Mauritania Government

What is the capital of Mauritania?

Country Name Mauritania
Full Country Name Islamic Republic of Mauritania
Local - Long Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
Local - Short Muritaniyah
Former Name named for the ancient Kingdom of Mauretania (3rd century B.C. to 1st century A.D.), which existed further north in present-day Morocco; the name derives from the Mauri (Moors), the Berber-speaking peoples of northwest Africa
Government Type presidential republic
Capital Name Nouakchott
Capital - geographic coordinate 18 04 N, 15 58 W
Capital Time Difference UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence 28 November 1960 (from France)
National Holiday Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
Constitution previous 1964; latest adopted 12 July 1991; amended 2004, 2006, 2012

Mauritania Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Mauritania Government and Politics

Who is the president of Mauritania?

Executive Branch: chief of state: President Mohamed Cheikh El GHAZOUANI (since 1 August 2019)

head of government: Prime Minister Ould Bedda Ould Cheikh SIDIYA (since 5 August 2019)

cabinet: Council of Ministers - nominees suggested by the prime minister, appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 22 June 2019 (next scheduled for 22 June 2024); prime minister appointed by the president

election results: Mohamed Cheikh El GHAZOUANI elected president in first round; percent of vote - Mahamed Cheikh El GHAZOUANI (UPR) 52%, Biram Dah Ould ABEID (independent) 18.6%, Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBACAR (independent) 17.9%, other 11.55%
Citizenship Criteria: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Mauritania

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Legal System: mixed legal system of Islamic and French civil law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Legislative Branch: description: unicameral Parliament or Barlamane consists of the National Assembly or Al Jamiya Al Wataniya (157 seats; 113 members in single- and multi-seat constituencies directly elected by a combination of plurality and proportional representation voting systems, 40 members in a single, nationwide constituency directly elected by proportional representation vote, and 4 members directly elected by the diaspora; all members serve 5-year terms)

elections: first held as the unicameral National Assembly in 2 rounds on 1 and 15 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023)

election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA

note: a referendum held in August 2017 approved a constitutional amendment to change the Parliament structure from bicameral to unicameral by abolishing the Senate and creating Regional Councils for local development
Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (subdivided into 1 criminal and 2 civil chambers, each with a president and 5 counselors); Constitutional Council (consists of 6 members)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by the president of the republic to serve a 5-year renewable term; Constitutional Council members appointed - 3 by the president of the republic, 2 by the president of the National Assembly, and 1 by the president of the Senate; members serve single, 9-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 3 years

subordinate courts: High Court of Justice (cases involving treason and criminal acts of high government officials); courts of appeal; wilaya (regional) courts (located at the headquarters of each of the 13 regions); commercial and labor courts; criminal courts; moughataa (district) courts; informal/customary courts
Regions or States: 15 regions (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott Nord, Nouakchott Ouest, Nouakchott Sud, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza
Political Parties and Leaders: Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal or AJD/MR [Ibrahima Moctar SARR]

Burst of Youth for the Nation [Lalla CHERIVA]

Coalition for Pacific Alternation or CAP (coalition of opposition parties, including APP, El Wiam)

Coalition of Majority Parties or CPM (including UPR, UDP)

Coordination of Democratic Opposition or COD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH] (coalition including RNRD-TAWASSOUL)

El Karama Party [Cheikhna Ould Mohamed Ould HAJBOU]

El Vadila Party [Ethmane Ould Ahmed ABOULMAALY]

El Wiam [Boidiel Ould HOUMEIT]

National Rally for Reform and Development or RNRD-TAWASSOUL [Mohamed Jamil Ould MANSOUR]

Party of Unity and Development or PUD [Mohamed BARO]

Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messaoud Ould BOULKHEIR]

Ravah Party

Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR [Sidi Mohamed Ould Mohamed VALL]

Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]

Union for the Republic or UPR [Sidi Mohamed Ould MAHAM]
International Law Organization Participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International Organization Participation: ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU (candidate), EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MIUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic Representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamedoun DADDAH (since 27 June 2016)

chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700 through 5701

FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623
Diplomatic Representation from US: chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Edward ANDRE, Jr. (since 25 September 2014)

embassy: 288, rue 42-100 (rue Abdallaye), Nouakchott

mailing address: B.P. 222, Nouakchott

telephone: [222] 4525-2660 or [222] 2660-2663

FAX: [222] 4525-1592
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