Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara
Geographic coordinates:
20 00 N, 12 00 W
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 1,030,700 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 1,030,700 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 29
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total: 5,002 km
border countries (4): Algeria 460 km, Mali 2,236 km, Senegal 742 km, Western Sahara 1,564 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
Coastline:
754 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Terrain:
mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Elevation:
mean elevation:
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m
Natural resources:
iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish
Land use:
agricultural land: 38.5%
arable land 0.4%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 38.1%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 0.2%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 61.3% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]
Irrigated land:
450 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
Total renewable water resources:
11.4 cu km (2011)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.35 cu km/yr (7%/2%/91%)
per capita: 420.2 cu m/yr (2005)
Natural hazards:
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind primarily in March and April; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; limited natural freshwater resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial river; locust infestation
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
Mauritania is considered both a part of North Africa's Maghreb region and West Africa's Sahel region; most of the population is concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country