Mauritania Population: 2,998,563 (July 2004 est.) Capital: Nouakchott [ Select Another Country ]

An Introduction to Mauritania
Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were generally free and open. Mauritania remains, in reality, a one-party state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between its black minority population and the dominant Maur (Arab-Berber) populace.

The Mauritanian Flag Green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam.

Rankings of The Most Populous Countries in the World.

1. China   2. India   3. United States   4. Indonesia   5. Brazil   6. Russia   7. Pakistan   8. Bangladesh   9. Japan 10. Nigeria

11. Mexico 12. Germany 13. Philippines 14. Vietnam 15. Egypt 16. Turkey 17. Iran 18. Ethiopia 19. Thailand 20. United Kingdom

21. France 22. Italy 23. Congo 24. Ukraine 25. South Korea 26. South Africa 27. Burma 28. Colombia 29. Spain 30. Poland

Some interesting facts and figures about Mauritania. Pop Growth Rate / Year:     • 2.91% Avg. Life Expectancy:     • 50.15 yrs - Male     • 54.56 yrs - Female Phone Lines:     • 31,500 (2002) Televisions:     • 87,000 (1998) Radios:     • 360,000 (1997) Internet Code:     • .mr Did you know ... People from Mauritania are called Mauritanians