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
country comparison to the world: 29
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 1,030,700 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 0 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:
total: 5,074 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km

Coastline:
754 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

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
More Climate Details

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

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - highest point country ranks ]

Natural resources:
iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish

Land use:
arable land: 0.2%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.01%
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
other: 99.79% (2005)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
490 sq km (2002)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Total renewable water resources:
11.4 cu km (1997)
[see also: Total renewable water resources country ranks ]

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.7 cu km/yr (9%/3%/88%)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - total country ranks ]
per capita: 554 cu m/yr (2000)
[see also: Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural) - per capita country ranks ]

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; 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 is concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country