Mauritania vs. Senegal
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 |
Source: CIA Factbook
