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| Country name: |
conventional long form:
Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional short form:
Mauritania
local long form:
Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
local short form:
Muritaniyah
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| Government type: |
republic
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| Administrative divisions: |
12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza
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| Independence: |
28 November 1960 (from France)
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| National holiday: |
Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
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| Constitution: |
12 July 1991
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| Legal system: |
a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law
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| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
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| Executive branch: |
chief of state:
President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12 December 1984)
head of government:
Prime Minister Cheik El Avia Ould Mohamed KHOUNA (since 17 November 1998)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers
elections:
president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 12 December 1997 (next to be held NA December 2003); prime minister appointed by the president
election results:
President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected with 90.9% of the vote
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| Legislative branch: |
bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh (56 seats; 17 up for election every two years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (79 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections:
Senate - last held 17 April 1998 (next to be held NA 2001); National Assembly - last held 11 and 18 October 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRDS 71, AC 1, independents and other 7
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| Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts
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| Political parties and leaders: |
Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Assembly for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party) [President Col. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for Renewal and Concorde or PMRC [Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National Union for Democracy and Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party for Liberty, Equality and Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress Alliance or APP [Mohamed El Hafed Ould ISMAEL]; Popular Social and Democratic Union or UPSD [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force Union or UFP [Mohamed Ould MOLOUD]; Union for Progress and Democracy or UNDD [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]
note:
parties legalized by constitution ratified 12 July 1991; however, politics continue to be tribally based
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| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
Arab nationalists; Ba'athists; General Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general]; Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]
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| International organization participation: |
ABEDA, ACCT (associate), ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CAEU, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
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| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Ahmed Ben Khalifa BEN JIDOU
chancery:
2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 232-5700
FAX:
[1] (202) 319-2623
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| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador John W. LIMBERT
embassy:
Rue Abdallaye, Nouakchott
mailing address:
B. P. 222, Nouakchott
telephone:
[222] 25-26-60, 25-26-63
FAX:
[222] 25-15-92
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| Flag description: |
green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam
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