Mauritania (Islamic Republic of Mauritania)

Mauritania Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	182nd best
Capital	Nouakchott
Land Area	1 030 700km21
Location	Africa
Population	4.4m2
Life Expectancy	64.36yrs (2017)3
GNI	$5 075 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	MR, MRT, 4785
Internet Domain	.mr6
Currency	Ouguiya (MRO)7
Telephone	+2228

1. Overview
2. Mauritania National and Social Development
3. Mauritania's Demographics and Migration
4. Mauritania's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance
5. Mauritania's Health
6. Mauritania's Modernity and Learning
7. National Culture
8. Peace Versus Instability
9. The Natural Environment
10. Economic Inequality and Poverty
11. Religion and Beliefs
12. Links

---

1. Overview

#france #spain

“Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976 but relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA seized power in a coup in 1984 and ruled Mauritania with a heavy hand for more than two decades. A series of presidential elections that he held were widely seen as flawed. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council that oversaw a transition to democratic rule. Independent candidate Sidi Ould Cheikh ABDALLAHI was inaugurated in April 2007 as Mauritania's first freely and fairly elected president. His term ended prematurely in August 2008 when a military junta led by General Mohamed Ould Abdel AZIZ deposed him and installed a military council government. AZIZ was subsequently elected president in July 2009 and sworn in the following month. AZIZ sustained injuries from an accidental shooting by his own troops in October 2012, but has continued to maintain his authority. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions among its black population (Afro-Mauritanians) and white and black Moor (Arab-Berber) communities, and is having to confront a growing terrorism threat by al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“A seemingly endless realm of Saharan sands, lapped by the Atlantic, Mauritania is a bridge between North Africa and sub-Saharan regions. If West Africa is a playground for overlanders, then Mauritania often seems to be little more than a transit between the better-known attractions of Marrakesh, Dakar or Bamako. As the safest trans-Saharan route for overlanders, Mauritania has long been regarded as a waystation en route from Europe to West Africa. That´s a shame because Mauritania has some tremendous secrets to reveal.

Just as impressive as the cultural diversity is some of the continent´s grandest scenery. The Adrar region offers epic sand dunes, eye-popping plateaus and Africa´s biggest monolith. The Tagânt has similar charms, and both hide ancient caravan towns - Chinguetti, Ouadâne and Oualâta. The World Heritage feast continues along the coast at Parc National du Banc d´Arguin, which attracts millions of migratory birds and is a renowned birdwatching site.

If you just breeze through, you´ll miss out on a truly incredible country. No one in Mauritania is in a rush, and you shouldn´t be either.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Mauritania National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Value11
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
4	Hong Kong	0.952
5	Australia	0.951
	...
155	Solomon Islands	0.564
156	Comoros	0.558
157	Papua New Guinea	0.558
158	Mauritania	0.556
159	Ivory Coast	0.550
160	Tanzania	0.549
	Africa Avg	0.56
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $11
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
4	Luxembourg	$84 649
5	Ireland	$76 169
	...
136	Samoa	$5 308
137	Honduras	$5 298
138	Ivory Coast	$5 217
139	Mauritania	$5 075
140	Djibouti	$5 025
141	Venezuela	$4 811
	Africa Avg	$5 339
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index12,13
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank12,13
1	Taiwan	28.6
2	Norway	29.4
3	Denmark	31.2
4	Sweden	32.2
5	Finland	32.6
	...
179	Sudan	121.2
180	Solomon Islands	121.3
181	Burundi	121.8
182	Mauritania	121.9
183	Comoros	123.6
184	Iraq	123.6
	Africa Avg	108.3
	World Avg	86.1
q=195.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Mauritania's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population

Population:

Mauritania's population is predicted to rise to 5.2 million by 2030. This country has a fertility rate of 4.40. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

