Nationality:
noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic groups:
mixed Moor/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%

Languages:
Arabic (official and national), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French, Hassaniya

Religions:
Muslim (official) 100%

Population:
3,359,185 (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
[see also: Population country ranks ]

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.4% (male 665,314/female 660,352)
[see also: Age structure 0-14 years country ranks ]
15-64 years: 56.2% (male 866,859/female 975,821)
[see also: Age structure 15-64 years country ranks ]
65 years and over: 3.5% (male 48,075/female 65,213) (2011 est.)
[see also: Age structure 65 years and over country ranks ]

Median age:
total: 19.5 years
[see also: Median age - total country ranks ]
male: 18.6 years
[see also: Median age - male country ranks ]
female: 20.4 years (2011 est.)
[see also: Median age - female country ranks ]

Population growth rate:
2.323% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
[see also: Population growth rate country ranks ]

Birth rate:
32.78 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
[see also: Birth rate country ranks ]

Death rate:
8.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
[see also: Death rate country ranks ]

Net migration rate:
-0.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
[see also: Net migration rate country ranks ]

Urbanization:
urban population: 41% of total population (2010)
[see also: Urbanization - urban population country ranks ]
rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
[see also: Urbanization - rate of urbanization country ranks ]

Major cities - population:
NOUAKCHOTT (capital) 709,000 (2009)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - at birth country ranks ]
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - under 15 years country ranks ]
15-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - 65 years and over country ranks ]
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2012 est.)
[see also: Sex ratio - total population country ranks ]

Maternal mortality rate:
550 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
country comparison to the world: 22
[see also: Maternal mortality rate country ranks ]

Infant mortality rate:
total: 58.93 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 34
male: 64.02 deaths/1,000 live births
[see also: Infant mortality rate - male country ranks ]
female: 53.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
[see also: Infant mortality rate - female country ranks ]

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 61.53 years
country comparison to the world: 185
male: 59.3 years
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - male country ranks ]
female: 63.82 years (2012 est.)
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - female country ranks ]

Total fertility rate:
4.22 children born/woman (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
[see also: Total fertility rate country ranks ]

Health expenditures:
5.7% of GDP (2009)
country comparison to the world: 121
[see also: Health expenditures country ranks ]

Physicians density:
0.13 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
country comparison to the world: 160
[see also: Physicians density country ranks ]

Hospital bed density:
0.4 beds/1,000 population (2006)
country comparison to the world: 175
[see also: Hospital bed density country ranks ]

Drinking water source:
improved: