Mauritania
GANG INFORMATION
PROFILE
OFFICIAL NAME:
Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Geography
Area: 1,030,070 sq. km. (419,212 sq. mi.); slightly larger than
Texas and New Mexico combined.
Cities (2004): Capital--Nouakchott (pop. 708,000). Other cities--Nouadhibou
(72,000), Rosso (50,000), Kaedi (34,000), Zouerate (34,000), Kiffa
(33,000), Atar (24,000).
Terrain: Northern four-fifths barren desert; southern 20% mainly
Sahelian with small-scale irrigated and rain-fed agriculture in
the Senegal River basin.
Climate: Predominantly hot and dry.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Mauritanian(s).
Population (2005): 2,906,000.
Annual growth rate: 2.7%.
Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber (White Moor), Arab-Berber-Negroid (Black
Moor), Haalpulaar, Soninke, Wolof (Black African Mauritanians).
Religion: Islam.
Languages: Arabic (official), Hassaniya (Arabic dialect), French,
Pulaar, Wolof, and Soninke.
Education: Years compulsory--six. Attendance (student population
enrolled in primary school)--82%. Adult literacy (% of population
age 15+)--59%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--77/1,000. Life expectancy--51 yrs.
Work force: Agriculture and fisheries--50%. Services and commerce--20%.
Government--20%. Industry and transportation--10%.
Government
Note: On August 3, 2005, President Maaouiya Ould Sid’Ahmed
Taya was deposed in a bloodless coup. Military commanders, led
by Colonel Ely Ould Mohammed Fal (alternative spelling: Vall)
seized power while President Taya was attending the funeral of
Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd. Colonel Fal established the ruling
Military Council for Justice and Democracy to run the country.
The council dissolved the Parliament and appointed a transitional
government. The United States calls for a return to a constitutional
government through free and fair elections as soon as possible.
Type: Republic.
Independence: November 28, 1960.
Constitution: Approved 1991. Military rule 1978-1992. Original
constitution promulgated 1961.
Branches: Executive--president (chief of state). Legislative--bicameral
national assembly, directly elected lower house (81 members),
and upper house (56 members) chosen indirectly by municipal councilors.
Judicial--a supreme court and lower courts are nominally independent
but subject to control of executive branch; judicial decisions
are rendered mainly on the basis of Shari'a (Islamic law) for
social/family matters and a western style legal code, applied
in commercial and some criminal cases.
Political parties: 21.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
National day: November 28, Independence Day.
Economy
GDP (2003): $1.1 billion.
Annual growth rate (2003): 2.7%.
Per capita income (2003): $430.
Natural resources: petroleum, fish, iron ore, gypsum, copper,
phosphates, salt.
Agriculture (19.3% of GDP 2003): Products--livestock, traditional
fisheries, millet, maize, wheat, dates, rice.
Industry (30% of GDP 2003): Types--iron mining, fishing.
Services (50.8% of GDP 2003).
Trade: Exports (f.o.b.)--$388 million (2003). Export partners--Japan
13%, France 10.9%, Spain 9.6%, Italy 9.5%, Germany 8.7%, Belgium
7.4%, China 5.8%, Russia 4.8% (2004). Imports--$418 million (2002):
foodstuffs, machinery, tools, petroleum products, and consumer
goods. Import partners--France 14.5%, U.S. 7.7%, China 7.4%, Spain
5.9%, Belgium 4.3%, U.K. 4.3% (2004).
Currency: Ouguiya (UM).
USAID: Total FY 2005 USAID assistance to Mauritania--$14,160,300.
HISTORY
From the 3rd to 7th centuries, the migration of Berber tribes
from North Africa displaced the Bafours, the original inhabitants
of present-day Mauritania and the ancestors of the Soninke. Continued
Arab-Berber migration drove indigenous black Africans south to
the Senegal River or enslaved them. By 1076, Islamic warrior monks
(Almoravid or Al Murabitun) completed the conquest of southern
Mauritania, defeating the ancient Ghana empire. Over the next
500 years, Arabs overcame fierce Berber resistance to dominate
Mauritania. The Mauritanian Thirty-Year War (1644-74) was the
unsuccessful final Berber effort to repel the Maqil Arab invaders
led by the Beni Hassan tribe. The descendants of Beni Hassan warriors
became the upper stratum of Moorish society. Berbers retained
influence by producing the majority of the region's Marabouts
-- those who preserve and teach Islamic tradition. Hassaniya,
a mainly oral, Berber-influenced Arabic dialect that derives its
name from the Beni Hassan tribe, became the dominant language
among the largely nomadic population. Within Moorish society,
aristocratic and servant classes developed, yielding "white"
(aristocracy) and "black" Moors (the enslaved indigenous
class).
French colonization at the beginning of the 20th century brought
legal prohibitions against slavery and an end to interclan warfare.
