Geography (Mauritania)
======================


     Total area:
         1,030,700 km2
     Land area:
         1,030,400 km2
     Comparative area:
         slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico
     Land boundaries:
         5,074 km; Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km, Western Sahara
         1,561 km
     Coastline:
         754 km
     Maritime claims:
       Continental shelf:
         edge of continental margin or 200 nm
       Exclusive economic zone:
         200 nm
       Territorial sea:
         12 nm
     Disputes:
         boundary with Senegal
     Climate:
         desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
     Terrain:
         mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
     Natural resources:
         iron ore, gypsum, fish, copper, phosphate
     Land use:
         arable land 1%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 38%; forest and
         woodland 5%; other 56%; includes irrigated NEGL%
     Environment:
         hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and April;
         desertification; only perennial river is the Senegal