Demographics of Mauritania

Population pyramid of Mauritania in 2020

Population| 5,169,342 (2024 est.)
Growth rate| 1.99% (2022 est.)
Birth rate| 28.06 births/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Death rate| 7.43 deaths/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Life expectancy| 65.22 years
• male| 62.77 years
• female| 67.75 years
Fertility rate| 4.40 children born/woman (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate| 50.99 deaths/1,000 live births
Net migration rate| -0.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2022 est.)
Age structure
0–14 years| 40.92%
15–64 years| 55.87%
65 and over| 3.21%
Nationality
Nationality| Mauritanian
Major ethnic|

*     * Haratin
* Afro-Arabs

Minor ethnic|

*     * Fula
* Wolof
* Toucouleur
* Serer[1]
* Others

Language
Official| Arabic (official)
Spoken| Languages of Mauritania

"Mauritanians" redirects here; not to be confused with Mauritians.

Demographic features of the population of Mauritania (Arabic: التركيبة السكانية في موريتانيا) include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects.

## Population

[edit]

Population, fertility rate and net reproduction rate, United Nations estimates Census population and growth rateYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

1977| 1,339,000| —
1988| 1,864,000| +3.05%
2000| 2,508,000| +2.50%
2013| 3,537,000| +2.68%
Source:[2]

According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects[3][4], the total population was 4,614,974 in 2021, compared to only 657 000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 39.9%, 57.4% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 2.7% was 65 years or older.[5]

| Total population (x 1000)  | Population aged 0–14 (%)  | Population aged 15–64 (%)  | Population aged 65+ (%)

|
|
|
|

1950  | 657 | 43.8 | 54.8 | 1.4
1955  | 744 | 43.6 | 54.7 | 1.6
1960  | 854 | 44.3 | 53.8 | 1.8
1965  | 984 | 45.2 | 52.8 | 2.0
1970  | 1 134 | 45.8 | 52.1 | 2.2
1975  | 1 312 | 45.8 | 51.9 | 2.3
1980  | 1 518 | 45.6 | 51.9 | 2.4
1985  | 1 748 | 45.3 | 52.2 | 2.5
1990  | 1 996 | 44.9 | 52.5 | 2.6
1995  | 2 292 | 44.0 | 53.4 | 2.7
2000  | 2 643 | 42.7 | 54.6 | 2.7
2005  | 3 047 | 41.2 | 56.1 | 2.7
2010  | 3 460 | 39.9 | 57.4 | 2.7

### Structure of the population

[edit]

Structure of the population (Census 24.II.2013):

Age Group  | Male  | Female  | Total  | %

|
|
|
|

Total  | 1 743 074  | 1 794 294  | 3 537 368  | 100
0–4  | 316 217  | 298 475  | 614 692  | 17.38
5–9  | 263 263  | 256 839  | 520 102  | 14.70
10–14  | 212 838  | 216 667  | 429 505  | 12.14
15–19  | 176 116  | 185 288  | 361 404  | 10.22
20–24  | 144 478  | 157 962  | 302 440  | 8.55
25–29  | 121 586  | 135 767  | 257 353  | 7.28
30–34  | 99 834  | 113 691  | 213 525  | 6.04
35–39  | 83 578  | 95 379  | 178 957  | 5.06
40–44  | 72 108  | 79 228  | 151 336  | 4.28
45–49  | 60 297  | 64 516  | 124 813  | 3.53
50–54  | 50 739  | 51 751  | 102 490  | 2.90
55–59  | 41 075  | 40 645  | 81 720  | 2.31
60–64  | 31 660  | 30 459  | 62 119  | 1.76
65–69  | 24 120  | 23 055  | 47 175  | 1.33
70–74  | 18 167  | 17 129  | 35 296  | 1.00
75–79  | 12 670  | 12 231  | 24 901  | 0.70
80–84  | 8 080  | 8 584  | 16 664  | 0.47
85+  | 6 248  | 6 628  | 12 876  | 0.36
Age group  | Male  | Female  | Total  | Percent
0–14  | 792 318  | 771 981  | 1 564 299  | 44.22
15–64  | 881 471  | 954 686  | 1 836 157  | 51.91
65+  | 69 285  | 67 627  | 136 912  | 3.87