Population (2018)2
Pos.		Population2
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
4	Indonesia	267.7m
5	Pakistan	212.2m
	...
123	Ireland	4.8m
124	New Zealand	4.7m
125	Central African Rep.	4.7m
126	Mauritania	4.4m
127	Panama	4.2m
128	Croatia	4.2m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
4	Australia	84.5
5	Switzerland	84.0
	...
151	Ethiopia	65.0
152	Tuvalu	64.5
153	Madagascar	64.5
154	Mauritania	64.4
155	Ghana	63.8
156	Yemen	63.8
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate (2013)14
Pos.		2.0 is best14
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
4	France	1.99
5	Turkey	2.04
	...
146	Eritrea	4.28
147	Palestine	4.31
148	Cameroon	4.33
149	Mauritania	4.40
150	Congo, (Brazzaville)	4.46
151	Central African Rep.	4.46
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016)15
Pos.		Lower is better Per 10015
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
4	Burkina Faso	04.7
5	Sierra Leone	04.8
	...
41	Swaziland	06.6
42	Central African Rep.	06.8
43	Sudan	06.8
44	Mauritania	06.8
45	Kuwait	06.8
46	Congo, (Brazzaville)	07.0
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

• The Population of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception

Migration:

Immigrants (2017)16
Pos.		%16
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
4	Liechtenstein	65.1%
5	Monaco	54.9%
	...
91	Czechia	4.1%
92	Uganda	3.9%
93	Dominican Rep.	3.9%
94	Mauritania	3.8%
95	Namibia	3.8%
96	Burkina Faso	3.7%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants (2010)17
Pos.		%17
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
4	Grenada	65.5%
5	St Kitts & Nevis	61.1%
	...
130	Chile	3.7%
131	Peru	3.7%
132	Czechia	3.6%
133	Mauritania	3.5%
134	Canada	3.5%
135	Algeria	3.4%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Mauritania's Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #freethought #gender #gender_equality #homosexuality #human_rights #international_law #mass_media #misogyny #morals #politics #prejudice #religious_tolerance #slavery #tolerance #women

Compared to Africa (2020)18,19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank18,19
1	S. Africa	56.3
2	Seychelles	67.0
3	Namibia	69.7
4	Mauritius	72.6
5	Senegal	74.0
	...
48	Eritrea	139.8
49	Djibouti	140.9
50	Comoros	141.2
51	Swaziland	142.0
52	Mauritania	144.7
53	Sudan	148.8
54	Somalia	159.8
	Africa Avg	108.4
q=54.

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2020)18,19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank18,19
1	Sweden	9.2
2	Norway	14.7
3	Denmark	14.7
4	Netherlands	15.8
5	New Zealand	17.5
	...
190	Pakistan	141.5
191	Swaziland	142.0
192	Cook Islands	144.5
193	Mauritania	144.7
194	N. Korea	146.8
195	Brunei	147.1
196	Sudan	148.8
	World Avg	87.7
q=199.

The best countries in the world at ensuring human rights, fostering equality and promoting tolerance, are Sweden, Norway and Denmark₁₈. These countries are displaying the best traits that humanity has to offer. The worst countries are The Solomon Islands, Somalia and Tuvalu₁₈.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are statistics on commentary in Human Rights Watch reports, its nominal commitment to Human Rights, speed of uptake of HR treaties, supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms, supporting press freedom, eliminating modern slavery, opposing gender inequality, the rate of gender bias (from 7 indicators), the year from which women could participate in democracy, its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice, LGBT equality and freethought. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₁₈, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Micronesia and Australasia₁₈.

For more, see:

• "Which are the Best Countries for Human Rights, Equality and Tolerance?" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Human Rights & Tolerance:

Nominal Commitment to HR (2009)20
Pos.		Higher is better Treaties20
1	Argentina	24
2	Chile	23
3	Costa Rica	23
4	Ecuador	23
5	Germany	23
	...
122	Sudan	14
123	Cameroon	14
124	Uzbekistan	14
125	Mauritania	13
126	Sri Lanka	13
127	Malawi	13
	Africa Avg	14.8
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

