Location: | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara |
| Geographic coordinates: | 20 00 N, 12 00 W |
| Map references: | Africa |
| Area: | total: 1,030,700 sq km
land: 1,030,400 sq km
water: 300 sq km |
| 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: | 754 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty |
| Terrain: | mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m |
| Natural resources: | iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish |
| Land use: | arable land: 0.48%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.51% (2001) |
| Irrigated land: | 490 sq km (1998 est.) |
| 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, 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
Source: CIA World Factbook
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