| Local name: Al-jumhuriya al-Islamiya al-Muritaniya
- Islamic Republic of Mauritania |
| Surface: Mauritania is a largely
exploited land situated on the Northern coast of Africa. It covers a total area of 397,950
square miles (1,030,700 sq km) and is bordered on the North by Algeria and the western
sahara, in the East by Mali, on the South by Senegal , and on the West by the Atlantic
Ocean. Approximately three-fourths of Mauritania's territory is covered the Sahara
Desert. |
| Population : 2.449.130 inhabitants
(1997) |
| Climate: The climate, particularly in the deserts areas is hot
and dry. The south has a raining season from July to October but most of Mauritania
receives little or no rain. Between April and October temperatures can reach up to 40°C
for the remaining part of the year temperatures range between 13°C and 29°C. The cooling
sea breeze in the coastal regions keep the temperatures slightly lower. |
| Visas: Visas are required by all except nationals of Burkina
Faso, Benin, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Congo, France, Italy,
Ivory Coast, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Romania, Senegal, Sierra
Leone, Togo and Tunisia. ......PASSPORTS: Valid passports required by all except nationals
of ECOWAS countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo)
holding a valid national ID card. |
| Electricity: 127/220 V with round 2-pin plugs |
| Capital : Nouakchott |
| System : Presidential Republic ....The
latest constitution, which allows for a multi-party political system, was introduced in
July 1991 after approval in a national referendum. Executive power rests with the
president, elected by universal suffrage, for a 6-year term. The bicameral legislature,
also popularly elected, comprises a 79-seat National Assembly (elected for five years) and
a 56-member Senate with a 6-year mandate. The president appoints a prime minister who is
head of government. |
| Languages: The official languages are Arabic and French. The
Moors of Arab / Berber stock, speaking Hassaniya dialects of Arabic, comprise the majority
of the people. Other dialects include Soninke, Pulaar and Wolof. English is rarely
spoken. |
| Religions: Islam is the official
religion. Despite ethnic and cultural differences among Mauritanians they are all bound by
a common Muslim attachment to the Malekite sect |
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| Mauritania |
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| Money : ouguiya (UM)=5 Khoums |
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