Population by Age Group (Estimates 1.VII.2016) (Data refer to national projections.):[6]

Age Group  | Total  | %

|
|

Total  | 3 782 701  | 100
0–4  | 579 832  | 15.33
5–9  | 567 643  | 15.01
10–14  | 478 293  | 12.64
15–19  | 396 650  | 10.49
20–24  | 333 473  | 8.82
25–29  | 280 531  | 7.42
30–34  | 236 864  | 6.26
35–39  | 196 168  | 5.19
40–44  | 164 707  | 4.35
45–49  | 137 439  | 3.63
50–54  | 111 936  | 2.96
55–59  | 90 008  | 2.38
60–64  | 68 836  | 1.82
65–69  | 50 266  | 1.33
70–74  | 36 188  | 0.96
75–79  | 24 540  | 0.65
80+  | 29 328  | 0.78
Age group  | Total  | Percent
0–14  | 1 625 768  | 42.98
15–64  | 2 016 611  | 53.31
65+  | 140 322  | 3.71

## Vital statistics

[edit]

Registration of vital events in Mauritania is incomplete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates. [7]

| Mid-year population (thousands)  | Live births (thousands)  | Deaths (thousands)  | Natural change (thousands)  | Crude birth rate (per 1000)  | Crude death rate (per 1000)  | Natural change (per 1000)  | Total fertility rate (TFR)  | Infant mortality (per 1000 live births)  | Life expectancy (in years)