HR Treaties Lag (2019)21
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Yrs/Treaty21
1	Ecuador	2.15
2	Uruguay	2.25
3	Tunisia	3.65
4	Colombia	3.68
5	Costa Rica	4.05
	...
159	Ireland	13.38
160	Oman	13.46
161	Uzbekistan	13.53
162	Mauritania	13.56
163	Liberia	13.61
164	San Marino	13.63
	Africa Avg	9.88
	World Avg	10.02
q=195.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom (2014)22
Pos.		Lower is better Rank22
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
4	Ireland	4
5	Denmark	5
	...
140	Nigeria	140
141	China	141
142	Ethiopia	142
143	Mauritania	143
144	Egypt	144
145	Saudi Arabia	144
	Africa Avg	114.2
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Press Freedom (2013)23
Pos.		Lower is better23
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
4	Luxembourg	668
5	Andorra	682
	...
63	Croatia	2661
64	Central African Rep.	2661
65	Tonga	2670
66	Mauritania	2676
67	Bosnia & Herzegovina	2686
68	Guyana	2708
	Africa Avg	3511
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

Slavery (2018)24
Pos.		Lower is better % Victims24
1	Japan	0.03
2	Canada	0.05
3	Taiwan	0.05
4	Australia	0.06
5	New Zealand	0.06
	...
159	Cambodia	1.68
160	Pakistan	1.68
161	S. Sudan	2.05
162	Mauritania	2.14
163	Afghanistan	2.22
164	Central African Rep.	2.23
	Africa Avg	0.96
	World Avg	0.65
q=167.

The life-destroying practice of slavery is "entrenched in Mauritanian society with slave status being inherited, and deeply rooted in social castes and the wider social system. Those owned by masters often have no freedom to own land, cannot claim dowries from their marriages nor inherit property or possessions from their families"₂₅. In 2015 Mauritania did improve its law, but, the judiciary and the police are reluctant to comply₂₅.

Gender Equality:

Mauritania is an unequal country, with male rights dominating those of women. Historical and current Islamic beliefs are to blame for this.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)
• "Islam and Women" by Vexen Crabtree (2011)

Gender Inequality (2015)26
Pos.		Lower is better26
1	Switzerland	0.04
2	Denmark	0.04
3	Netherlands	0.04
4	Sweden	0.05
5	Iceland	0.05
	...
144	Benin	0.61
145	Malawi	0.61
146	Burkina Faso	0.62
147	Mauritania	0.63
148	Gambia	0.64
149	Central African Rep.	0.65
	Africa Avg	0.54
	World Avg	0.36
q=159.

Year Women Can Vote
Pos.		Lower is better Year
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
4	Norway	1913
5	Denmark	1915
	...
127	Gambia	1960
128	El Salvador	1961
129	Rwanda	1961
130	Mauritania	1961
131	Burundi	1961
132	Malawi	1961
	Africa Avg	1961
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Prejudice:

LGBT Equality (2017)27
Pos.		Higher is better Score27
1	Netherlands	103
2	Belgium	90
3	Sweden	86
4	Brazil	81
5	Spain	79
	...
178	Uzbekistan	-30
179	Tonga	-30
180	Tuvalu	-30
181	Mauritania	-32
182	UAE	-34
183	Kuwait	-37
	Africa Avg	-10.4
	World Avg	12.6
q=196.

Freedom of Thought (2021)28
Pos.		Lower is better28
1	Belgium	1.0
2	Netherlands	1.0
3	Taiwan	1.0
4	Sao Tome & Principe	1.3
5	Ecuador	1.3
	...
183	Kuwait	4.5
184	Syria	4.5
185	Jordan	4.5
186	Mauritania	4.8
187	UAE	4.8
188	Maldives	4.8
	Africa Avg	3.1
	World Avg	3.0
q=196.

5. Mauritania's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #Mauritania #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #smoking #vaccines

Compared to Africa (2020)29,30
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank29,30
1	Mauritius	64.5
2	Morocco	73.1
3	Eritrea	77.0
4	Tunisia	80.1
5	Algeria	87.3
	...
21	Lesotho	106.3
22	Botswana	106.5
23	Tanzania	107.5
24	Mauritania	107.6
25	Kenya	107.9
26	Senegal	108.0
27	Zimbabwe	109.3
	Africa Avg	108.2
q=54.

