Geography of Mauritania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Location
Mauritania is a Northern Africa country, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara.
Geographic coordinates
Map references
Area
total:
1,030,700 kmē
land:
1,030,400 kmē
water:
300 kmē
Area - comparative
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico
Land boundaries
total: 5,074 km border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara 1,561 km
Coastline
Maritime claims
contiguous zone:
24 nautical miles
continental shelf:
200 nautical miles or to the edge of the continental margin
exclusive economic zone:
200 nautical miles
territorial sea:
12 nautical miles
Climate
Desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Terrain
Mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
Elevation extremes
lowest point:
Sebkha de Ndrhamcha -3 m
highest point:
Kediet Ijill 910 m
Natural resources
iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate
Land use
arable land:
0%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
38%
forests and woodland:
4%
other:
58% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land
Natural hazards
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts
Environment - current issues
overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Senegal which is the only perennial river
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
Most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country.
- See also : Mauritania