Capital

Mauretanien

name: Nouakchott

geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 15 58 W

time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: may derive from the Berber "nawakshut" meaning "place of the winds"

Kamerun

name: Yaounde

geographic coordinates: 3 52 N, 11 31 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: founded as a German colonial settlement of Jaunde in 1888 and named after the local Yaunde (Ewondo) people

Citizenship

Mauretanien

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Mauritania

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Kamerun

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Cameroon

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Legal system

Mauretanien

mixed legal system of Islamic and French civil law

Kamerun

mixed legal system of English common law, French civil law, and customary law

Suffrage

Mauretanien

18 years of age; universal

Kamerun

20 years of age; universal

Area

Mauretanien

total: 1,030,700 sq km

land: 1,030,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Kamerun

total: 475,440 sq km

land: 472,710 sq km

water: 2,730 sq km

Land use

Mauretanien

agricultural land: 38.5% (2018 est.)

arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 38.1% (2018 est.)

forest: 0.2% (2018 est.)

other: 61.3% (2018 est.)

Kamerun

agricultural land: 20.6% (2018 est.)

arable land: 13.1% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 3.3% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 4.2% (2018 est.)

forest: 41.7% (2018 est.)

other: 37.7% (2018 est.)

Location

Mauretanien

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara

Kamerun

Central Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Age structure

Mauretanien

0-14 years: 36.11% (male 769,229/female 763,465)

15-64 years: 59.58% (male 1,197,311/female 1,331,815)

65 years and over: 4.31% (2023 est.) (male 77,123/female 105,935)

Kamerun

0-14 years: 41.69% (male 6,337,141/female 6,226,100)

15-64 years: 55.12% (male 8,231,473/female 8,379,699)

65 years and over: 3.19% (2023 est.) (male 447,656/female 513,663)

Birth rate

Mauretanien

27.6 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Kamerun

35.1 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Mauretanien

7.3 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Kamerun

7.5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Mauretanien

Arabic (official and national), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French; note - the spoken Arabic in Mauritania differs considerably from the Modern Standard Arabic used for official written purposes or in the media; the Mauritanian dialect, which incorporates many Berber words, is referred to as Hassaniya

major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Kamerun

24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)

major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

Life expectancy at birth

Mauretanien

total population: 65.6 years (2023 est.)

male: 63.1 years

female: 68.1 years

Kamerun

total population: 63.7 years (2023 est.)

male: 61.9 years

female: 65.6 years

Major urban areas - population

Mauretanien

1.492 million NOUAKCHOTT (capital) (2023)

Kamerun

4.509 million YAOUNDE (capital), 4.063 million Douala (2023)

Median age

Mauretanien

total: 21.9 years (2023 est.)

male: 20.9 years

female: 22.8 years

Kamerun

total: 18.8 years (2023 est.)

male: 18.5 years

female: 19.1 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Mauretanien

21.8 years (2019/21)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Kamerun

20.1 years (2018 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Net migration rate

Mauretanien

-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Kamerun

-0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Mauretanien

with most of the country being a desert, vast areas of the country, particularly in the central, northern, and eastern areas, are without sizeable population clusters; half the population lives in or around the coastal capital of Nouakchott; smaller clusters are found near the southern border with Mali and Senegal as shown in this population distribution map

Kamerun

population concentrated in the west and north, with the interior of the country sparsely populated as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

Mauretanien

1.96% (2023 est.)

Kamerun

2.73% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Mauretanien

3.46 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Kamerun

4.5 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Mauretanien

urban population: 57.7% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 3.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Kamerun

urban population: 59.3% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Mauretanien

1.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Kamerun

3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Mauretanien

total: 9 years

male: 8 years

female: 9 years (2020)

Kamerun

total: 12 years

male: 13 years

female: 11 years (2016)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Mauretanien

-0.8% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Kamerun

-3.4% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Mauretanien

-6.61% (2021 est.)

Kamerun

3.22% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Mauretanien

1.197 million (2021 est.)

