Mauritania

Last updated: August 05, 2024

The Islamic Republic of Mauritania is a country on the western edge of the Sahara desert, which covers around 70 percent of the country’s area. Mauritania is almost three times larger than Germany, but with around 4.3 million inhabitants it is much less populated. The capital is Nouakchott on the Atlantic coast.

After gaining independence from France in 1960, and experiencing decades of authoritarian rule, the country has transitioned to democracy. The presidential republic is led by Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, who won the presidential elections held in June 2024, for his second and final 5 year mandate. His predecessor, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, did not run for more than two terms in accordance with the constitution. Although efforts are in place to curb these issues, structural inequality and vestiges of slavery linked to the ethnic composition of the country – 40% “Black Moors” (Arabic-speaking descendents of Subsaharan slaves), 30% “White Moors” (Mauritanians of Arab and Amazigh heritage) and 30% non-Arabic speaking minorities with roots in Sub-Saharan Africa – act as an obstacle to economic development.

The main sources of income for the Mauritanian economy are the export of iron ore and fishing. The country has numerous fisheries agreements. Mauritania is only one of five Arab countries whose exports to Germany – albeit just slightly – exceed imports from Germany. The continuously high, recently slightly declining population growth of an estimated 2.09 percent (2020) was again significantly exceeded by the growth in GDP of an estimated 3.6 percent (2018).

With the biennial international mining, oil, and gas fair “Mauritanides”, Mauritania shows its leading role in the field of iron ore, copper, gold, silver, oil, and gas. To a lesser extent, there is cement, plaster of paris, quartz, salt, and crude steel in Mauritania. The country is among the fifteen major iron ore exporters in the world and is the third largest producer and exporter of iron ore in Africa (after South Africa and Sierra Leone). There are also large untapped phosphate deposits. While there is hardly any manufacturing industry, the agriculture, fisheries, and livestock industries are strong.

With the support of international donors, a national action program for environmental issues and sustainable development was drawn up to think about diversifying the economy, securing basic services, and improving state infrastructure. Mauritania also has two large national parks, the Parc National de Diawling in the south of the country on the border with Senegal and the Parc National du Banc d’Arguin on the west coast. Finally, the country offers interesting investment opportunities for the use of solar energy.