|
Mauritania
Forest Information and Data
According to the U.N. FAO,
0.2% or about 242,000 ha of Mauritania is forested, according to FAO. Mauritania had 21,000 ha of planted forest.
Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2010, Mauritania lost an average of 8,650 ha or 2.08% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, Mauritania lost 41.7% of its forest cover, or around 173,000 ha.
Mauritania's forests contain 7 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass.
Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Mauritania has some 692 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 0.7% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 2.0% are threatened. Mauritania is home to at least 1100 species of vascular plants. 0.0% of Mauritania is protected under IUCN categories I-V.
Mauritania Environmental profile
The following contains data relating to forest cover in Mauritania
Previous version of this profile (2009)
SECTIONS:
|
|
Mauritania: Forest Cover, 2010
| Total Land Area (1000 ha) | 103070 |
| Total Forest Area (1000 ha) | 242 |
| Percent Forest Cover | n.s. |
| Primary Forest Cover (1000 ha) | 0 |
| Primary Forest, % total forest | 0 |
| Other wooded land (1000 ha) | 3060 |
| Percent other wooded land | 3 |
Mauritania: Breakdown of forest types, 2010
| Primary forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 0 | 0 |
| Other naturally regenerated forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 221 | 91 |
| Planted Forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 21 | 9 |
Mauritania: Trends in Total (Net) Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| TOTAL FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 415 | 317 | 267 | 242 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -10 | -10 | -5 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -2.66 | -3.37 | -1.95 | |
Mauritania: Trends in Natural Forest Cover (Deforestation), 1990-2010
| FOREST COVER (excluding planted forests) (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 410 | 304 | 250 | 221 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -11 | -11 | -8 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -2.6 | -2.59 | -2.73
| |
Mauritania: Trends in Primary or Old Growth Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PRIMARY FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| - | - | - | |
Mauritania: Trends in Planted Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PLANTED FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 5 | 13 | 17 | 21 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 10.03 | 5.51 | 4.32 | |
Mauritania: Primary designated function (percent)
| Production | Protection of soil and water | Conservation of biodiversity | Social services | Multiple use | Other | None or unknown |
| 0 | 7 | 20 | 0 | 73 | 0 | 0 |
Mauritania: Forest ownership and management rights 2005 (percent)
| OWNERSHIP PATTERN |
| Public ownership | Private ownership | Other |
| 97 | 3 | 0 |
| PRIVATE OWNERSHIP |
| Individuals | Business entities and institutions | Local, indigenous and tribal communities |
| 100 | - | - |
| HOLDER OF MANAGEMENT RIGHTS OF PUBLIC FORESTS |
| Public administration | Individuals | Business
entities and Institutions | Communities | Other |
| 99 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Mauritania: Growing stock in forest
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
Total
(million m3) | Per hectare
(m3) | Coniferous
(million m3) | Broadleaved
(million m3) | % commercial species |
| 5 | 20 | 0 | 5 | - |
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
| Total (million m3) | Per hectare (m3) | Coniferous (million m3) | Broadleaved (million m3) | % commercial species |
| 31 | 10 | | | |
Mauritania: Trends in carbon stock in living forest biomass 1990-2010
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(million metric tons) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 13 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(per hectare in tons) |
| | | 2000 |
| | | 30 |
ANNUAL CHANGE
(1 000 t/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| n.s. | n.s. | n.s. |
ANNUAL CHANGE PER HECTARE
(t/ha/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| n.s. | n.s. | n.s. |
Mauritania: Area of forest affected by fire and other disturbances 2005
| FOREST FIRE |
| 1000 ha | % wild fire (not managed burn) |
| 1 | 100 |
| EXCLUDING FOREST FIRE |
| Insects | Diseases | Other biotic agents | Abiotic factors | Total (excluding fire) | % of 2005 forest area |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
Mauritania: Trends in removals of wood products 1990-2005
INDUSTRIAL ROUNDWOOD
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 6 | 7 | 5 | - |
WOODFUEL
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 1321 | 1643 | 1865 | - |
Mauritania: Value of wood and NWFP removals 2005
