"Magical Mauritania" a Mauritania Travel Page by ctv881

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<This is the perfect country for people who is looking for desconecting themselves. Magical land divided in four geografical zones:

- Coastal
- Senegal River Valley
- Sahel

Discover what you are losing

It could be extremely useful for you to know where you are going to go, so here are some general notes of this country:
Formal Name: Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
Short Form: Mauritania.
Term for Citizens: Mauritanians.
Capital: Nouakchott.
Date of Independence: November 28, 1960 (from France).

Size: Total area of 1,030,700 square kilometers includes 400 square kilometers of water.
Topography:
Generally flat with vast, arid plains broken by occasional ridges and outcroppings. In center of country, series of scarps facing southwest longitudinally bisect plains; sandstone plateaus, some with isolated peaks, between scarps. Northeast a vast region of dunes.
Climate:
Desert climate across northern three-fourths of country with diurnal extremes in temperatures and meager and irregular rainfall. During rainy season (July to September), average rainfall in far south 400 to 600 millimeters; in northern two-thirds, 0 to 100 millimeters. Desert winds throughout year cause frequent sandstorms.

SOCIETY
Population: Census of 1979 enumerated population of over 1.4 million, including nomadic population of approximately 513,000. In 1987 approximately 1.8 million population with annual growth rate of 2.9 percent. At least 40 percent, and perhaps as much as 80 percent, of population urban and concentrated in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou; remainder farmers or small town dwellers. Rural population densities ranged from 0.1 per square kilometer in north to 35 per square kilometer in south, with overall average of 1.8 per square kilometer. Over 46 percent of population under age fifteen.
Ethnic Groups:
Six ethnic groups; one primarily ArabBerber (Maure), remainder black African (Toucouleur, Fulbe, Soninké, Wolof, and Bambara). Numerical proportions of each a source of contention; in 1978 government claimed 70 percent Maure; others said blacks constituted 50 percent or more.
Languages:
Official languages: Hassaniya Arabic, spoken primarily by Maures, and French, preferred by blacks for political reasons. Fulfulde, Azayr, Wolof, and Mandé-kan spoken by black groups in south.
Religion:
Virtually entire population Sunni and adhere to Maliki rite.
Health:
Infectious and parasitic diseases, including malaria endemic. Health standards low and facilities woefully inadequate; severe shortages of equipment, supplies, and trained personnel.