The most important industries in the West African country are fishing and the mining of raw materials, particularly iron ore. The world market price for iron ore therefore has a significant influence on the gross domestic product.

But the desert state with around five million inhabitants has set out to diversify its economy: Natural gas is being extracted in Mauritania since 2023, and renewable energies are likely to play a key role in the future. International investors are planning to export green electricity and green hydrogen.

In addition to comparatively stable political conditions, they are also attracted by improved state investment promotion. Projects for the local processing of raw materials and the irrigation of agricultural land via the Senegal River also offer development opportunities.

 

Economy. According to the IMF, the economy grew by 4.8 percent in 2023. For the last and the current year, economists predict growths rates of 5.1 and 5.5 percent. The gross domestic product per capita rose from the equivalent of 732 to 2121 US-Dollars since 2003. Inflation recently stood at 2.8 per cent. National debt has reached around 48.5 per cent of GDP.

Population. Mauritania has five million inhabitants; the population grows with an annual rate of around 3.0 percent. Since 2002, the fertilty rate has risen slightly from 5.3 to 4.3 children per woman. Life expectancy was at 65 years recently (twenty years ago: 61). 49 percent of the population has access to electricity (twenty years ago, it was 24,3 percent).

Governance. On Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index, Mauritania ranks 130th out of 180. Since 2018, the country gained some ground here: the score rose from 27 to 30 points. This puts Mauritania just one point behind countries such as Kenya, Mexico and Togo.

 

Sources and further information:

World Bank: https://data.worldbank.org/country/mauritania

Africa Business Guide https://www.africa-business-guide.de/de/maerkte/mauretanien

Germany Trade & Invest: https://www.gtai.de/resource/blob/255768/59f234e7eec16558cbe0e0beac5de951/GTAI-Wirtschaftsdaten_Mai_2024_Mauretanien.pdf

Transparency International: https://www.transparency.org/en/cpi/2023/index/nga

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