CCBLA - Arab-Belgium-Luxemburg Chamber of Commerce - ABLCC

Country name : Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Capital : Nouakchott

Area : 1,030,700 km²

Population : 3,270,065 (July 2007)

Density : 3.1 inhabitants/km²

Population growth rate : 2.867% (2007)

Age structure : 0-14 years : 45.5% - 15-64 years : 52.4% - 65 years and over : 2.2%

Life expectancy at birth : 53.51 years

Labour force : 786,000

Gross Domestic Product : US$5.818 billion (2007)

GDP – real growth rate : 1.5% (2007)

GDP – composition by sector : agriculture : 25% - industry : 29% - services : 46%

GDP – per capita : US$1,800 (2007)

Budget : revenues : US$421 million - expenditures : US$378 million (2002)

Industries : fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Industrial production growth rate : 2% (2000)

Land use : arable land : 0.2% - permanent crops : 0.01% - other : 99.79%

Agricultural products : dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, cattle, sheep

Exports : US$1.395 billion (2006)

Exports – commodities : iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Exports – partners : China (26.1%), Italy (11.7%), France (10.5%), Spain (6.9%), Belgium (6.8%), Japan (5.4%), Côte d’Ivoire (4.6%) (2006)

Imports : US$1.475 billion (2006)

Imports – commodities : machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports – partners : France (11.9%), China (8.1%), Belgium (6.8%), US (6.7%), Italy (5.9%), Spain (5.7%), Brazil (5.5%) (2006)

External debt : US$2.5 billion (2000)