The Islamic Republic of
Mauritania
Click on the arrow and listen to the Mauritania National Anthem
Interesting Facts:
Mauritania is one of the least densely populated countries in the world
Population of 3,364,940
The population density of the country is 6 persons per square mile
Mauritania is one of the largest countries
in Africa
It is twice the size of France
Fewer than 15, 000 telephones are in Mauritania
The city of Nouakchott is the capital of Mauritania
In 1980 slavery was abolished in Mauritania
Yet, there are still approximately 90,000 black slaves, mainly owned by African Arabs
Map of Mauritania
Presidents of Mauritania
Sidi Oula Cheikh Abdallahi
Sidi Oula Cheikh Abdallahi
In March 2007
Presidential Elections
were held, and Sidi
Ould Cheikh Abdallahi
became Mauritania’s first
democratically elected
president
He remained the President for 15-months
On August 6, 2008
President Abdallahi
a military coup forcibly
removed him from office placing him into custody and imprisoning his wife and children in the presidential palace
On Sunday,
December 12, 2008,
President Abdallahi was freed
"without conditions" from
house arrest by the military junta
Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
On August 6, 2008 Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz became the new president of Mauritania after overthrowing the existing government and seizing power.
His reason for overthrowing the government was "to bring an end to dictatorship, to nepotism, to chaos and disorder and to save democracy"
On April 15,2009 Abdel Aziz resigned from Mauritania's head of Council and announced his intentions to run in the presidential elections, scheduled for June 6, 2009
The Present Reigning Senate President
Ba Mamadou Mbare
Ba Mamadou Mbaré (b. 1946) is the new and current Acting President of the High Council of State of Mauritania
Senate President Ba Mamadou Mbare was quickly sworn in as interim leader of the desert nation in western African April 15, 2009
Mbare became the first-ever black leader of the Arab-dominated country
Government
The legal system is based on Islam
Mauritania Government and Politics is now under the jurisdiction of a republican constitution of 1991 resembling that of the France.
Both the Mauritania Government and Politics are guided by the Islamic sharia law and is under military rule
Mauritania is now under an authoritative single party regime.
The President is elected through a popular vote for a stretch of six years.
The President in turn appoints the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.
The Mauritania Government and Politics is controlled by a bicameral parliament.
The parliament of the Government and Politics of Mauritania is represented by a 56 seat Senate or the Majlis al-Shuyukh which has its members selected through the municipal leaders for a six year term.
There is also a Majlis al-Watani or the National Assembly with 79 members who are elected for 5 year terms by popular voting, in the Politics and Government of Mauritania.
The nationalist and formerly socialist Democratic and Social Republican Party (PRDS) is presently in power in the Mauritania Government and Politics.
The party id headed by President who is in control of the 71 seats out of the 79 in the National Assembly.
There are eight deputies who represent other parties.
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107771.html
Taking Over A Government
Some Interesting Facts
On the morning of 6 August 2008 Abdel Aziz was ordered removed by Abdallahi from his command
Mauritania would be governed on a transitional basis by an 11-member High Council of State, with Abdel Aziz as the President of the Council, until a new presidential election was held "as soon as possible".
The coup government of General Ould Abdel Aziz promised that it would hold free and fair elections on 6 June 2009
Mauritanian general Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz stepped down as junta leader to launch his bid for the presidency some eight months after he ousted the country's first democratically elected president
Money in Mauritania
The ouguiya is the currency of Mauritania
Each ouguiya comprising of five khoums
(singular and plural in English meaning "one fifth")
The ouguiya was introduced in 1973 replacing the CFA franc at a rate of 1 ouguiya = 5 francs.
1 Mauritanian Ouguiya = 0.003861 US Dollar
1 US Dollar (USD) = 258.970 Mauritanian Ouguiya (MRO)
Religion in Mauritania
Virtually all the inhabitants of the country are Muslim, and many belong to the Qadiriyya brotherhood.
Languages of Mauritania
The great majority of Mauritanians use Hasaniya Arabic, which, along with Wolof, is an official language.
French is the other official language of Mauritania, spoken in the marketplace as a common second language.
Other indigenous languages such as Pular and Soninke are also widely spoken.
Famous Landmarks
Sharm el Sheikh - King Snefro
Ras Za'atar - Coral head
Ras Za'atar -
Coral head with jewels
Old town, Chinguetti
Nouakchott
The place of the winds
It is the capital
It is the largest city of Mauritania
It is one of the largest cities in the
Sahara
It is the administrative and economic
center of Mauritania
NOUADHIBOU
Nouadhibou is a place never constructed to fit the needs of tourists
There is very little to see inside the city of more around 60,000 people
Nature is of splendid beauty
Nouadhibou stretches along a thin peninsula running out from and parallel to the mainland
Everything is more or less sand, shaped by the wind, meeting the sea in several bays without any vegetation destroying your impression of really being in Sahara
Adrar Bous
Banc d'Arguin
National Park in Mauritania
Music in Mauritania
Times Past
The ethnic group of Moors has contributed largely to the Mauritania Music
Though the musicians in the Moorish society are considered to be the persons of the lowest caste, they have been the major contributors to the Mauritania Music
In the old days, the Moorish musicians were called by the lords to perform
The Moorish musicians use to wander from village to village and played their music
Present Times
Musicians are now paid for their performance
A number of artists and bands are experimenting extensively with the fusion of traditional Mauritania Music and Western forms of music
Internationally famous artists and bands of
Mauritania include:
Daby
Toure
Dimi Mint Abba
Aicha
Mint Chighaly
Ooleya
Mint Amartichitt
Malouma Diddal
Jaalal
Tahra
Senerim
Dimi Mint Abba
Women are not encouraged in Mauritania to take part in the professional Mauritania music
In spite of all the constraints of the society, few female artists in Mauritania have opted for music as their career and won international fame
One of these female musicians of Mauritania who has won international fame for her singing is Dimi Mint Abba
She has performed on the radio stations
Listen to Dimi Mint Abb
Click on the arrow and listen to Dimi Mint Abba a famous singer from Mauritania
Dining in Mauritania
Interesting Things To Know:
National specialties:
• Mechoui (whole roast lamb)
• Dates.
• Spiced fish and rice with vegetables.
• Fish balls, dried fish, dried meat and couscous.
National drinks:
• Zrig (camel’s milk) is a common drink.
•Sweet Arab tea with mint.
Camel Cheese -
soon coming to a grocery near you
The camel cheese trend started in the African
nation of Mauritania
World's first and only camel dairy farm
Mauritanians consume camel milk as part of
their everyday diet
Nancy Abeiderrahmane was the first to think
of turning camel milk into cheese to preserve its
shelf life