Mauritania: Environmental Profile

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MAURITANIA

Mauritania Forest Figures

Forest Cover

Total forest area: 267,000 ha
% of land area: 0.3%

Primary forest cover: n/a
% of land area: n/a
% total forest area: n/a

Deforestation Rates, 2000-2005

Annual change in forest cover: -10,000 ha
Annual deforestation rate: -3.4%
Change in defor. rate since '90s: 33.6%
Total forest loss since 1990: -148,000 ha
Total forest loss since 1990:-35.7%

Primary or "Old-growth" forests
Annual loss of primary forests: n/a
Annual deforestation rate: n/a
Change in deforestation rate since '90s: n/a
Primary forest loss since 1990: n/a
Primary forest loss since 1990:n/a

Forest Classification

Public: 97.5%
Private: 2.5%
Other: 0%
Use
Production: n/a
Protection: n/a
Conservation: n/a
Social services: n/a
Multiple purpose: n/a
None or unknown: 100

Forest Area Breakdown

Total area: 267,000 ha
Primary: n/a
Modified natural: n/a
Semi-natural: n/a
Production plantation: n/a
Production plantation: n/a

Plantations

Plantations, 2005: n/a
% of total forest cover: n/a
Annual change rate (00-05): n/a

Carbon storage

Above-ground biomass: 10 M t
Below-ground biomass: 3 M t

Area annually affected by

Fire: n/a
Insects: n/a
Diseases: n/a

Number of tree species in IUCN red list

Number of native tree species: 52
Critically endangered: 0
Endangered: 0
Vulnerable: 0

Wood removal 2005

Industrial roundwood: n/a
Wood fuel: n/a

Value of forest products, 2005

Industrial roundwood: n/a
Wood fuel: n/a
Non-wood forest products (NWFPs): n/a
Total Value: n/a

More forest statistics for Mauritania

There is no rainforest in Mauritania and very little tropical forest.

Environmental degradation is a serious problem in Mauritania. The leading causes of deforestation are subsistence agriculture, clearing for livestock grazing, and iron-ore mining. Forest clearing has resulted in soil erosion and further desertification and extended drought. Plagued by a large foreign debt it seems increasingly likely that Mauritania's forests will be used as a source of income.

0.2 percent of Mauritania is under some form of protection.

Unless otherwise specified, this article was written by Rhett A. Butler [Bibliographic citation for this page]

Other resources

Contact me if you have suggestions on other rainforest-related environmental sites and resources for this country.

Image copyright Google Earth, MDA EarthSet, DigitalGlobe 2005

CIA-World Factbook Profile
FAO-Forestry Profile
World Resources Institute

Last updated: 4 Feb 2006