During the colonial period, the population remained nomadic, but
sedentary black Africans, whose ancestors had been expelled centuries
earlier by the Moors, began to trickle back into southern Mauritania.
As the country gained independence in 1960, the capital city of
Nouakchott was founded at the site of a small colonial village.
Ninety percent of the population was still nomadic. With independence,
larger numbers of ethnic Sub-Saharan Africans (Haalpulaar, Soninke,
and Wolof) entered Mauritania, moving into the area north of the
Senegal River. Educated in French, many of these recent arrivals
became clerks, soldiers, and administrators in the new state.
Moors reacted to this change by trying to Arabicize much of Mauritanian
life, such as law and language. A schism developed between those
who considered Mauritania to be an Arab country (mainly Moors)
and those who sought a dominant role for the Sub-Saharan peoples.
The discord between these two conflicting visions of Mauritanian
society was evident during intercommunal violence that broke out
in April 1989 (the "1989 Events"). It has since subsided.
However, the tension between these two visions remains. A significant
number from both groups, however, seeks a more diverse, pluralistic
society.
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
[See note on August 2005 coup under “Government” in
the Profile section.]
Mauritania's last presidential election, its third since adopting
the democratic process in 1992, took place on November 7, 2003.
Six candidates, including Mauritania's first female and first
Haratine (former slave family) candidates, represented a wide
variety of political goals and backgrounds. Incumbent President
Maaouiya Sid'Ahmed Taya won reelection with 67.02% of the popular
vote, according to official figures, with second-place finisher
Mohamed Haidallah earning just under 20%. Several opposition groups
alleged that the government had used fraudulent means to win the
elections, but did not elect to pursue their grievances via available
legal channels. The elections incorporated safeguards first adopted
in the 2001 municipal elections--published voter lists and hard-to-falsify
voter identification cards--and took place amid a generally calm
atmosphere. However, main opposition candidate Mohamed Haidallah
was arrested prior to Election Day on charges of planning a coup,
released the same day, and rearrested after Election Day. He received
a suspension of civil rights and a five-year suspended prison
sentence for his alleged coup plotting.
The PRDS, led by President Maaouiya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, dominated
Mauritanian politics from the country's first multi-party elections
in April 1992--following the approval by referendum of the current
constitution in July 1991--until he was overthrown in August 2005.
President Taya, who won elections in 1992 and 1997, first became
chief of state through a December 12, 1984 bloodless coup which
made him chairman of the committee of military officers that governed
Mauritania from July 1978 to April 1992. The country's first president,
Moktar Ould Daddah, served from independence until ousted in a
bloodless coup on July 10, 1978. A group of current and former
Army officers launched a bloody but unsuccessful coup attempt
on June 8, 2003.
Politics in Mauritania have always been heavily influenced by
personalities, with any leader's ability to exercise political
power dependent upon control over resources; perceived ability
or integrity; and tribal, ethnic, family, and personal considerations.
Conflict among White Moor, Black Moor, and Black African Mauritanian
groups, centering on language, land tenure, and other issues,
continues to be a major challenge to national unity.
The government bureaucracy is composed of ministries, special
agencies, and parastatal companies. The Ministry of Interior controls
a system of regional governors and prefects modeled on the French
system of local administration. Under this system, Mauritania
is divided into 13 regions (wilaya), including the capital district,
Nouakchott. Control is tightly concentrated in the executive branch
of the central government, but a series of national and municipal
elections since 1992 have produced some limited decentralization.
Political parties, illegal during the military period, were legalized
again in 1991. By April 1992, as civilian rule returned, 16 major
political parties had been recognized; 12 major political parties
were active in 2004. Most opposition parties boycotted the first
legislative election in 1992, and for nearly a decade the parliament
has been dominated by the PRDS. The opposition participated in
municipal elections in January-February 1994 and subsequent Senate
elections, most recently in April 2004, gaining representation
at the local level as well as three seats in the Senate. The Parliament
was dissolved by the Military Council in August 2005. Currently,
21 political parties are recognized, and several other parties
have applied to the transitional government for recognition.
Principal Government Officials (installed by the Military Council
for Justice and Democracy)
President--vacant (Colonel Ely Ould Mohammed Fal is the President
of the Military Council)
Prime Minister--Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation--Ahmed Ould Sid’Ahmed
Minister of Economic Affairs and Development--Hammada Ould Abed
Minister of Commerce, Handicrafts, and Tourism--Ba Abderrahmane
Ambassador to the United Nations--Mohamed Ould Tolba
Ambassador to the United States--Tijani Ould Kerim
Mauritania maintains an embassy in the United States at 2129
Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-232-5700, fax 202-232-5701)
and a Permanent Mission to the United Nations at 211 East 43rd
Street, Suite 2000, New York, NY 10017 (tel. 212-986-7963, fax
212-986-8419).