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1950  |  659  |  30  |  15  |  15  | 45.2  | 23.0  | 22.2  | 6.12  | 157.1  | 38.74
1951  |  673  |  31  |  15  |  15  | 45.3  | 22.5  | 22.8  | 6.13  | 155.0  | 39.29
1952  |  689  |  31  |  15  |  16  | 45.2  | 22.1  | 23.1  | 6.13  | 152.8  | 39.77
1953  |  705  |  32  |  15  |  16  | 45.2  | 21.8  | 23.4  | 6.13  | 150.7  | 40.21
1954  |  721  |  33  |  15  |  17  | 45.3  | 21.4  | 23.9  | 6.16  | 148.4  | 40.78
1955  |  739  |  34  |  16  |  18  | 45.4  | 21.0  | 24.4  | 6.18  | 146.1  | 41.41
1956  |  757  |  35  |  16  |  19  | 45.6  | 20.7  | 24.9  | 6.21  | 143.6  | 41.94
1957  |  776  |  36  |  16  |  20  | 45.8  | 20.4  | 25.4  | 6.24  | 141.1  | 42.50
1958  |  796  |  37  |  16  |  21  | 46.0  | 20.0  | 26.0  | 6.28  | 138.4  | 43.16
1959  |  816  |  38  |  16  |  22  | 46.1  | 19.6  | 26.6  | 6.32  | 135.7  | 43.88
1960  |  838  |  39  |  16  |  23  | 46.3  | 19.0  | 27.3  | 6.35  | 133.0  | 44.77
1961  |  862  |  40  |  16  |  24  | 46.6  | 18.6  | 28.0  | 6.40  | 130.1  | 45.44
1962  |  886  |  41  |  16  |  25  | 46.6  | 18.3  | 28.3  | 6.43  | 127.3  | 46.05
1963  |  911  |  43  |  16  |  26  | 46.7  | 17.9  | 28.8  | 6.48  | 124.5  | 46.69
1964  |  938  |  44  |  16  |  28  | 46.8  | 17.4  | 29.4  | 6.53  | 121.7  | 47.45
1965  |  966  |  45  |  16  |  29  | 46.9  | 17.0  | 29.9  | 6.59  | 118.9  | 48.06
1966  |  995  |  47  |  17  |  30  | 47.0  | 16.6  | 30.3  | 6.64  | 116.1  | 48.73
1967  |  1 025  |  48  |  17  |  31  | 46.8  | 16.2  | 30.6  | 6.67  | 113.3  | 49.37
1968  |  1 056  |  49  |  17  |  32  | 46.5  | 15.8  | 30.7  | 6.68  | 110.6  | 50.04
1969  |  1 089  |  50  |  17  |  34  | 46.3  | 15.4  | 30.9  | 6.69  | 108.4  | 50.63
1970  |  1 122  |  52  |  17  |  35  | 46.0  | 15.1  | 30.8  | 6.69  | 107.0  | 51.04
1971  |  1 156  |  53  |  17  |  36  | 45.6  | 14.9  | 30.8  | 6.69  | 106.2  | 51.39
1972  |  1 191  |  54  |  18  |  37  | 45.5  | 14.7  | 30.7  | 6.70  | 105.8  | 51.66
1973  |  1 227  |  56  |  18  |  38  | 45.3  | 14.6  | 30.7  | 6.70  | 105.4  | 51.90
1974  |  1 264  |  57  |  18  |  39  | 45.1  | 14.4  | 30.7  | 6.70  | 104.9  | 52.18
1975  |  1 302  |  59  |  18  |  40  | 44.9  | 14.1  | 30.8  | 6.68  | 104.0  | 52.65
1976  |  1 342  |  60  |  19  |  41  | 44.7  | 13.9  | 30.8  | 6.67  | 102.6  | 52.92
1977  |  1 381  |  62  |  19  |  43  | 44.6  | 13.6  | 30.9  | 6.68  | 100.7  | 53.37
1978  |  1 422  |  63  |  19  |  44  | 44.3  | 13.3  | 31.0  | 6.67  | 98.5  | 53.86
1979  |  1 464  |  64  |  19  |  45  | 43.8  | 12.9  | 30.9  | 6.65  | 96.2  | 54.47
1980  |  1 507  |  66  |  19  |  47  | 43.8  | 12.6  | 31.2  | 6.62  | 94.0  | 55.06
1981  |  1 552  |  68  |  19  |  49  | 43.7  | 12.2  | 31.5  | 6.58  | 91.8  | 55.66
1982  |  1 598  |  69  |  19  |  50  | 43.3  | 11.8  | 31.5  | 6.53  | 89.6  | 56.28
1983  |  1 646  |  71  |  19  |  52  | 42.9  | 11.6  | 31.4  | 6.48  | 87.2  | 56.68
1984  |  1 696  |  72  |  19  |  53  | 42.5  | 11.2  | 31.2  | 6.41  | 84.6  | 57.16
1985  |  1 746  |  73  |  19  |  54  | 41.9  | 10.9  | 31.0  | 6.34  | 81.8  | 57.58
1986  |  1 798  |  74  |  19  |  55  | 41.4  | 10.6  | 30.7  | 6.25  | 79.1  | 57.99
