Mauritania: Forest Cover, 2005
| Total Land Area (ha) | 102,522,000 | | Total Forest Area (ha) | 267,000 | | Percent Forest Cover | 0.26% | | Primary Forest Cover (ha) | - | | Primary Forest, % total forest | - | | Primary Forest, % total land | - | | Other wooded land (ha) | 3,110,000 |
Mauritania : Forest types
| Tropical (% forest area) | 100% | | Subtropical (% forest area) | 0% | | Temperate (% forest area) | 0% | | Boreal/polar (% forest area) | 0% |
Mauritania: Breakdown of forest types, 2005
| Primary forest (ha | %) | - | - | | Modified natural (ha | %) | - | - | | Semi-natural (ha | %) | - | - | | Production plantation (ha | %) | - | - | | Production plantation (ha | %) | - | - |
Mauritania: Change in Forest Cover
| TOTAL FOREST COVER | | Forest 1990 (ha) | 415,000 | | Forest 2000 (ha) | 317,000 | | Forest 2005 (ha) | 267,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | (9,800) | -2.36% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | (10,000) | -3.15% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | (148,000) | -35.66% | | Change in rate (%) | 33.59% | | PRIMARY FOREST COVER | | Primary 1990 (ha) | - | | Primary 2000 (ha) | - | | Primary 2005 (ha) | - | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | - | - | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Change in rate (%) | - | | OTHER WOODED LAND | | Other 1990 (ha) | 3,110,000 | | Other 2000 (ha) | 3,110,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | 3,110,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Change in rate (%) | #DIV/0! | | PLANTATIONS | | Other 1990 (ha) | - | | Other 2000 (ha) | 10,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | - | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | - | - | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Change in rate (%) | - | TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION
Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations | | Other 1990 (ha) | 3,525,000 | | Other 2000 (ha) | 3,417,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | 3,377,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | (10,800) | -0.31% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | (8,000) | -0.23% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | (148,000) | -4.20% | | Change in rate (%) | -23.58% |
Mauritania: Primary
| Primary or "old-growth" vegetation | | Primary Forest 2005 (ha) | - | | Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) | - | | Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) | 0 | | Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area) | 0.00% |
Mauritania: Forest designation
| Ownership of forest land, 2000 | | Public (%) | 97.5% | | Private (%) | 2.5% | | Other (%) | 0.0% | | Ownership of other wooded land, 2000 | | Public (%) | - | | Private (%) | - | | Other (%) | - | | Designated functions of forest – primary function 2005 | | Production (%) | - | | Protection (%) | - | | Conservation (%) | - | | Social Services (%) | - | | Multiple Services (%) | - | | None of Unknown (%) | 100.0% |
Mauritania: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000
| Forest Area annually affected by | | Fire (%) | - | | Insects (ha) | - | | Diseases (ha) | - | | Other (ha) | - |
Mauritania: Protected areas
| Protected areas | | Biosphere reserves, 2005 | | Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 2005 | 3 | | World Heritage sites, 2004 | 2 | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land | 0.0% | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land | 0.00% | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 2004 | 0.24% | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 2004 | 0.00% |
Mauritania: Biodiversity - Wildlife
| Amphibians | | total species | 3 | | endemic species | 0 | | threatened species | 0 | | Birds | | total species | 521 | | endemic species | 0 | | threatened species | 5 | | Mammals | | total species | 94 | | endemic species | 1 | | threatened species | 7 | | Reptiles | | total species | 74 | | endemic species | 4 | | threatened species | 2 | | Wildlife diversity | | total species | 692 | | endemic species | 5 | | threatened species | 14 |
Mauritania: Biodiversity - Plants
| Growing stock composition | 3 most common species
% of total growing stock | - | | Growing stock composition | 3 most common species
% of total growing stock | - | | Number of Native tree species | | | Native tree species | 52 | | Number of tree species in IUCN red list | | Critically Endangered | | 0 | | Endangered | 0 | | Vulnerable | 0 | | Vascular Plant Species, 2004 | | Total | 1100 | | Number endemic | 0 | | Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004 | | Species threatened | 0 |
Mauritania: Value of forests
