Country Comments

With a large land mass Mauritania is diverse in its natural resources. Much of the country is covered by the dry and barren Sahara Desert. Drought, desertification and lack of clean water pose serious challenges to its populace. However the country’s coastal region teams with wetlands and extensive biological resources including fisheries.

The World Bank reports Mauritania as an economically poor country, in which little progress has been made in social and health justice. Groups such as youth, women, and low-income workers, are becoming increasingly marginalized. Only 55% of children aged 6 to 11 are enrolled in primary school. (1)

Although population and consumption rates are currently sustainable, with fertility rates over 4 ½ children per woman the country’s population is growing quickly having increasing negative implications on the health and welfare of its citizens and environment.

(1) https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/mauritania/overview.