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"

Niederlande

name: Amsterdam; note - The Hague is the seat of government

geographic coordinates: 52 21 N, 4 55 E

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

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

time zone note: time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, for the constituent countries in the Caribbean, the time difference is UTC-4

etymology: the original Dutch name, Amstellerdam, meaning "a dam on the Amstel River," dates to the 13th century; over time the name simplified to Amsterdam

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

Niederlande

citizenship by birth: no

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

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Legal system

Mauretanien

mixed legal system of Islamic and French civil law

Niederlande

civil law system based on the French system; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General

Suffrage

Mauretanien

18 years of age; universal

Niederlande

18 years of age; universal

Area

Mauretanien

total: 1,030,700 sq km

land: 1,030,700 sq km

water: 0 sq km

Niederlande

total: 41,543 sq km

land: 33,893 sq km

water: 7,650 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.)

Niederlande

agricultural land: 55.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 29.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 24.2% (2018 est.)

forest: 10.8% (2018 est.)

other: 34.1% (2018 est.)

Location

Mauretanien

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

Niederlande

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

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)

Niederlande

0-14 years: 16.06% (male 1,436,601/female 1,368,697)

15-64 years: 63.08% (male 5,532,490/female 5,483,034)

65 years and over: 20.86% (2023 est.) (male 1,658,652/female 1,984,456)

Birth rate

Mauretanien

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

Niederlande

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

Death rate

Mauretanien

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

Niederlande

9.7 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.

Niederlande

Dutch (official); note - Frisian is an official language in Fryslan province; Frisian, Low Saxon, Limburgish, Romani, and Yiddish have protected status under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages; Dutch is the official language of the three special municipalities of the Caribbean Netherlands; English is a recognized regional language on Sint Eustatius and Saba; Papiamento is a recognized regional language on Bonaire

major-language sample(s):
Het Wereld Feitenboek, een onmisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

Mauretanien

total population: 65.6 years (2023 est.)

male: 63.1 years

female: 68.1 years

Niederlande

total population: 81.7 years (2023 est.)

male: 80.1 years

female: 83.3 years

Major urban areas - population

Mauretanien

1.492 million NOUAKCHOTT (capital) (2023)

Niederlande

1.174 million AMSTERDAM (capital), 1.018 million Rotterdam (2023)

Median age

Mauretanien

total: 21.9 years (2023 est.)

male: 20.9 years

female: 22.8 years

Niederlande

total: 42.2 years (2023 est.)

male: 41 years

female: 43.4 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

Niederlande

30.2 years (2020 est.)

Net migration rate

Mauretanien

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

Niederlande

4.1 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

Niederlande

an area known as the Randstad, anchored by the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague, and Utrecht, is the most densely populated region; the north tends to be less dense, though sizeable communities can be found throughout the entire country

Population growth rate

Mauretanien

1.96% (2023 est.)

Niederlande

0.48% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Mauretanien

3.46 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Niederlande

1.61 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.)

Niederlande

urban population: 93.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Mauretanien

1.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Niederlande

5.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Mauretanien

total: 9 years

male: 8 years

female: 9 years (2020)

Niederlande

total: 19 years

male: 18 years

female: 19 years (2020)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Mauretanien

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

Niederlande

1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Mauretanien

-6.61% (2021 est.)

Niederlande

4.93% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Mauretanien

1.197 million (2021 est.)

Niederlande

9.902 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Mauretanien

31% (2014 est.)

Niederlande

13.6% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate

Mauretanien

11.46% (2021 est.)

11.27% (2020 est.)

10.39% (2019 est.)

Niederlande

4.01% (2021 est.)

3.82% (2020 est.)

3.38% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Mauretanien

96.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

100% of GDP (2016 est.)

Niederlande

56.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

61.3% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment, debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Mauretanien

3.57% (2021 est.)

2.39% (2020 est.)

2.3% (2019 est.)

Niederlande

2.68% (2021 est.)

1.27% (2020 est.)

2.63% (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.)

Niederlande

$839.6 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$712.3 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$751.2 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - partners

Mauretanien

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

Niederlande

Germany 20%, Belgium 12%, United Kingdom 9%, France 7%, United States 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.)

Niederlande

$735.7 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$620.5 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$662 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - partners

Mauretanien

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

Niederlande

Germany 15%, China 11%, Belgium 9%, United States 8%, Russia 7%, United Kingdom 5% (2019)

Airports

Mauretanien

30 (2021)

Niederlande

29 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Mauretanien

total: 18,457 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0.4 (2020 est.)

Niederlande

total: 7,525,016 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Mauretanien

total: 2.714 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 59% (2021 est.)

Niederlande

total: 16.56 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 92% (2021 est.)

Railways

Mauretanien

total: 728 km (2014)

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

Niederlande

total: 3,055 km (2020) 2,310 km electrified

Roadways

Mauretanien

total: 12,253 km (2018)

paved: 3,988 km (2018)

unpaved: 8,265 km (2018)

Niederlande

total: 139,124 km (2016) (includes 3,654 km of expressways)

Telephones - fixed lines

Mauretanien

total subscriptions: 58,094 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2021 est.)

Niederlande

total subscriptions: 5.024 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 29 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

Mauretanien

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

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 141 (2021 est.)

Niederlande

total subscriptions: 21.888 million (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Mauretanien

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

Niederlande

6,237 km (2012) (navigable by ships up to 50 tons)

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

Niederlande

none identified