U.S.-MAURITANIAN RELATIONS
The United States Government has condemned the August 2005 coup
and the unconstitutional assumption of power by the Military Council
for Justice and Democracy, and has called for a return to a constitutional
government through free and fair elections as soon as possible.
Before the coup, U.S.-Mauritania relations were excellent, but
underwent several transformations since Mauritania gained independence.
From 1960 to 1967, the United States maintained cordial relations
with Mauritania and provided a small amount of economic assistance.
During the June 1967 Middle East war, Mauritania broke diplomatic
and consular relations with the United States but restored ties
2 years later and maintained relatively friendly relations until
the late 1980s, despite disagreement over the Arab-Israeli issue.
Since 1981, the United States has provided about $130 million
in economic and food assistance.
The 1989 rupture between Mauritania and Senegal (the "1989
Events") that resulted in Mauritania's deportation to Senegal
of tens of thousands of its own citizens, negatively affected
U.S.-Mauritanian relations. Moreover, Mauritania's perceived support
of Iraq prior to and during the 1991 Gulf war further weakened
the strained ties.
Relations between the U.S. and Mauritania reached a low in the
spring of 1991, as details of the Mauritanian military's role
in widespread human rights abuses surfaced. The U.S. responded
by formally halting USAID operations and all military assistance
to Mauritania. Relations also suffered in the 1990s as a result
of repeated reports that slavery continued in some parts of Mauritania
despite legal proscriptions.
By the late 1990s, the Mauritanian Government: adopted policies
facilitating the return of those expelled or who fled during the
1989 Events; turned away from Iraq and toward the West; and initiated
a poverty reduction strategy while securing debt relief under
the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. (See also
Fact Sheet.) Improved relations with the United States, including
the return of military cooperation and training programs, accompanied
these changes. Mauritania is eligible for U.S. trade benefits
under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), but did not
export any products to the US under these benefits during the
first half of 2003 (last available data). Mauritania formally
opened diplomatic relations with Israel in 2000 and remains one
of only three Arab League member-nations to have done so.
Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Joseph LeBaron
Deputy Chief of Mission--Steven Koutsis
Regional Security Officer--David Groccia
Political-Consular Officer--Josh Morris
Economic-Consular Officer--Anita Ghildyal
Management Officer--John Madden
Peace Corps Country Director--Obie Shaw
The address of the U.S. Embassy in Mauritania is Rue Abdallaye,
BP 222, Nouakchott, Islamic Republic of Mauritania. Tel. (222)
525-2660/525-2663; fax (222) 525-1592.
TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION
The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program provides
Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings, and Public Announcements.
Consular Information Sheets exist for all countries and include
information on entry requirements, currency regulations, health
conditions, areas of instability, crime and security, political
disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. posts in the country.
Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends
that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Public Announcements
are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly about
terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas
that pose significant risks to the security of American travelers.
Free copies of this information are available by calling the Bureau
of Consular Affairs at 202-647-5225 or via the fax-on-demand system:
202-647-3000. Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings
also are available on the Consular Affairs Internet home page:
http://travel.state.gov. Consular Affairs Tips for Travelers publication
series, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning
a safe trip abroad, are on the Internet and hard copies can be
purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government
Printing Office, telephone: 202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250.
Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may
be obtained from the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at (202)
647-5225. For after-hours emergencies, Sundays and holidays, call
202-647-4000.
The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department
of State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S.
passport information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778).
Customer service representatives and operators for TDD/TTY are
available Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time,
excluding federal holidays.
Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia.
A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP (877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm
give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations
or requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety
for regions and countries. A booklet entitled Health Information
for International Travel (HHS publication number CDC-95-8280)
is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington,
DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800.
Information on travel conditions, visa requirements, currency
and customs regulations, legal holidays, and other items of interest
to travelers also may be obtained before your departure from a
country's embassy and/or consulates in the U.S. (for this country,
see "Principal Government Officials" listing in this
publication).
U.S. citizens who are long-term visitors or traveling in dangerous
areas are encouraged to register their travel via the State Department’s
travel registration web site at https://travelregistration.state.gov
or at the Consular section of the U.S. embassy upon arrival in
a country by filling out a short form and sending in a copy of
their passports. This may help family members contact you in case
of an emergency.
Further Electronic Information
Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://www.state.gov,
the Department of State web site provides timely, global access
to official U.S. foreign policy information, including Background
Notes and daily press briefings along with the directory of key
officers of Foreign Service posts and more.
Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance
and market information offered by the federal government and provides
trade leads, free export counseling, help with the export process,
and more.
STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce,
provides authoritative economic, business, and international trade
information from the Federal government. The site includes current
and historical trade-related releases, international market research,
trade opportunities, and country analysis and provides access
to the National Trade Data Bank.
