: 5% female: 4.7% (2017 est.) |
| GDP - composition, by end use | household consumption: 64.9% (2017 est.) government consumption: 21.8% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 56.1% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: -3.2% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 39% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -78.6% (2017 est.) | household consumption: 71.9% (2017 est.) government consumption: 15.2% (2017 est.) investment in fixed capital: 25.1% (2017 est.) investment in inventories: 3.4% (2017 est.) exports of goods and services: 27% (2017 est.) imports of goods and services: -42.8% (2017 est.) |
| Gross national saving | 33.5% of GDP (2019 est.) 29.2% of GDP (2018 est.) 30.5% of GDP (2017 est.) | 23.4% of GDP (2018 est.) 22.5% of GDP (2017 est.) 20.4% of GDP (2015 est.) |
Energy
| Mauritania | Senegal | |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 1.139 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 4.167 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - consumption | 1.059 billion kWh (2016 est.) | 3.497 billion kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2016 est.) | 0 kWh (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2016 est.) | 0 kWh (2016 est.) |
| Oil - production | 4,000 bbl/day (2018 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2018 est.) |
| Oil - imports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 17,880 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - exports | 5,333 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Oil - proved reserves | 20 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.) | 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.) | 0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Natural gas - production | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 59.46 million cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 59.46 million cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports | 0 cu m (2017 est.) | 0 cu m (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 558,000 kW (2016 est.) | 977,000 kW (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 65% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) | 82% of total installed capacity (2016 est.) |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 16% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 7% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from nuclear fuels | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 20% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) | 11% of total installed capacity (2017 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - production | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 17,590 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 17,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) | 48,000 bbl/day (2016 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - exports | 0 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 4,063 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 17,290 bbl/day (2015 est.) | 32,050 bbl/day (2015 est.) |
| Electricity access | electrification - total population: 32% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 56% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 4% (2019) | electrification - total population: 71% (2019) electrification - urban areas: 94% (2019) electrification - rural areas: 50% (2019) |
Telecommunications
| Mauritania | Senegal | |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | total subscriptions: 61,858 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.58 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 207,592 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.35 (2019 est.) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | total subscriptions: 4,710,800 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 120.32 (2019 est.) | total subscriptions: 17,880,594 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 116.37 (2019 est.) |
| Internet country code | .mr | .sn |
| Internet users | total: 798,809 percent of population: 20.8% (July 2018 est.) | total: 6,909,635 percent of population: 46% (July 2018 est.) |
| Telecommunication systems | general assessment: Mauritania's small population and low economic output limit sustained growth; transparency and tax burdens hinder foreign investment; World Bank and European Investment Bank support regulations to promote fixed-line broadband, improvement of the national backbone network, and connectivity to international cables; limited system of cable and open-wire lines, mobile-cellular services expanding though monopolies, and little stimulus for competition; 3G penetration high yet little development in LTE; mobile broadband access speeds are low; importer of broadcasting equipment from UAE (2021) (2020) domestic: fixed-line teledensity 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular network coverage extends mainly to urban areas with a teledensity of roughly 104 per 100 persons; mostly cable and open-wire lines; a domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals (2019) international: country code - 222; landing point for the ACE submarine cable for connectivity to 19 West African countries and 2 European countries; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean, 2 Arabsat) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments | general assessment: universal mobile penetration since 2019; mobile broadband accounts for 97% of Internet access; 3G and LTE services for half of the population; African consortium issued a bond to finance network upgrades and services; importer of broadcasting equipment from UAE and China (2021) (2020)domestic: generally reliable urban system with a fiber-optic network; about two-thirds of all fixed-line connections are in Dakar; mobile-cellular service is steadily displacing fixed-line service, even in urban areas; fixed-line 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular 110 per 100 persons (2019) international: country code - 221; landing points for the ACE, Atlantis-2, MainOne and SAT-3/WASC submarine cables providing connectivity from South Africa, numerous western African countries, Europe and South America; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019) note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments |
