According to statistics, about 15 per cent of Mauritania's population is enslaved, or about 670,000 slaves. The special geographical environment led the government to abolish slavery, but slavery still existed in remote areas, rural areas, oases and other areas.
Name of country: Islamic Republic of Mauritania, abbreviated as Mauritania.
Overview: Located in northwest Africa, Mauritania borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west, bordering Western Sahara, Algeria, Mali and Senegal, with an area of about 1,030,700 square kilometers. The coastline is 754 kilometers long, and the sea area is 163,500 square kilometers. Its special geographical location gives it the dual attributes of Arabia and sub-Saharan African countries, known as the Arab-African Bridge.
The whole territory is flat, and the southeastern border and coastal areas are plain. 2/3 of the area is desert, known as the "desert republic".
Mauritania is a transitional zone between Arab culture in North Africa and black culture in sub-Saharan Africa, with the dual characteristics of a rich oasis in the desert north and a barren land in the south.
Administrative: The country is divided into 15 provinces and 54 counties. The capital, Nouakchott, with a population of about 1 million, is the political, cultural, commercial, financial and transportation center of Maota. Capital Airport is Maota's main foreign exchange port.
LOCATED ON THE PENINSULA OF BAIE DU LEVRIER, NORTHWEST OF MAITA, WITH A RADIUS OF ABOUT 4 KM WIDE AND 20 KM LONG, NOUADHIBOU IS THE SECOND LARGEST CITY IN MAITA AND THE CAPITAL OF DACHLET-NOUADHIB PROVINCE. It concentrates the two major economic lifelines of Maota - fishing and mining, and is known as the "economic capital" of Maota. Nouadhibous is close to the Canary Islands in Spain, and its privileged location makes it a window to the Mota.
Population: 4.78 million (2021), generally divided into two categories: Moors (about 70% Moors, living in the north and center) and black Africans (black Africans, mostly living along the Senegal River in the south). Among the Moors, 30% are White Moors (Arab-Berber ancestry), 40% are Haratines (also known as Black Moors) with Arabic cultural language traditions, and 30% are black Africans. The main black African peoples are the Tukule, Por, Sonink, Wolov and Bambara. Arabic is the official language and French is the lingua franca. Ethnic languages are Hasan, Bhullal, Soningk and Wolof. About 96 per cent of the population professes Islam. There are also some inhabitants along the Senegal River who practice traditional religions.
History: Mauritania's earliest inhabitants were the Black Bafur ethnic group, and later North African Berbers moved into northern Mauritania. The Arabs entered Mauritania in the 7th century AD. It became a French protectorate in 1903 and a French colony in 1912. In 1920, it became a colony under the jurisdiction of French West Africa. It became a "semi-autonomous republic" in 1956, joined the French Community in September 1958 and proclaimed the "Islamic Republic of Mauritania" in November. Independence on November 28, 1960.
Economy: Mauritania's GDP in 2021 was $9.7 billion and GDP per capita was $2,030. It is one of the least developed countries in the world. The economic structure is single, the foundation is weak, iron ore and fishery are its two pillar industries, and the oil and gas industry is an emerging industry.
Mauritania is rich in mineral resources, and signs of the existence of 400 minerals such as uranium, cobalt, manganese, coal and diamonds have been detected. Mauritania's iron ore reserves are about 10.7 billion tons, and iron ore exports account for 70% of Maota's foreign exports and 30% of state revenue. Ore production in 2016 was 12 million tons, mainly exported to European countries, making it Africa's second largest iron ore exporter after South Africa. The huge Zuerat iron ore mine, located in the north of the country, has iron ore reserves of more than 200 million tons. Mota Oil & Gas is an emerging industry with six offshore fields discovered and an estimated 1 billion barrels of oil reserved. In February 2006, Mauta officially became an oil producer. BP has begun developing offshore gas resources on the border between Mauta and Senegal, with an estimated 15 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves. Fishing is the backbone of Mauritania's national economy, and fishery exports account for 40% of the country's export earnings.
The National Industrial and Mining Company of Mauritania is the largest enterprise in Mauritania and the only iron ore production and sales enterprise in Mauritania. In the share structure of the company, 78.35% of the shares of the Mauritanian State are owned by 5 foreign institutions and 1 private Mauritanian company. 28% of Maota's fiscal revenue comes from the company, and its annual exports account for about 60% of the country's total exports.
Mauritanians generally welcome dignitaries and are accustomed to "roasting whole sheep" as the most gracious hospitality.
Known as the seventh holiest city in Islam, the mosque of the ancient city of Hingeti is the country's most famous building, with minarets made of dry stone and set with camel eggs. The "Sand River" on the edge of the city is also a scene, known as the "holy city" of Mauritania.
Mauritania has only one 600 km long railway connecting the non-Derrick iron ore mine in northern Mauritania with Nouadhibou, and the train transporting iron ore to the port of Nouadhibou is known as the longest train in the world and has also become one of the tourist attractions.
In 1965, China and Mao established diplomatic relations.
In the early years of independence, Morocco considered Mauritania to be part of Moroccan territory, and relations between the two countries were strained, and after Algeria's good offices, Mauritania and Morocco established diplomatic relations in 1969.
Mao has a close traditional relationship and the two countries have a defense agreement. France is an important trading partner and largest investor in Mao, providing about $30 million in various types of assistance to Mao every year.