Health (2020)29,30
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank29,30
1	Monaco	13.0
2	Hong Kong	18.3
3	Maldives	41.0
4	Singapore	42.6
5	Japan	51.0
	...
146	Belarus	107.1
147	Ukraine	107.3
148	Tanzania	107.5
149	Mauritania	107.6
150	Samoa	107.8
151	Kenya	107.9
152	Senegal	108.0
	World Avg	93.5
q=196.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Hong Kong and The Maldives₂₉. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are The Marshall Islands, S. Sudan and Palau₂₉.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Asia and The Mediterranean₂₉, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Australasia and Africa₂₉.

For more, see:

• "Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Mauritania is a pretty unhealthy country. Mauritania performs the best in terms of its alcohol consumption rate₃₁. It does better than average for its smoking rate₃₂. When it comes to most other metrics, Mauritania does not do well. It does worse than average in its adolescent birth rate₂₆, its fertility rate₁₄, its average life expectancy₁₁ (still high for Africa) and in its immunizations take-up₃₃. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in terms of its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₄ (one of the highest in Africa). The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the last 40 years.

Life Expectancy (2021)11
Pos.		Higher is better Years11
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
4	Australia	84.5
5	Switzerland	84.0
	...
151	Ethiopia	65.0
152	Tuvalu	64.5
153	Madagascar	64.5
154	Mauritania	64.4
155	Ghana	63.8
156	Yemen	63.8
	Africa Avg	62.79
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption (2016)31
Pos.		Lower is better Per Capita31
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
4	Mauritania	0.0
5	Somalia	0.0
6	Yemen	0.1
7	Afghanistan	0.2
8	Saudi Arabia	0.2
9	Syria	0.3
10	Pakistan	0.3
11	Kiribati	0.4
12	Iraq	0.4
	Africa Avg	4.8
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate (2013)14
Pos.		2.0 is best14
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
4	France	1.99
5	Turkey	2.04
	...
146	Eritrea	4.28
147	Palestine	4.31
148	Cameroon	4.33
149	Mauritania	4.40
150	Congo, (Brazzaville)	4.46
151	Central African Rep.	4.46
	Africa Avg	4.31
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Smoking Rates (2014)32
Pos.		Higher is worse32
182	Montenegro	4 125
181	Belarus	3 831
180	Lebanon	3 023
179	Macedonia	2 732
178	Russia	2 690
	...
35	Zambia	165
34	Chad	156
33	Bhutan	155
32	Mauritania	135
31	Zimbabwe	134
30	Benin	122
	Africa Avg	340
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance (2017)34
Pos.		Lower is better Rank34
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
4	UK	4
5	Norway	5
	...
158	Belize	158
159	Algeria	159
160	Senegal	160
161	Mauritania	161
162	St Vincent & Grenadines	162
163	Angola	163
	Africa Avg	117.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults (2016)35
Pos.		Lower is better %35
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
4	Ethiopia	20.9
5	Nepal	21.0
	...
55	N. Korea	32.4
56	Thailand	32.6
57	Cameroon	33.6
58	Mauritania	34.4
59	Cape Verde	34.8
60	Sao Tome & Principe	35.4
	Africa Avg	33.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015)26
Pos.		Lower is better Per 100026
1	N. Korea	0.5
2	S. Korea	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
4	Hong Kong	3.2
5	Slovenia	3.8
	...
144	Ecuador	75.9
145	Namibia	76.8
146	Senegal	78.6
147	Mauritania	78.6
148	Venezuela	79.4
149	Guatemala	80.7
	Africa Avg	87.5
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015)33
Pos.		Higher is better Avg %33
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
4	Niue	98.8
5	Mongolia	98.7
	...
156	Benin	80.1
157	Guinea-Bissau	80.1
158	Tonga	80.0
159	Mauritania	79.9
160	Lebanon	79.4
161	San Marino	79.3
	Africa Avg	81.7
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

6. Mauritania's Modernity and Learning

#education #intelligence #it_security #modernity #religion #religiosity #secularisation #technology #the_internet

Compared to Africa (2020)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	S. Africa	52.8
2	Egypt	70.4
3	Tunisia	73.4
4	Kenya	79.8
5	Seychelles	81.3
	...
35	Tanzania	132.0
36	Mozambique	133.8
37	Congo, DR	134.7
38	Mauritania	134.7
39	Lesotho	137.2
40	Congo, (Brazzaville)	137.4
41	Burundi	139.0
	Africa Avg	120.7
q=53.

