Location: Northern Africa, along the North Atlantic Ocean, between Western Sahara and Senegal

Map references: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area:
total area: 1,030,700 sq km
land area: 1,030,400 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries: total 5,074 km, Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km

Coastline: 754 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or the edge of continental margin
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: boundary with Senegal

Climate: desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Terrain: mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate

Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 38%
forest and woodland: 5%
other: 56%

Irrigated land: 120 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; water scarcity away from the Senegal which is the only perennial river
natural hazards: hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April
international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Note: most of the population concentrated along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country

NOTE: The information regarding Mauritania on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Mauritania Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Mauritania Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.