
Mauritania
🇲🇷 Western Africa · Islamic Republic of Mauritania
How Mauritania ranks globally
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
💹 Economy
👥 People
🌍 Quality of Life
GDP over time
How Mauritania measures up
Did you know?
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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