Economy - overview:
Mauritania's economy is dominated by natural resources and agriculture. Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania's extensive mineral resources include iron ore, gold, copper, gypsum, and phosphate rock and exploration is ongoing for uranium, crude oil, and natural gas. Extractive commodities make up 75% of Mauritania's total exports. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, and fishing accounts for 20% of budget revenues, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. Risks to Mauritania's economy include its recurring exposure to droughts, dependence on foreign aid and investment, and insecurity in neighboring Mali, as well as significant shortages of infrastructure, institutional capacity, and human capital.
GDP (purchasing power parity): GDP (official exchange rate): GDP - real growth rate: GDP - per capita (PPP): Gross national saving: GDP - composition, by end use:
GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
Agriculture - products: Industries: Industrial production growth rate: Labor force: Labor force - by occupation:
Unemployment rate: Population below poverty line: Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Distribution of family income - Gini index: Budget:
Taxes and other revenues: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-): Fiscal year: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Central bank discount rate: Commercial bank prime lending rate: Stock of domestic credit: Market value of publicly traded shares: Current account balance: Exports: Exports - commodities: Exports - partners: Imports: Imports - commodities: Imports - partners: Debt - external: Exchange rates:
$8.204 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
$7.708 billion (2012 est.)
$7.212 billion (2011 est.)
note:
data are in 2013 US dollars
[see also: GDP country ranks ]
$4.183 billion (2013 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]
6.4% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
6.9% (2012 est.)
3.6% (2011 est.)
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]
$2,200 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
$2,100 (2012 est.)
$2,000 (2011 est.)
note:
data are in 2013 US dollars
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]
27.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
26.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
39.3% of GDP (2011 est.)
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]
household consumption:
52.4%
government consumption:
22.7%
investment in fixed capital:
61.9%
investment in inventories:
-8.9%
exports of goods and services:
56.8%
imports of goods and services:
-84.9%
(2013 est.)
agriculture:
16.9%
industry:
54.6%
services:
28.5% (2013 est.)
dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep
fish processing, oil production, mining (iron ore, gold, copper)
note:
gypsum deposits have never been exploited
8% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]
1.318 million (2007)
country comparison to the world: 135
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]
agriculture:
50%
industry:
2%
services:
48% (2001 est.)
30% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
20% (2004 est.)
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]
40% (2004 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]
lowest 10%:
2.5%
highest 10%:
29.5% (2000)
39 (2000)
country comparison to the world: 66
37.3 (1995)
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]
revenues:
$1.677 billion
expenditures:
$1.702 billion (2013 est.)
40.1% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]
-0.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]
calendar year
4.6% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
4.9% (2012 est.)
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]
9% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
12% (31 December 2007)
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]
18% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
17% (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]
$1.739 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
$1.514 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]
$NA
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]
-$1.24 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
-$1.263 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]
$2.728 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
$2.642 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: Exports country ranks ]
iron ore, fish and fish products, gold, copper, petroleum
China 50.5%, Italy 7.8%, Japan 7.3%, France 4.9%, Spain 4.2%, Cote dIvoire 4.1%, Netherlands 4% (2012)
$3.355 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
$3.176 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: Imports country ranks ]
machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods
China 12.9%, Netherlands 10.5%, US 7.8%, France 7.8%, Brazil 5.6%, Germany 5.5%, Spain 5.1%, Belgium 4.7% (2012)
$3.233 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
$2.922 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]
ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar -
298.1 (2013 est.)
296.6 (2012 est.)
275.89 (2010 est.)
262.4 (2009)
238.2 (2008)