Country profile
Mauritania
Islamic Republic of Mauritania · Western Africa
👥 Population
5,315,065
World Bank · 2025
🏛 Capital
Nouakchott
🗺 Area
1,030,700 km²
among the world’s largest
💹 GDP (nominal)
$11.68B
World Bank · 2025
📈 HDI
0.563
UNDP · 2023
📍 Pop. density
5 /km²
💱 Currency
MRU
Mauritanian ouguiya
🗣 Languages
Arabic
About Mauritania
Mauritania (officially Islamic Republic of Mauritania) is a country in Western Africa, with Nouakchott as its capital. It is home to roughly 5.32 million people, giving a population density of about 5 people per square kilometre. The country covers 1,030,700 km² of land and shares land borders with 4 neighbouring countries. Its economy is valued at approximately $11.68B in nominal GDP (2025), and it records a Human Development Index of 0.563. The official currency is the Mauritanian ouguiya (MRU), and the main language is Arabic.
Key indicators
Latest available data · World Bank & UNDP.
💹 Economy
GDP (PPP)
$38.09B
GDP/capita (PPP)
$7,369
GDP growth
4.0%
Inflation
1.5%
Unemployment
10.3%
👥 People
Life expectancy
68.7 yrs
Fertility rate
4.63
Pop. growth
2.8%
Urban population
61.5%
Infant mortality /1k
30.2
🌍 Quality of Life
Internet users
45.8%
Literacy rate
59.5%
Physicians /1k
0.26
Renewable energy
19.6%
Travel & practical
Capital
Nouakchott
Currency
MRU
Dialing code
+222
Internet TLD
.mr
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Fun facts about Mauritania
- Mauritania is the 123rd most populous country in the world, with about 5.32 million people.
- By land area it is the 28th-largest country in the world, covering 1,030,700 km².
- It has the world's 150th-largest economy by nominal GDP ($11.68B).
- Mauritania shares land borders with 4 countries.
- It is classed by the UN as a country of medium human development, with an HDI of 0.563.
- Mauritania has a population density of about 5 people per square kilometre.
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