1987  |  1 851  |  76  |  19  |  57  | 41.0  | 10.3  | 30.7  | 6.16  | 76.5  | 58.58
1988  |  1 906  |  78  |  19  |  59  | 40.7  | 10.0  | 30.7  | 6.11  | 74.2  | 59.14
1989  |  1 955  |  80  |  19  |  61  | 40.7  | 9.8  | 30.9  | 6.08  | 72.6  | 59.32
1990  |  2 006  |  82  |  19  |  62  | 40.6  | 9.6  | 31.0  | 6.06  | 71.0  | 59.77
1991  |  2 066  |  84  |  20  |  64  | 40.6  | 9.5  | 31.1  | 6.04  | 70.1  | 59.94
1992  |  2 148  |  87  |  20  |  67  | 40.6  | 9.4  | 31.3  | 6.04  | 69.5  | 60.26
1993  |  2 237  |  93  |  21  |  72  | 41.5  | 9.4  | 32.1  | 6.04  | 69.1  | 60.38
1994  |  2 315  |  95  |  22  |  73  | 40.9  | 9.4  | 31.6  | 5.92  | 68.9  | 60.34
1995  |  2 380  |  97  |  22  |  75  | 40.7  | 9.4  | 31.3  | 5.85  | 68.9  | 60.26
1996  |  2 429  |  97  |  23  |  74  | 39.6  | 9.4  | 30.2  | 5.71  | 69.1  | 60.06
1997  |  2 484  |  97  |  23  |  74  | 39.0  | 9.2  | 29.8  | 5.66  | 68.9  | 60.45
1998  |  2 551  |  98  |  23  |  75  | 38.4  | 9.1  | 29.4  | 5.57  | 68.8  | 60.61
1999  |  2 621  |  100  |  24  |  77  | 38.2  | 9.0  | 29.3  | 5.54  | 68.7  | 60.82
2000  |  2 695  |  102  |  24  |  78  | 37.8  | 8.9  | 28.9  | 5.46  | 68.5  | 61.03
2001  |  2 762  |  104  |  24  |  80  | 37.5  | 8.8  | 28.7  | 5.38  | 68.2  | 61.19
2002  |  2 822  |  105  |  25  |  80  | 37.0  | 8.7  | 28.3  | 5.29  | 68.0  | 61.27
2003  |  2 883  |  106  |  25  |  81  | 36.7  | 8.6  | 28.1  | 5.23  | 67.7  | 61.35
2004  |  2 947  |  109  |  25  |  84  | 36.8  | 8.5  | 28.2  | 5.19  | 67.0  | 61.59
2005  |  3 012  |  112  |  26  |  86  | 36.9  | 8.5  | 28.4  | 5.19  | 66.3  | 61.66
2006  |  3 081  |  115  |  26  |  89  | 37.1  | 8.4  | 28.7  | 5.19  | 65.2  | 61.89
2007  |  3 154  |  117  |  26  |  91  | 37.1  | 8.3  | 28.8  | 5.15  | 64.1  | 62.23
2008  |  3 233  |  121  |  27  |  94  | 37.2  | 8.2  | 29.0  | 5.15  | 62.7  | 62.40
2009  |  3 323  |  123  |  27  |  95  | 36.9  | 8.2  | 28.7  | 5.08  | 61.3  | 62.80
2010  |  3 419  |  126  |  28  |  97  | 36.8  | 8.3  | 28.4  | 5.04  | 59.8  | 63.11
2011  |  3 524  |  129  |  30  |  99  | 36.7  | 8.5  | 28.3  | 5.03  | 58.5  | 63.35
2012  |  3 636  |  132  |  31  |  101  | 36.4  | 8.6  | 27.8  | 4.99  | 57.2  | 63.58
2013  |  3 743  |  134  |  32  |  102  | 35.8  | 8.7  | 27.2  | 4.94  | 55.8  | 63.91
2014  |  3 843  |  137  |  32  |  105  | 35.5  | 8.3  | 27.2  | 4.89  | 54.4  | 64.16
2015  |  3 946  |  139  |  32  |  107  | 35.2  | 8.0  | 27.2  | 4.81  | 53.0  | 64.49
2016  |  4 052  |  141  |  31  |  110  | 34.8  | 7.7  | 27.1  | 4.74  | 51.7  | 64.77
2017  |  4 160  |  143  |  31  |  112  | 34.4  | 7.4  | 27.0  | 4.66  | 50.3  | 65.08
2018  |  4 271  |  146  |  31  |  115  | 34.2  | 7.2  | 26.9  | 4.61  | 49.1  | 65.31
2019  |  4 384  |  148  |  31  |  117  | 33.7  | 7.0  | 26.7  | 4.52  | 47.8  | 65.69
2020  |  4 533  |  164  |  29  |  135  | 35.7  | 6.4  | 29.3  | 4.91  | 33.7  | 66.8
2021  |  4 667  |  167  |  30  |  138  | 35.3  | 6.3  | 29.1  | 4.85  | 32.7  | 66.8
2022  |  4 803  |  170  |  27  |  142  | 34.8  | 5.6  | 29.2  | 4.77  | 31.7  | 64.53
2023  |  4 948  |  173  |  28  |  145  | 34.4  | 5.5  | 28.9  | 4.70  | 30.8  | 68.5

