Population:
2,912,584 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46% (male 671,080; female 668,408)
15-64 years: 51.8% (male 743,573; female 764,358)
65 years and over: 2.2% (male 26,669; female 38,496) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.9 years
male: 16.6 years
female: 17.2 years (2002)
Population growth rate:
2.91% (2003 est.)
Birth rate:
42.16 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate:
13.04 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 73.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 70.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 76.62 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 51.93 years
male: 49.78 years
female: 54.13 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.08 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.8% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
6,600 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
610 (2001 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian
Ethnic groups:
mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%
Religions:
Muslim 100%
Languages:
Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (official),
French
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 41.7%
male: 51.8%
female: 31.9% (2003 est.)