Mauritania     [150]
(Independent in 1960 )
ISO COUNTRY CODE: MR
LAND AREA: 1085760 sq. km
NUMBER OF ISLANDS BY SIZE (sq. km):

>17,000	>10,000	>1,000	>100	>10	>1	<1	Unknown	TOTAL
0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

DEMOGRAPHY
  POPULATION: 2351000 (1996)
  DENSITY: 2 persons/sq. km    GROWTH RATE: 2%/year
  POP AGR/FISH/MINING: 55%
  URBAN POP: 53% (1994), versus 6% (1960), Annual Growth: 4.6%
  LIFE EXPECTANCY: 52.1 years,  ADULT LITERACY: 36.9%
  INFANT MORTALITY: 98 per/1000 (1994), versus 177 (1960)
  HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX: 0.355

ECONOMY
  GNP: US$1.1 billion, Annual GNP Growth Rate 1980-1993: 1.8%
  GDP/Capita: $494  GDP/Capita PPP: $1593
  GDP/Capita: 1960 $359, 1970 $581, 1980 $523, 1990 $472
  OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE: $220 million  ODA%GNP: 22.6%
  ODA/Capita: $99

ENVIRONMENT (see also individual islands)
  TOTAL FOREST AREA: 556,000 ha, 0.5% of land area, 0.2 ha/capita
  NATURAL FOREST AREA: 554,000 ha
  ARABLE LAND: 0.2% of land area
NATURE CONSERVATION INTEREST:

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
  ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION: 67 kw-hr/capita, versus 59 kw-hr/cap (1970)
  INTERNAL RENEWABLE WATER RESOURCES: 5.0,000 cu.m/cap/year
  SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION (1990-92): 15 kg/cap/year, CHANGE SINCE 1980-82: 34%
  CHANGE IN ANNUAL MARINE CATCH 1980-82 to 1990-92: 42%

INSTITUTIONS
GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENT/SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY: