Factsheet on Mauritania

GENERAL

Official Name

Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Capital

Nouakchott

Area

1.030.700 sq km

Neighbours

Senegal, Mali, Algeria & Morocco

Head of State

President: H.E. Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh EL Ghazouani (since 2019)

Head of Government

Prime Minister: H.E. Mr. Mokhtar Ould Diay                (since 03 August 2024)

Foreign Minister

H.E. Dr. Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug                       (since April 2022, and reappointed on 06 August 2024 for second term)

Form of Government

Presidential

Time Difference from India

(-) 5.1/2 hours

Religion

Islam (the State religion)

Ethnic Groups 

Haratine (40%), Beydane (30%), Senegal river valley origin – Halpulaar, Fulani, Soninke, Wolof, Bambara (30%)
Source: https://openfactbook.org/countries/mauritania/

Language

Arabic (official), French, Soninke, Pulaar & Wolof

Major Political Parties

• The Equity Party (El Insaf)
• Refoundation for a Global Action (RAG)
• Tewassoul
• Union for Democracy and Progress (UDP)
• National Democratic Alliance
• El Karama
• IRA (Initiative pour la Résurgence du Mouvement Abolitionniste)

Currency
[Exchange rate with US$]

Mauritanian Ouguiya (MRU)
US$1= approx. 39.74 Mauritania Ouguiya (April 2026)
Source: Central Bank of Mauritania

GDP

10,69 milliards USD (2024)
Source: APIM

GDP Growth Rate

4%
Source : ANSADE (2025) Note trimestrielle du commerce extérieur de la Mauritanie: Q1 2025 (No. 68), Q2 2025 (No. 69), Q3 2025 (No. 70), Q4 2025 (No. 71),

Inflation

4.7% = Prices in March 2026 compared to March 2025
2.5% = Average increase over the 12-month period (March 2025 – March 2026)

Source:Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de l’Analyse Démographique et Économique (ANSADE), Note sur la croissance économique T1 :T2 :T3 :T4

GDP Per Capita

US$ 2.082 (2024)
Source: World Bank

Population

5.34 million (2026)
Source: www.ansad.mr

Life Expectancy

63 years
Source: Loi n° 2020-020

Principal natural resources

Iron ore, gypsum, copper, lithium, uranium, phosphate, diamonds, gold, fish, oil & gas, solar, wind energy; and hydrogen.

Total Exports

Total Mauritanian exports for 2025 reached 182,096 million MRU (≈ 4,582 million USD), with the strongest performance recorded in Q3, driven by robust gold and fishery shipments. The leading export commodities were gold, silver, and platinum (Or, argent et platine) at 63,902 million MRU (≈ 1,608 million USD, 35%), followed by iron ore at 51,952 million MRU (≈ 1,307 million USD, 28.5%), and fishery products (Produits de la pêche) at 43,466 million MRU (≈ 1,094 million USD, 24%); additionally, copper ore contributed 8,743 million MRU (≈ 220 million USD) and liquefied natural gas added 6,845 million MRU (≈ 172 million USD), mainly in the second half of the year. In terms of destinations, China was the leading partner with 38,052 million MRU (≈ 958 million USD), primarily importing iron ore and copper, followed by Switzerland at 26,702 million MRU (≈ 672 million USD) and Canada at 21,274 million MRU (≈ 535 million USD) (both mainly gold), while Spain imported 16,893 million MRU (≈ 425 million USD), dominated by fishery products, and Algeria accounted for 10,749 million MRU (≈ 270 million USD), mainly iron ore and re-exports.

Source : ANSADE (2025) Note trimestrielle du commerce extérieur de la Mauritanie: Q1 2025 (No. 68), Q2 2025 (No. 69), Q3 2025 (No. 70), Q4 2025 (No. 71),

Total imports

Total Mauritanian imports for 2025 amounted to 239,426 million MRU (≈ 6,025 million USD). The main imported commodity categories were petroleum products at 66,182 million MRU (≈ 1,666 million USD, 27.6%), followed by capital goods at 48,878 million MRU (≈ 1,230 million USD, including 27,394 million MRU in Q4 alone), food products at 45,253 million MRU (≈ 1,139 million USD), transport equipment at 29,855 million MRU (≈ 751 million USD), and construction materials (Matériaux de construction) at 21,672 million MRU (≈ 545 million USD). By country of origin, Spain was the largest supplier with 31,022 million MRU (≈ 781 million USD), followed by China at 21,633 million MRU (≈ 544 million USD), another partner at 20,989 million MRU (≈ 528 million USD), the United Arab Emirates at 20,706 million MRU (≈ 521 million USD) predominantly petroleum products and France at 12,266 million MRU (≈ 309 million USD).

Source : ANSADE (2025) Note trimestrielle du commerce extérieur de la Mauritanie: Q1 2025 (No. 68), Q2 2025 (No. 69), Q3 2025 (No. 70), Q4 2025 (No. 71),

BILATERAL

Total Bilateral trade

US$ 137.46 Million (2024-25)
228.05 Million (2025-26)

India’s Exports

US$ 114.83 Million (2024-25)
US$ 160.66 Million (2025-26)

India’s Imports

US$ 22.63 Million (2024-25)
US$ 67.39 Million (2025-26)

India’s Main Exports

Sugars & Confectionary, cereals, chemicals, plastics, ceramic, vehicles, Cotton fabrics, garments, articles of iron or steel, machinery and mechanical appliances, aluminum and articles thereof, wires and cables, pharmaceutical products.

India’s Main Imports

Battery waste, Waste and scrap of metals (aluminum, iron, copper, brass, nickel)

Indian Community

150 approx. (mostly expatriates)