Modernity and Learning (2020)19
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank19
1	Finland	8.4
2	Taiwan	10.0
3	Switzerland	15.1
4	Estonia	15.8
5	Denmark	16.0
	...
179	Tanzania	132.0
180	Mozambique	133.8
181	Yemen	134.4
182	Mauritania	134.7
183	Congo, DR	134.7
184	Afghanistan	136.7
185	Lesotho	137.2
	World Avg	83.2
q=205.

Modernity and Education:

Secondary Education (2018)36
Pos.		Higher is better36
1	Luxembourg	100.0%
2	Estonia	100.0%
3	Austria	100.0%
4	Canada	100.0%
5	Finland	100.0%
	...
153	Malawi	21.8%
154	Cambodia	21.3%
155	Mozambique	19.3%
156	Mauritania	18.8%
157	Senegal	17.6%
158	Sudan	17.5%
	Africa Avg	34.4%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling (2021)37
Pos.		Higher is better Years37
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
4	Belgium	19.6
5	Sweden	19.4
	...
176	Sierra Leone	9.6
177	Gambia	9.4
178	Tuvalu	9.4
179	Mauritania	9.4
180	Tanzania	9.2
181	Syria	9.2
	Africa Avg	11.0
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Intellectual Endeavours (2017)34
Pos.		Lower is better Rank34
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
4	Denmark	4
5	UK	5
	...
138	Congo, DR	138
139	Ecuador	139
140	Syria	140
141	Mauritania	141
142	Nigeria	142
143	Mali	143
	Africa Avg	106.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Religiosity (2018)38
Pos.		Lower is better %38
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
4	Switzerland	9
5	Denmark	9
6	Germany	10
7	UK	10
8	Sweden	10
9	Japan	10
10	Finland	10
11	Latvia	11
12	France	11
	Africa Avg	87.0
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

IQ (2006)39
Pos.		Higher is better39
1	Hong Kong	108
2	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
4	Japan	105
5	Taiwan	105
	...
101	Guatemala	79
102	Sri Lanka	79
103	Nepal	78
104	Mauritania	76
105	Uganda	73
106	Tanzania	72
	Africa Avg	70.6
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

Technology and Information:

Internet Users (2016)40
Pos.		Higher is better40
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
4	Bermuda	97%
5	Andorra	97%
	...
158	Cameroon	18%
159	Pakistan	18%
160	Nepal	17%
161	Mauritania	17%
162	S. Sudan	17%
163	Gambia	17%
	Africa Avg	18.4%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IT Security (2013)41
Pos.		Lower is better41
1	Ireland	0.11
2	Luxembourg	0.11
3	Belize	0.11
4	Hong Kong	0.12
5	Mexico	0.16
	...
50	Italy	1.15
51	Vietnam	1.15
52	Nigeria	1.18
53	Mauritania	1.19
54	Azerbaijan	1.21
55	Belarus	1.22
	Africa Avg	1.07
	World Avg	0.98
q=81.

IPv6 Uptake (2017)42
Pos.		Higher is better Ratio42
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
4	USA	35.0
5	Greece	33.5
	...
140	Sao Tome & Principe	0.0
141	Kiribati	0.0
142	Ivory Coast	0.0
143	Mauritania	0.0
144	Iraq	0.0
145	Oman	0.0
	Africa Avg	0.04
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

7. National Culture

#charity #corruption #happiness #morals #politics

World Giving Index (2013-2021)43
Pos.		Lower is better43
1	Myanmar (Burma)	2.7
2	New Zealand	4.0
3	USA	4.7
4	Australia	4.9
5	Indonesia	9.0
	...
136	Japan	109.8
137	Montenegro	110.3
138	Latvia	111.1
139	Mauritania	111.3
140	Bulgaria	112.3
141	Azerbaijan	112.3
	Africa Avg	78.0
	World Avg	67.9
q=160.