Kamerun

11.81 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Mauretanien

31% (2014 est.)

Kamerun

37.5% (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

Mauretanien

11.46% (2021 est.)

11.27% (2020 est.)

10.39% (2019 est.)

Kamerun

3.87% (2021 est.)

3.84% (2020 est.)

3.64% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Mauretanien

96.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

100% of GDP (2016 est.)

Kamerun

36.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

32.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Mauretanien

3.57% (2021 est.)

2.39% (2020 est.)

2.3% (2019 est.)

Kamerun

2.27% (2021 est.)

2.44% (2020 est.)

2.45% (2019 est.)

Exports

Mauretanien

$3.18 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$2.784 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$2.525 billion (2019 est.)

Kamerun

$7.449 billion (2021 est.)

$6.124 billion (2020 est.)

$7.731 billion (2019 est.)

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - partners

Mauretanien

China 32%, Switzerland 13%, Spain 9%, Japan 9%, Italy 5% (2019)

Kamerun

China 17%, Netherlands 14%, Italy 9%, United Arab Emirates 8%, India 7%, United States 6%, Belgium 6%, Spain 5%, France 5% (2019)

Imports

Mauretanien

$4.312 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$3.675 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$3.683 billion (2019 est.)

Kamerun

$9.027 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$7.212 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$9.085 billion (2019 est.)

Imports - partners

Mauretanien

China 26%, France 6%, Spain 6%, Morocco 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)

Kamerun

China 28%, Nigeria 15%, France 9%, Belgium 6% (2019)

Airports

Mauretanien

30 (2021)

Kamerun

33 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Mauretanien

total: 18,457 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.4 (2020 est.)

Kamerun

total: 722,579 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Mauretanien

total: 2.714 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 59% (2021 est.)

Kamerun

total: 12.42 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 46% (2021 est.)

Railways

Mauretanien

total: 728 km (2014)

standard gauge: 728 km (2014) 1.435-m gauge

Kamerun

total: 987 km (2014)

narrow gauge: 987 km (2014) 1.000-m gauge

note: railway connections generally efficient but limited; rail lines connect major cities of Douala, Yaounde, Ngaoundere, and Garoua; passenger and freight service provided by CAMRAIL

Roadways

Mauretanien

total: 12,253 km (2018)

paved: 3,988 km (2018)

unpaved: 8,265 km (2018)

Kamerun

total: 77,589 km (2016)

paved: 5,133 km (2016)

unpaved: 72,456 km (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

Mauretanien

total subscriptions: 58,094 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2021 est.)

Kamerun

total subscriptions: 739,572 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Mauretanien

total subscriptions: 6,512,361 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 141 (2021 est.)

Kamerun

total subscriptions: 22,442,414 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 83 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Mauretanien

1,086 km (2022) (some navigation possible on the Senegal River)

Kamerun

(2010) (major rivers in the south, such as the Wouri and the Sanaga, are largely non-navigable; in the north, the Benue, which connects through Nigeria to the Niger River, is navigable in the rainy season only to the port of Garoua)

Disputes - international

Mauretanien

Mauritania-Algeria: none identified

Mauritania-Mali: there are no border disputes, but the border has not been demarcated; talks on demarcation were reportedly being held in February 2022

Mauritania-Morocco: Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant; tensions arose in 2016 when Mauritanian soldiers were deployed to Lagouira, a city in the southernmost part of Morocco, and raised their flag

Mauritania-Senegal: none identified

Kamerun

Cameroon-Central African Republic: Cameroon has deployed military troops to the border to counter intrusions from armed militias and bandits
 
Cameroon-Nigeria: Nigeria recognized Cameroon's sovereignty over the Bakassi Peninsula in 2006 and in completed the transfer of administration in 2013, although there are occasional, mostly local disputes in the area; the the majority of the land boundary was demarcated by 2019 with UN assistance, although there are few disagreements on the precise location of the boundary; the porous border is susceptible to crossings by the Boko Haram and Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham - West Africa terrorist groups, both of which operate in Northern Nigeria