| Biomass stock in forest, 2005 | | Above-ground biomass (M t) | 10 | | Below-ground biomass (M t) | 3 | | Dead wood (M t) | - | | Total (M t) | - | | Carbon stock in forest, 2005 | | Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t) | 5 | | Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t) | 2 | | Carbon in dead wood (M t) | - | | Carbon in litter (M t) | - | | Soil carbon (M t) | - | | Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005 | | Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr) | | 1990-2000 | -196 | | 2000-2005 | -200 | | Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005 | | Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr) | | 1990-2000 | 0 | | 2000-2005 | 0 | | Wood removal 2005 | | Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m) | - | | Wood fuel (1000 cubic m) | - | | Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m) | - | | Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock) | - | | Plant products 2005 | | Food (t) | - | | Fodder (t) | - | | Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) | - | | Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) | - | | Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t) | - | | Ornamental plants (t) | - | | Exudates (t) | - | | Other plant products (t) | - | | Animal products 2005 | | Living animals (units) | - | | Hides, skins and trophies (units) | - | | Wild honey and bee-wax (t) | - | | Bush meat (t) | - | | Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) | - | | Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) | - | | Other edible animal products (t) | - | | Other non-edible animal products (t) | - | | Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005 | | Industrial roundwood (US$) | - | | Wood fuel (US$) | - | | Non-wood forest products (US$) | - | | Total value (US$) | - | | Total value ($USD/ha) | $- | | Employment in forestry 2000 | | Total people employed | - |
Mauritania : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002
| Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 1,502 | | Imports | - | | Exports | - | | Consumption | 1,502 | | Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 6 | | Imports | 0 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 6 | | Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | - | | Imports | 0 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 0 | | Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | - | | Imports | 0 | | Exports | 1 | | Consumption | 0 | | Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002 | | Production | - | | Imports | 0 | | Exports | - | | Consumption | 0 | | Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002 | | Production | - | | Imports | 2 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 2 |
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Mauritania: Environment
| Environment - current issues | overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial river; locust infestation | | Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | | Natural hazards | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts |
Mauritania: Land use / Resources
| Land use (%) | arable land: 0.48%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.51% (2001) | | Natural resources | iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish |
Mauritania: Economy
| Economy - overview: | Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for nearly 40% of total exports. The decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt which now stands at more than three times the level of annual exports. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. A new investment code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current world oil prices. Mauritania has an estimated 1 billion barrels of proved reserves. Substantial oil production and exports are scheduled to begin in early 2006 and may average 75,000 barrels per day for that year. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and promoting privatization of the economy. | | GDP - per capita | $2,000 (2005 est.) | | GDP - real growth rate (%) | 5.5% (2005 est.) | | Agriculture - products | dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep | | GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 25%, industry: 29%, services: 46% (2001 est.) | | Industries | fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum | | Economic aid - recipient | $305.7 million (2002) | | Debt - external | $2.5 billion (2000) | | Population below poverty line (%) | 40% (2004 est.) | | Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture 50%, industry 10%, services 40% (2001 est.) |
Mauritania: Population / Demographics
| Population (July 2005) | 3,086,859 | | Population growth rate (%) (2005) | 2.90% | | Population density (people/sq km) (2005) | 3.0 | | Percent rural (2003) | 38.2% | | Median age (years) | total: 16.98 years | | Total fertility rate (children born/woman) | 5.94 (2005 est.) | | Ethnic groups (%) | mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30% |
Largest Cities in Mauritania
Cities and urban areas in Mauritania with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.
| City | Country | City Population | Urban Area Population |
| Nouakchott | Mauritania | 426300 | 426300 |
 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World’s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)
Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com
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