Mauritania
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Introduction - Mauritania: | Location - Mauritania: | Location | Northern 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
land: 1,030,400 sq km
water: 300 sq km | | 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 | 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 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 | arable land: 0.2%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.79% (2005) | | Irrigated land | 490 sq km (2002) | | 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; 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 | most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country | |
People - Mauritania: | Government - Mauritania: | Economy - Mauritania: | Communications - Mauritania: | Transportation - Mauritania: | Military - Mauritania: |
This page was last updated on 16 September, 2007 Source: CIA >>> |