National name: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah

Current government officials

Languages: Arabic (official and national), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French, Hassaniya (a variety of Arabic)

Ethnicity/race: black Moors (Haratines - Arab-speaking slaves, former slaves, and their descendants of African origin, enslaved by white Moors) 40%, white Moors (of Arab-Berber descent, known as Bidhan) 30%, black Africans (non-Arabic speaking, Halpulaar, Soninke, Wolof, and Bamara ethnic groups) 30%

Religion: Islam 100%

National Holiday: Independence Day, Nov. 28

Literacy rate: 58.6% (2011 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2013 est.): $8.2046 billion; per capita $2,200. Real growth rate: 6.4%. Inflation: 4.6%. Unemployment: 30% (2008 est.). Arable land: 0.44%. Agriculture: dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn; cattle, sheep. Labor force: 1.318 million (2007); agriculture 50%, services 48%, industry 2% (2001 est.). Industries: fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum. Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish. Exports: $2.728 billion (2013 est.): iron ore, fish and fish products, gold. Imports: $3.335 billion (2013 est.): machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods. Major trading partners: Japan, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Côte dIvoire, China, U.S., Brazil (2012).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 65,100 (2012); mobile cellular: 4.024 (2012). Broadcast media: one state-run TV (Television de Mauritanie) and one state-run radio network (Radio de Mauritanie); Television de Mauritanie has three channels, Al Mahadra station (for Islamic content) and Channels 1 and 2, which cover news, sports, and other programming; Radio de Mauritanie runs 12 regional stations as well as a radio station for youth and the Holy Quran station; five private TV channels and five private radio stations also broadcast from Mauritania; six private international radio stations broadcast in Mauritania on the