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### Demographic and Health Surveys

[edit]

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):[8]

Year  | Total  | Urban  | Rural

|
|
|

CBR | TFR  | CBR | TFR  | CBR | TFR
2000–2001  | 32.1  | 4.7 (4.3)  | 31.9  | 4.3 (3.9)  | 32.1  | 5.0 (4.7)
2003–2004  |  | 4.6  |  | 4.1  |  | 5.1
2019–2021  | 35.5  | 5.2 (4.5)  | 30.3  | 4.1 (3.6)  | 40.2  | 6.4 (5.5)

Fertility data as of 2010 (DHS Program):[9]

Zone  | Total fertility rate  | Percentage of women age 15-49 currently pregnant  | Mean number of children ever born to women age 40–49

|
|
|

Nouakchott | 4.3 | 8.0 | 5.7
Sud-Est | 5.0 | 10.4 | 5.2
Fleuve | 5.1 | 8.5 | 6.0
Nord | 4.6 | 7.1 | 6.5
Centre | 4.0 | 6.7 | 6.1

### Life expectancy

[edit]

Period  | Life expectancy in
Years[10]

|

1950–1955  | 41.72
1955–1960  |  45.19
1960–1965  |  47.93
1965–1970  |  50.28
1970–1975  |  52.73
1975–1980  |  55.76
1980–1985  |  57.77
1985–1990  |  58.89
1990–1995  |  59.84
1995–2000  |  60.27
2000–2005  |  61.32
2005–2010  |  62.64
2010–2015  |  63.43

## Religions

[edit]

Muslim (official) 100%

## Ethnic groups

[edit]

40% Black Moors (Haratins),[11] 30% sub-Saharan Mauritanians (non-Arabic speaking, largely resident in or originating from the Senegal River Valley, including Halpulaar, Fulani, Soninke, Wolof, Bambara,[11] and Serer (est. 5000)[1] ethnic groups 30%), and 30% White Moors (bidhanes).[11]

## Languages

[edit]

Arabic (official and national), French (widely used in media and among educated classes), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof, and Serer.[1][11]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c 5000 Serer people in Mauritania. This is an old figure which has not updated on Joshua Project. "Serer in Mauritania." [1] (retrieved 7 March 2025). It is however more recent than the following 2000 source based on a 1988 census:

3,500 (estimated in 2000): African Census Analysis Project (ACAP). University of Pennsylvania. Ethnic Diversity and Assimilation in Senegal: Evidence from the 1988 Census by Pierre Ngom, Aliou Gaye and Ibrahima Sarr. 2000
2. ^ https://ons.mr [bare URL]
3. ^ "World Population Prospects 2022". United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
4. ^ "World Population Prospects 2022: Demographic indicators by region, subregion and country, annually for 1950–2100" (XSLX) ("Total Population, as of 1 July (thousands)"). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
5. ^ "World Population Prospects - Population Division - United Nations". population.un.org. Archived from the original on May 6, 2011.
6. ^ "UNSD — Demographic and Social Statistics".
7. ^ United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division (2022). "World Population Prospects 2022 Demographic indicators by region, subregion and country, annually for 1950-2100" (XLS (91MB)). United Nations Population Division. 27 (Online ed.). New York: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. rows 5693:5764, cols M,X,AE,S,AH,S,AA,AV,AI. Archived from the original on 2022-08-09.
8. ^ "Mauritania - Enquête Démographique et de Santé 2000-2001". Archived from the original on 2017-02-05. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
9. ^ "Demographics" (PDF). dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR256/FR256.pdf. 201. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
10. ^ "World Population Prospects - Population Division - United Nations". esa.un.org. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
11. ^ a b c d CIA WorldFackbook "Mauritania" (2023 estimates) [2] (retrieved 7 March 2025)

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Demographics of Mauritania.

* Maures
* Mauritania - Country Profile
* Decomentry film A History of the Haratin

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Ethnic groups in Mauritania

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