Location: Mauritania is a Northern Africa country, 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 kmē
land:
1,030,400 kmē
water:
300 kmē
Area - comparative: slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico
Land boundaries:
total:
5,074 km
border countries:
Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km
Coastline: 754 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 [nautical mile]]s
continental shelf:
200 nautical miles or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nautical miles
territorial sea:
12 nautical miles
Climate: desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Terrain: mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m
highest point:
Kediet Ijill 910 m
Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate
Land use:
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
38%
forests and woodland:
4%
other:
58% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 490 kmē (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues: overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal which is the only perennial river
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country
- See also : Mauritania