| Broadband - fixed subscriptions | total: 10,815 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2018 est.) | total: 152,047 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2018 est.) |
| Broadcast media | 10 TV stations: 5 government-owned and 5 private; in October 2017, the government suspended all private TV stations due to non-payment of broadcasting fees; as of April 2018, only one private TV station was broadcasting, Al Mourabitoune, the official TV of the Mauritanian Islamist party, Tewassoul; the other stations are negotiating payment options with the government and hope to be back on the air soon; 18 radio broadcasters: 15 government-owned, 3 (Radio Nouakchott Libre, Radio Tenwir, Radio Kobeni) private; all 3 private radio stations broadcast from Nouakchott; of the 15 government stations, 3 broadcast from Nouakchott (Radio Mauritanie, Radio Jeunesse, Radio Koran) and the other 12 broadcast from each of the 12 regions outside Nouakchott; Radio Jeunesse and Radio Koran are now also being re-broadcast in the regions (2019) | state-run Radiodiffusion Television Senegalaise (RTS) broadcasts TV programs from five cities in Senegal; in most regions of the country, viewers can receive TV programming from at least 7 private broadcasters; a wide range of independent TV programming is available via satellite; RTS operates a national radio network and a number of regional FM stations; at least 7 community radio stations and 18 private-broadcast radio stations are available; transmissions of at least 5 international broadcasters are accessible on FM in Dakar (2019) |
Transportation
| Mauritania | Senegal | |
|---|---|---|
| Railways | total: 728 km (2014) standard gauge: 728 km 1.435-m gauge (2014) | total: 906 km (713 km operational in 2017) (2017) narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-m gauge (2017) |
| Roadways | total: 12,253 km (2018) paved: 3,988 km (2018) unpaved: 8,265 km (2018) | total: 16,665 km (2017) paved: 6,126 km (includes 241 km of expressways) (2017) unpaved: 10,539 km (2017) |
| Waterways | (some navigation possible on the Senegal River) (2011) | 1,000 km (primarily on the Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance Rivers) (2012) |
| Ports and terminals | major seaport(s): Nouadhibou, Nouakchott | major seaport(s): Dakar |
| Merchant marine | total: 5 by type: general cargo 2, other 3 (2020) | total: 34 by type: general cargo 4, oil tanker 1, other 29 (2020) |
| Airports | total: 30 (2013) | total: 20 (2013) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 9 (2017) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2017) | total: 9 (2017) over 3,047 m: 2 (2017) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 (2017) 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2017) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 21 (2013) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2013) under 914 m: 2 (2013) | total: 11 (2013) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 (2013) 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2013) under 914 m: 1 (2013) |
| National air transport system | number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 454,435 (2018) | number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020) inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 11 annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 21,038 (2018) annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 40,000 mt-km (2018) |
| Civil aircraft registration country code prefix | 5T | 6V |
Military
| Mauritania | Senegal | |
|---|---|---|
| Military branches | Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Mauritanian Navy (Marine Mauritanienne), Islamic Republic of Mauritania Air Group (Groupement Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, GAIM); Gendarmerie (Ministry of Defense); National Guard (Ministry of Interior) (2021) | Senegalese Armed Forces (Forces Armées Sénégalaises, FAS): Army, Senegalese National Navy (Marine Senegalaise, MNS), Senegalese Air Force (Armee de l'Air du Senegal), National Gendarmerie (includes Territorial and Mobile components) (2021) |
| Military service age and obligation | 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2019) | 18 years of age for voluntary military service; 20 years of age for selective conscript service; 2-year service obligation; women have been accepted into military service since 2008 (2019) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.8% of GDP (2019 est.) 3% of GDP (2018) 2.9% of GDP (2017) 2.9% of GDP (2016) 2.8% of GDP (2015) | 1.5% of GDP (2019 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2018) 1.5% of GDP (2017) 1.6% of GDP (2016) 1.2% of GDP (2015) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | the Mauritanian Armed Forces have approximately 16,000 active personnel (15,000 Army; 700 Navy; 300 Air Force); est. 3,000 Gendarmerie; est. 2,000 National Guard (2021) | the Senegalese Armed Forces consist of approximately 19,000 active personnel (12,000 Army; 1,000 Navy/Coast Guard; 1,000 Air Force; 5,000 National Gendarmerie) (2021) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the Mauritanian Armed Forces' inventory is limited and made up largely of older French and Soviet-era equipment; since 2010, Mauritania has received a limited amount of mostly secondhand military equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Brazil, China, France, and Turkey (2020) | the FAS inventory includes mostly older or second-hand equipment from a variety of countries, including France, South Africa, and Russia/former Soviet Union; in recent years, the FAS has been undergoing a significant modernization program; since 2010, it has received newer equipment from nearly 15 countries, led by China, France, and Israel (2020) |
