Mauritania: environment

What are Mauritania's carbon emissions?

Mauritania's total greenhouse gas emissions were 17.51 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2024, excluding land use, according to the World Bank's greenhouse gas series, up from 17.18 million in 2023. ANSADE's Socio-demographic Statistics Yearbook 2025, citing the World Bank, gives CO2 emissions of 1.0 tonne per person in 2024.

Total greenhouse gases include methane and nitrous oxide as well as CO2, so the total and the CO2-per-person figure measure different things. The figures are international estimates rather than a published national inventory. No official environment ministry figures could be read: environnement.gov.mr did not respond on 15 October 2026.

Official sources: World Bank: Total greenhouse gas emissions, Mauritania · ANSADE: Socio-demographic Statistics Yearbook 2025 (PDF)

How many people in Mauritania have electricity?

52.2% of Mauritania's population had access to electricity in 2024, up from 50.3% in 2023 and 49.0% in 2022, according to the World Bank's access to electricity series. ANSADE's Socio-demographic Statistics Yearbook 2025 publishes the share of households with electricity by wilaya from 2004 to 2023.

The World Bank series is an estimate, so small year-to-year changes should be read with care. The national figure combines urban and rural areas, which differ widely; the yearbook's wilaya table shows the regional pattern. It also reports the number of boreholes drilled and localities supplied with water by wilaya.

Official sources: World Bank: Access to electricity, Mauritania · ANSADE: Socio-demographic Statistics Yearbook 2025 (PDF)

How much rain falls in Mauritania?

Mauritania's national average rainfall was 225.1 mm in 2024, up from 170.9 mm in 2023, according to ANSADE's Economic Statistics Yearbook 2025, citing the National Meteorological Office. Sélibaby in the far south received 618 mm, Nouakchott 78.5 mm and Nouadhibou 12 mm.

Rain falls mainly between July and September and declines sharply from south to north, which is why farming is concentrated along the Senegal River and in the south. Yearly totals vary a lot: the national figure was 110 mm in 2021. Pastoralists and rain-fed farmers depend on the rainy season, so a poor year affects food production and livestock.

Official sources: Economic Statistics Yearbook 2025

How many bushfires are there in Mauritania?

360 bushfires were recorded in Mauritania in 2025, up from 249 in 2024 and 171 in 2021, according to ANSADE's Socio-demographic Statistics Yearbook 2025, citing the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development. The yearbook also gives the area burned in each wilaya.

Bushfires mostly occur in the dry season after the rains, in the southern and eastern wilayas where grass grows. They destroy grazing that herders rely on until the next rains. The figures are fires recorded by the ministry's services, so fires in remote areas may be missed.

Official sources: Socio-demographic Statistics Yearbook 2025

How many people in Mauritania have access to clean water?

64.3% of Mauritanian households used an improved source of drinking water in 2019, up from 57.4% in 2014, according to ANSADE's Socio-demographic Statistics Yearbook 2025, based on its household survey. 254 boreholes were drilled in 2025, against 199 in 2024, the yearbook shows, citing the Ministry of Water and Sanitation.

Improved sources include piped water, protected wells and boreholes, but the water is not necessarily available on the premises or tested for quality. Access ranged from 44.7% of households in Guidimakha to 92.4% in Dakhlet Nouadhibou in 2019. Water stress was 13.25% of renewable freshwater withdrawn in 2022, World Bank data shows.

Official sources: Socio-demographic Statistics Yearbook 2025 · World Bank data shows

How much electricity does Mauritania produce?

Mauritania's national power company SOMELEC produced 2,044.5 million kWh of electricity in 2025, up from 1,770.9 million kWh in 2024, according to ANSADE's Economic Statistics Yearbook 2025. Production has risen from 1,179.6 million kWh in 2021.

Output peaks between June and October, when heat raises demand for cooling. Nouakchott accounts for most of it. Renewable sources supplied 19.6% of final energy use in 2022, according to World Bank Open Data; Mauritania has wind and solar plants near Nouakchott and imports hydropower from the Manantali dam through the Senegal River organisation (OMVS).

Official sources: Economic Statistics Yearbook 2025 · World Bank Open Data

What is air quality like in Mauritania?

People in Mauritania were exposed to an average of 46.5 micrograms of fine particles (PM2.5) per cubic metre in 2023, according to World Bank Open Data. The World Health Organization guideline for annual exposure is 5 micrograms.

The figure is a modelled estimate, weighted by population, that combines satellite data with ground measurements. Much of Mauritania's fine dust comes from the Sahara, especially during the harmattan season, so levels are high even far from industry or traffic. No national air quality monitoring figures were found on ANSADE's site on 15 October 2026.

Official sources: World Bank Open Data

What is Mauritania's carbon footprint per person?

The latest figure from the European Commission's EDGAR database, for 2024, is 1.0 tonnes. The peak was 1.0 tonnes in 2022 and the low 0.5 tonnes in 2005. Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 0.4 tonnes, and Mauritania placed 10th highest of 47. Of 186 countries with 2024 data, 129th highest.

What are Mauritania's emissions?

17.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent: that is total greenhouse gas emissions in Mauritania for 2024, according to the European Commission's EDGAR database. It is the top of the series, which starts in 2005. It is 28th highest of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 24.6 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent. Of 186 countries with 2024 data, 124th highest.

How much of Mauritania's energy is renewable?

In 2022, the renewable share of final energy use in Mauritania was 19.6%, according to the IEA, IRENA, the UN Statistics Division, the World Bank and the WHO. No year since 2005 has been lower. It is 21st highest of 23 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 70.0%. World rank, highest first: 33rd of 53.

What share of Mauritania is covered by forest?

The latest figure from the FAO, for 2024, is 1.0%. It is the top of the series, which starts in 2005. Sub-Saharan Africa median: 22.2%; Mauritania is 47th highest of 48. Of 190 countries with 2024 data, 180th highest.

How polluted is the air in Mauritania?

The latest figure from the Global Burden of Disease study, for 2023, is 46.5 micrograms per cubic metre. Since 2005 it has ranged from 42.8 micrograms per cubic metre (2013) to 54.1 micrograms per cubic metre (2012). It is 4th highest of 48 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 27.5 micrograms per cubic metre. Of 192 countries with 2023 data, 16th highest.

How much of Mauritania is in national parks and reserves?

0.6%: that is the share of land in protected areas in Mauritania for 2025, according to the UN Environment Programme. The figure has been the same every year since 2013. Across Sub-Saharan Africa the middle value was 16.9%, and Mauritania placed 46th highest of 48. Of 192 countries with 2025 data, 187th highest.

Is Mauritania short of water?

The latest figure from the FAO, for 2022, is 13.2%. It has not changed since 2005. It is 13th highest of 47 in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the median is 5.1%. Of 175 countries with 2022 data, 77th highest.