Mauritania
At a glance
- Official language
- Arabic
- Currency
- Mauritanian ouguiya (MRU)
- Legislature
- National Assembly
- Demonym
- Mauritanian
- Time zone
- UTC±00:00
- Driving side
- Right
- Calling code
- +222
- Internet TLD
- .mr
- ISO 3166
- MR
- Established
- 1960
- Highest point
- Kediet ej Jill (915 m (3,002 ft))
- National anthem
- National anthem of Mauritania
Facts via Wikidata.
Economy and developmentLower middle income
Ranks are among sovereign countries with data; ★ marks a top-5% finish. Sources: World Bank Open Data and Our World in Data (UNDP, UN, V-Dem; CC BY 4.0). Each figure is the most recent year available.
Alliances & Organisations3 full memberships
Political & Economic
Regional
Full memberDashed border = Candidate / ApplicantItalic = Dialogue / Observer
Leadership History36 leaders · click to expand
Moctar Ould Djay✦ Current
2024–PresentPrime Minister
Mohamed Ould Bilal
2020–2024Prime Minister
Ismail Ould Bedde Ould Cheikh Sidiya
2019–2020Prime Minister
Mohamed Ould Ghazouani✦ Current
2019–PresentPresident
Mohamed Salem Ould Béchir
2018–2019Prime Minister
Yahya Ould Hademine
2014–2018Prime Minister
Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
2009–2019President
Ba Mamadou Mbaré
2009–2009President
Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf
2008–2014Prime Minister
Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
2008–2009President
Yahya Ould Ahmed El Waghef
2008–2008Prime Minister
Zeine Ould Zeidane
2007–2008Prime Minister
Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi
2007–2008President
Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar
2005–2007Prime Minister
Ely Ould Mohamed Vall
2005–2007President
Sghair Ould M'Bareck
2003–2005Prime Minister
Cheikh El Avia Ould Mohamed Khouna
1998–2003Prime Minister
Mohamed Lemine Ould Guig
1997–1998Prime Minister
Cheikh El Avia Ould Mohamed Khouna
1996–1997Prime Minister
Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar
1992–1996Prime Minister
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
1984–1992President
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
1984–1992Prime Minister
Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla
1984–1984President
Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla
1984–1984Prime Minister
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
1981–1984President
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
1981–1984Prime Minister
Sid Ahmed Ould Bneijara
1980–1981Prime Minister
Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla
1980–1981President
Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Louly
1979–1980President
Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla
1979–1979President
Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla
1979–1980Prime Minister
Ahmad Salim uld Sidi
1979–1979Prime Minister
Ahmed Ould Bouceif
1979–1979Prime Minister
Mustafa Ould Salek
1978–1979President
Moktar Ould Daddah
1960–1961President
Moktar Ould Daddah
1960–1961Prime Minister
| Name | Role | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Moctar Ould Djay✦ Current | Prime Minister | 2024–Present |
| Mohamed Ould Bilal | Prime Minister | 2020–2024 |
| Ismail Ould Bedde Ould Cheikh Sidiya | Prime Minister | 2019–2020 |
| Mohamed Ould Ghazouani✦ Current | President | 2019–Present |
| Mohamed Salem Ould Béchir | Prime Minister | 2018–2019 |
| Yahya Ould Hademine | Prime Minister | 2014–2018 |
| Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz | President | 2009–2019 |
| Ba Mamadou Mbaré | President | 2009–2009 |
| Moulaye Ould Mohamed Laghdaf | Prime Minister | 2008–2014 |
| Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz | President | 2008–2009 |
| Yahya Ould Ahmed El Waghef | Prime Minister | 2008–2008 |
| Zeine Ould Zeidane | Prime Minister | 2007–2008 |
| Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi | President | 2007–2008 |
| Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar | Prime Minister | 2005–2007 |
| Ely Ould Mohamed Vall | President | 2005–2007 |
| Sghair Ould M'Bareck | Prime Minister | 2003–2005 |
| Cheikh El Avia Ould Mohamed Khouna | Prime Minister | 1998–2003 |
| Mohamed Lemine Ould Guig | Prime Minister | 1997–1998 |
| Cheikh El Avia Ould Mohamed Khouna | Prime Minister | 1996–1997 |
| Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubacar | Prime Minister | 1992–1996 |
| Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya | President | 1984–1992 |
| Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya | Prime Minister | 1984–1992 |
| Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla | President | 1984–1984 |
| Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla | Prime Minister | 1984–1984 |
| Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya | President | 1981–1984 |
| Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya | Prime Minister | 1981–1984 |
| Sid Ahmed Ould Bneijara | Prime Minister | 1980–1981 |
| Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla | President | 1980–1981 |
| Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Louly | President | 1979–1980 |
| Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla | President | 1979–1979 |
| Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla | Prime Minister | 1979–1980 |
| Ahmad Salim uld Sidi | Prime Minister | 1979–1979 |
| Ahmed Ould Bouceif | Prime Minister | 1979–1979 |
| Mustafa Ould Salek | President | 1978–1979 |
| Moktar Ould Daddah | President | 1960–1961 |
| Moktar Ould Daddah | Prime Minister | 1960–1961 |
Power over timeThe Power Atlas →
The powerline is the headline share of world power, running from the state’s first ranked year (benchmark estimates with wide error bars before 1816). Latent power is material mass a state could mobilise (population, manpower, heavy industry). Recognised power is what the system actually treats it as (military spending, productive economy, reach, and status such as a Security Council seat or nuclear arsenal). When latent runs above recognised, a power is rising or under-rated; when recognised runs higher, it is punching above its weight or coasting on prestige. Material sub-indices run 1816 through 2016.
Conflicts since 19452 interstate wars · click to expand
| Conflict | Years | Against | Combat deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mauritania–Senegal Border War | 1989–1991 | Senegal | 200+ |
| Western Sahara War● | 1975–1991 | Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic,Algeria | 10,000–20,000 |
Bold = principal belligerent. Source: Wikipedia, “List of interstate wars since 1945.”
National Teams
Mauritania on the international stage. Click a card for the full record.
Administrative subdivisions
13 entries listed under Mauritania across 2 types. Click any to see its metros and footprint.
Regions (12)
Capital Cities (1)
Mauritania metro footprint
2 metrosPolygons shaded by composite tier. Hover for rank, click to open the metro page. Boundaries derived from Overture Maps administrative divisions; metros without source coverage are omitted.
2 tracked metros
| Rank | Metro | State | Population | Score | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1562 | Nouakchott★ Capital▲ Largest | Nouakchott | 1.4M | 0.7 | Local Metro |
| #2273 | Nouadhibou | Dakhlet Nouadhibou | 177K | 0.3 | Local Metro |