Corruption (2022)44
Pos.		Higher is better Points44
1	Denmark	90.0
2	Finland	87.0
3	New Zealand	87.0
4	Norway	84.0
5	Singapore	83.0
	...
128	Mexico	31.0
129	Bolivia	31.0
130	Egypt	30.0
131	Mauritania	30.0
132	Togo	30.0
133	Swaziland	30.0
	Africa Avg	32.31
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

Happiness (2018)45
Pos.		Higher is better45
1	Finland	7.6
2	Norway	7.6
3	Denmark	7.6
4	Iceland	7.5
5	Switzerland	7.5
	...
123	Mozambique	4.4
124	Kenya	4.4
125	Zambia	4.4
126	Mauritania	4.4
127	Ethiopia	4.4
128	Georgia	4.3
	Africa Avg	4.29
	World Avg	5.38
q=156.

Creativity and Culture (2017)34
Pos.		Lower is better Rank34
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
4	Switzerland	4
5	Sweden	5
	...
53	UAE	53
54	Thailand	54
55	Macedonia	55
56	Mauritania	56
57	India	57
58	Philippines	58
	Africa Avg	117.8
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Open Trading, Aid and Development (2017)34
Pos.		Lower is better Rank34
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
4	Netherlands	4
5	Switzerland	5
	...
155	Grenada	155
156	Venezuela	156
157	Bahrain	157
158	Mauritania	158
159	Brunei	159
160	Algeria	160
	Africa Avg	96.7
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8. Peace Versus Instability

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index (2021)46
Pos.		Lower is better46
1	Iceland	1.10
2	New Zealand	1.25
3	Denmark	1.26
4	Portugal	1.27
5	Slovenia	1.32
	...
115	Togo	2.24
116	Kenya	2.25
117	Belarus	2.29
118	Mauritania	2.29
119	Congo, (Brazzaville)	2.29
120	Algeria	2.31
	Africa Avg	2.29
	World Avg	2.08
q=163.

Peacekeeping and Security (2017)34
Pos.		Lower is better Rank34
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
4	Egypt	4
5	Nigeria	5
	...
92	Pakistan	92
93	Estonia	93
94	Bahamas	94
95	Mauritania	95
96	Nicaragua	96
97	Peru	97
	Africa Avg	83.6
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees and UN Treaties (2017)34
Pos.		Lower is better Rank34
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
4	Sweden	4
5	Malta	5
	...
140	Haiti	140
141	Mongolia	141
142	Syria	142
143	Mauritania	143
144	Rwanda	144
145	Chad	145
	Africa Avg	104.5
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism (2019)47
Pos.		Lower is better Score47
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
4	Equatorial Guinea	0.00
5	Cambodia	0.00
6	Portugal	0.00
7	Croatia	0.00
8	Benin	0.00
9	Mauritania	0.00
10	Slovenia	0.00
11	Costa Rica	0.00
12	Romania	0.00
	Africa Avg	3.41
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

9. The Natural Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #over-exploitation #the_environment

Forest Area Change 1990-2015 (2015)48
Pos.		Higher is better %48
1	Iceland	+205.6
2	Bahrain	+144.4
3	Uruguay	+131.3
4	Kuwait	+81.2
5	Dominican Rep.	+79.5
	...
178	Niger	-41.3
179	Pakistan	-41.7
180	Honduras	-43.6
181	Mauritania	-45.9
182	Uganda	-56.4
183	Nigeria	-59.4
	Africa Avg	-08.0
	World Avg	+02.8
q=184.

Environmental Performance (2018)49
Pos.		Higher is better49
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
4	Malta	80.9
5	Sweden	80.5
	...
163	Djibouti	40.0
164	Papua New Guinea	39.4
165	Eritrea	39.3
166	Mauritania	39.2
167	Benin	38.2
168	Afghanistan	37.7
	Africa Avg	46.4
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Convention on Biological Diversity
Pos.		Earlier is better Signed
1	China	1993 Dec 29
2	Guinea	1993 Dec 29
3	Cook Islands	1993 Dec 29
4	Vanuatu	1993 Dec 29
5	Papua New Guinea	1993 Dec 29
	...
155	Kyrgyzstan	1996 Nov 04
156	Iran	1996 Nov 04
157	S. Sudan	2014 May 18
158	Mauritania	1996 Nov 14
159	Qatar	1996 Nov 19
160	Bahrain	1996 Nov 28
	Africa Avg	1899 Dec 30
	World Avg	1899 Dec 30
q=197.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment (2011)50
Pos.		Higher is better %50
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
4	Trinidad & Tobago	74.5%
5	Costa Rica	74.2%
	...
72	France	38.4%
73	Mongolia	38.4%
74	Hungary	38.0%
75	Mauritania	38.0%
76	Croatia	37.8%
77	Cambodia	37.1%
	Africa Avg	38.3%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

