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



Take a Tour of Mauritania
Click on the arrow and experience the beauties of Mauritania