Mauritania
Africa Β· Capital: Nouakchott
How it is run: Mauritania is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Mauritania is home to 5.3 million people in Western Africa, where people speak Arabic.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
5.3 million people
That is about 656 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
1,030,700 kmΒ²
One of the world's large countries: flying across it takes hours.
ποΈ How crowded
Only about 5.2 people per square kilometre β lots of wide open space between towns.
π Size in its region
39th most people in Africa
11th largest by land in Africa.
π£οΈ Official languages
Arabic
π° Money
Mauritanian ouguiya (UM)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
68.7 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$2,198
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
61.5% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
42.4% of the population
A very young country β schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+222
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.mr
π§ People here are called
Mauritanian
π·οΈ Name at home
Ω ΩΨ±ΩΨͺΨ§ΩΩΨ§
Also written: Islamic Republic of Mauritania, al-JumhΕ«riyyah al-ΚΎIslΔmiyyah al-MΕ«rΔ«tΔniyyah.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Mauritania touches 4 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Mauritania
French
Mauritanie
Arabic
Ω ΩΨ±ΩΨͺΨ§ΩΩΨ§
Chinese
ζ―ιε‘ε°ΌδΊ
Japanese
γ’γΌγͺγΏγγ’
Russian
ΠΠ°Π²ΡΠΈΡΠ°Π½ΠΈΡ
Portuguese
MauritΓ’nia
German
Mauretanien
Put it in perspective π
- Nigeria β the most populated country in Africa β has about 44.7Γ as many people as Mauritania.
- Mauritania covers roughly 9,816 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Mauritania lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 2,658 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: The capital of Mauritania is Nouakchott β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
π·οΈ Official name
Islamic Republic of Mauritania
ποΈ Capital
Nouakchott
π Region
Africa Β· Western Africa
π€ Country code
MR
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Mauritania π
π§ Where on the map
20.0Β° N, 12.0Β° W
π Half of the world
Northern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-1 β when it is noon in London it is about 11:00 in Nouakchott.
- Mauritania is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- π²π· is the flag of Mauritania. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is MR.
- The capital of Mauritania is Nouakchott β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Mauritania shares its part of the world with Liberia. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- Mauritania is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Mauritania has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Mauritania can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Mauritania spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Mauritania?
Nouakchott
Which money do people spend in Mauritania?
Mauritanian ouguiya (UM)
How many countries share a land border with Mauritania?
4 β Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Western Sahara.
Roughly how many people live in Mauritania?
5.3 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.