10. Economic Inequality and Poverty

#capitalism #economics #health #inequality #life_expectancy #poverty #social_development

Inequality in Life Expectancy (2019)51
Pos.		Higher is worse51
184	Chad	40.90
183	Central African Rep.	40.10
182	Sierra Leone	39.00
181	Somalia	38.90
180	Nigeria	37.10
	...
167	Guinea	31.30
166	Niger	30.90
165	Togo	30.50
164	Mauritania	30.00
163	Pakistan	29.90
162	Mozambique	29.80
	Africa Avg	26.10
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

Income Inequality (Gini Coefficient) (2017)52
Pos.		Lower is better %52
1	Ukraine	25.0
2	Belarus	25.4
3	Slovenia	25.4
4	Czechia	25.9
5	Moldova	25.9
	...
34	Mongolia	32.3
35	Switzerland	32.3
36	Bangladesh	32.4
37	Mauritania	32.6
38	France	32.7
39	Estonia	32.7
	Africa Avg	42.6
	World Avg	38.1
q=152.

Multidimensional Poverty (2018)53
Pos.		Lower is better Severity53
1	Armenia	.001
2	Ukraine	.001
3	Serbia	.001
4	Turkmenistan	.001
5	Jordan	.002
	...
73	Malawi	.243
74	Togo	.249
75	Rwanda	.259
76	Mauritania	.261
77	Zambia	.261
78	Uganda	.269
	Africa Avg	.264
	World Avg	.154
q=101.

11. Religion and Beliefs

#belief #buddhism #christianity #god #hinduism #islam #judaism #religion #religiosity #secularisation

Religiosity (2018)38
Pos.		Lower is better %38
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
4	Switzerland	9
5	Denmark	9
6	Germany	10
7	UK	10
8	Sweden	10
9	Japan	10
10	Finland	10
11	Latvia	11
12	France	11
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

Disbelief In God (2007)54
Pos.		Higher is better %54
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
4	Czechia	61
5	Estonia	49
	...
131	Chad	0
132	Nepal	0
133	Morocco	0
134	Mauritania	0
135	Mali	0
136	Senegal	0
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₅₅:

Christian	0.3%
Muslim	99%
Hindu	0.1%
Buddhist	0.1%
Folk Religion	0.5%
Jew	0.1%
Unaffiliated	0.1%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states simply: Muslim (official) 100%₅₆.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012)₅₇, in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Mauritania states:

“The constitution and other laws and policies restrict freedom of religion or belief and the 1991 constitution defines the country as an Islamic republic and recognizes Islam as the sole religion of its citizens and the state₅₈. Due to this stance, all non-Muslims are restricted from being citizens of the country, and Mauritanians who leave Islam for another religion or no religion lose their citizenship. In addition, Article 306 of the penal code outlaws apostasy: anyone found guilty of converting from Islam will be given the opportunity to repent within three days and if the person does not repent, the individual will be sentenced to death and the person's property will be confiscated by the Treasury.

Sharia (Islamic law) provides legal principles upon which the law and legal procedures are based. The government and citizenry consider Islam to be the essential cohesive element unifying the country's various ethnic groups. There is a cabinet-level Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Traditional Education. The High Council of Islam, consisting of six imams, advised the government on conformance of legislation to Islamic precepts. The judiciary consists of a single system of courts that uses principles of Sharia in matters concerning the family and modern legal principles in all other matters.

The government requires members of the Constitutional Council and the High Council of Magistrates to take an oath of office that includes a promise to God to uphold the law of the land in conformity with Islamic precepts. Both public schools and private Islamic schools include classes on Islam, and attendance at these religious classes is required.”

"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₅₉

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?