| Military deployments | 450 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (Jan 2021) | 750 Gambia; 1,000 Mali (MINUSMA) (Jan 2021) |
Transnational Issues
| Mauritania | Senegal | |
|---|---|---|
| Disputes - international | Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant | cross-border trafficking in persons, timber, wildlife, and cannabis; rebels from the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance find refuge in Guinea-Bissau |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons | refugees (country of origin): 26,001 (Sahrawis) (2019); 70,377 (Mali) (2021) | refugees (country of origin): 14,195 (Mauritania) (2021) IDPs: 8,400 (2020) |
| Trafficking in persons | current situation: Mauritania is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to conditions of forced labor and sex trafficking; adults and children from traditional slave castes are subjected to slavery-related practices rooted in ancestral master-slave relationships; Mauritanian boys are trafficked within the country by religious teachers for forced begging; Mauritanian girls, as well as girls from Mali, Senegal, The Gambia, and other West African countries, are forced into domestic servitude; Mauritanian women and girls are forced into prostitution in the country or transported to countries in the Middle East for the same purpose tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Mauritania does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so and was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; the government convicted five hereditary slaveholders, drafted new anti-trafficking legislation and a national action plan, raised awareness on child forced begging in Quranic schools with imams and religious leaders by establishing an inter-ministerial committee, published a child protection guide, and operated a cash transfer program; however, the government rarely imprisoned convicted slaveholders and did not identify any victims; government agencies lacked resources; government officials refuse to investigate or prosecute political offenders (2020) | current situation: Senegal is a source, transit, and destination country for children and women who are subjected to forced begging, forced labor, and sex trafficking; traffickers subject Senegalese children to forced labor in domestic service, mining, and prostitution; some Senegalese boys from Quranic schools and boys from The Gambia, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, and Guinea are forced to beg; Senegalese women and girls are forced into domestic servitude in neighboring countries, Europe, and the Middle East, while others are sexually exploited in Senegal; women and girls from other West African countries are subjected to domestic servitude and sexual exploitation in Senegal; Ukrainian and Chinese women are exploited for sex trafficking in bars and nightclubs; North Korean workers are forced to work in construction tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Senegal does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; efforts include establishing an anti-trafficking database; planning the third phase of its program to remove vulnerable children, including trafficking victims, from the streets of major cities; launching an emergency campaign to place vulnerable children and forced begging victims in shelters due to COVID 19 pandemic; however, the government rarely proactively investigated or prosecuted traffickers exploiting children in forced begging; authorities did not take action against officials who refused to investigate such cases; officials only applied adequate prison terms in accordance with the 2005 anti-trafficking law to two convicted traffickers; authorities did not identify any adult trafficking victims; government officials continued to have a limited knowledge of trafficking; Senegal was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List (2020) |
Environment
| Mauritania | Senegal | |
|---|---|---|
| Air pollutants | particulate matter emissions: 40.82 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 2.74 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 6.16 megatons (2020 est.) | particulate matter emissions: 37.52 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.) carbon dioxide emissions: 10.9 megatons (2016 est.) methane emissions: 11.74 megatons (2020 est.) |
| Total water withdrawal | municipal: 95.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 31.8 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 1.223 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) | municipal: 98 million cubic meters (2017 est.) industrial: 58 million cubic meters (2017 est.) agricultural: 2.065 billion cubic meters (2017 est.) |
| Revenue from forest resources | forest revenues: 1.3% of GDP (2018 est.) | forest revenues: 1.46% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Revenue from coal | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) | coal revenues: 0% of GDP (2018 est.) |
| Waste and recycling | municipal solid waste generated annually: 454,000 tons (2009 est.) municipal solid waste recycled annually: 36,320 tons (2009 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 8% (2009 est.) | municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,454,059 tons (2016 est.) |
Source: CIA Factbook
