|
Country
|
Mauritania | 
Botswana |
|
Leader
|
President: Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz
|
President: Seretse Khama Ian Khama
|
|
Population
|
3,359,185
| 2,098,018
|
|
Life Expectancy
|
61.530 years
| 55.740 years
|
|
Capital City
|
Nouakchott
| Gaborone
|
|
Largest city
|
| Nouakchott (population: 661,400) | Gaborone (population: 208,411) |
|
Human Development Index
|
0.557
| 0.664
|
| GDP per capita |
$2,200 US
| $16,200 US
|
|
Literacy Rate
|
51.2%
| 81.2%
|
|
Corruption Perception Index
|
2.8
| 5.8
|
|
Percentage of Women in Parliament
|
19.9%
| 11.1%
|
| Wealthiest Citizens |
|
|
| Unemployment Rate |
30.000%
| 7.500%
|
|
Death Penalty
|
Abolished in practice
| Legal
|
| |
|
Political System
|
military junta
| parliamentary republic
|
|
Independence date
|
28 November 1960 (from France)
| 30 September 1966 (from UK)
|
| Religions |
Muslim 100%
| Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none 20.6% (2001 census)
|
| Languages |
Arabic (official and national), Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French, Hassaniya
| Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)
|
| Exports |
iron ore, fish and fish products, gold, copper, petroleum
| diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles
|
| External Debt |
$2,816,000,000 $
| $1,973,000,000 US
|
| Exchange Rate |
ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar - NA (2007), 271.3 (2006), 267.04 (2005), 265.8 (2004), 263.03 (2003)
| pulas (BWP) per US dollar - 6.7907 (2008 est.), 6.2035 (2007), 5.8447 (2006), 5.1104 (2005), 4.6929 (2004)
|
| Military Budget as percentage of GDP |
5.500%
| 3.300%
|
| Beijing Olympics Medal Count |
|
|
| Location |
Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara
| Southern Africa, north of South Africa
|
| Area |
1,030,700 km sq
| 581,730 km sq
|
| Coastline |
754 km
| 0 km
|
| Climate |
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
| semiarid; warm winters and hot summers
|
|
|
|
