A majority of the population still depends on
agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though most of the
nomads and many subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by
recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive
deposits of iron ore, which account for almost 50% of total exports.
The decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks
in production. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest
fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners
threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater
port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In recent years, drought and
economic mismanagement have resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. In
March 1999, the government signed an agreement with a joint World
Bank-IMF mission on a $54 million enhanced structural adjustment
facility (ESAF). The economic objectives have been set for 1999-2002.
Privatization remains one of the key issues. Mauritania is unlikely to
meet ESAF's annual GDP growth objectives of 4%-5%.

purchasing power parity - $4.9 billion (1999 est.)

3.7% (1999 est.)

purchasing power parity - $1,910 (1999 est.)

agriculture: 25%
industry: 31%
services: 44% (1997)

57% (1990 est.)

lowest 10%: 0.7%
highest 10%: 30.4% (1988)

9.8% (1998)

465,000 (1981 est.); 45,000 wage earners (1980)

agriculture 47%, services 39%, industry
14%

23% (1995 est.)

revenues: $329 million
expenditures: $265 million, including capital expenditures of $75
million (1996 est.)

fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

7.2% (1994)

152 million kWh (1998)

fossil fuel: 80.26%
hydro: 19.74%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1998)

141 million kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

0 kWh (1998)

dates, millet, sorghum, root crops; cattle,
sheep; fish products

$425 million (f.o.b., 1997)

fish and fish products, iron ore, gold

Japan 24%, Italy 17%, France 14%, Spain 8% (1997)

$444 million (f.o.b., 1997)

machinery and equipment, petroleum products,
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

France 26%, Spain 8%, Germany 7%, Benelux 7%
(1997)

$2.5 billion (1997)

$227.9 million (1995)

1 ouguiya (UM) = 5 khoums

ouguiyas (UM) per US$1 - 219.560 (December 1999),
209.514 (1999), 188.476 (1998), 151.853 (1997), 137.222 (1996),
129.768 (1995)

calendar year