Value of removals
(million US$) | Value per ha forest
(US$) |
| Industrial roundwood | Woodfuel | NWFP | Total | |
| - | 2 | - | - | - |
Mauritania: Employment in forestry 1990-2005
TOTAL
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | - | - |
IN PRIMARY PRODUCTION OF GOODS-FORESTRY
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | - | - |
IN MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS-CONSERVATION
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | - | - |
Mauritania: Forest policy and legal framework 2008
National forest policy (year): Yes (2001)
Sub-national forest policy: No
National forest program (year) - status: No (-) -
National forest law (year): Specific forest law (2007)
Sub-national forest law: No
Mauritania: Human resources within public forest institutions 2000-2008
| 2000 | 2005 | 2008 |
| # | % female | # | % female | # | % female |
| - | - | - | - | 160 | 6 |
Mauritania: Forest revenue and public expenditure on forestry 2005
| Forest revenue | Public expenditure (1000 US$) |
| Domestic funding | External funding | Total |
| (1000 US$) | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments |
| - | 565 | - | - | - | 565 | -
|
Mauritania: Status of ratification of international conventions and agreements as of 1 January 2010
CbD:
UNFCCC:
Kyoto Protocol:
UNCCD:
ITTA:
CITeS:
Ramsar:
World Heritage Convention:
NlbI:
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
Mauritania: Environment
| 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; locust infestation | | 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 | | Natural hazards | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April; periodic droughts |
Mauritania: Land use / Resources
| Land use (%) | arable land: 0.48%
permanent crops: 0.01%
other: 99.51% (2001) | | Natural resources | iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish |
Mauritania: Economy
| Economy - overview: | Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for nearly 40% of total exports. The decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt which now stands at more than three times the level of annual exports. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. A new investment code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. In 2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current world oil prices. Mauritania has an estimated 1 billion barrels of proved reserves. Substantial oil production and exports are scheduled to begin in early 2006 and may average 75,000 barrels per day for that year. Meantime the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and promoting privatization of the economy. | | GDP - per capita | $2,000 (2005 est.) | | GDP - real growth rate (%) | 5.5% (2005 est.) | | Agriculture - products | dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep | | GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 25%, industry: 29%, services: 46% (2001 est.) | | Industries | fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum | | Economic aid - recipient | $305.7 million (2002) | | Debt - external | $2.5 billion (2000) | | Population below poverty line (%) | 40% (2004 est.) | | Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture 50%, industry 10%, services 40% (2001 est.) |
Mauritania: Population / Demographics
| Population (July 2005) | 3,086,859 | | Population growth rate (%) (2005) | 2.90% | | Population density (people/sq km) (2005) | 3.0 | | Percent rural (2003) | 38.2% | | Median age (years) | total: 16.98 years | | Total fertility rate (children born/woman) | 5.94 (2005 est.) | | Ethnic groups (%) | mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30% |
Largest Cities in Mauritania
Cities and urban areas in Mauritania with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.
| City | Country | City Population | Urban Area Population |
| Nouakchott | Mauritania | 426300 | 426300 |
Mauritania: Infrastructure
| Telephones - main lines in use | 31,500 (2002) | | Telephones - mobile cellular | 300,000 (2003) | | Roadways (km) | total: 7,660 km
paved: 866 km
unpaved: 6,794 km (1999) |
Mauritania: Health
| Life expectancy at birth (years) | total population: 52.73 years
male: 50.52 years
female: 55 years (2005 est.) | | Infant mortality rate | 70.89 deaths/1,000 live births | | HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) | 0.6% (2003 est.) | | Major infectious diseases | degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and Rift Valley fever are high risks in some locations
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004) |
Mauritania
: References & Data Sources
 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005 & 2010) and the State of the World's Forests (2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2001)
Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com
|
|
|
|
