Regions of Mauritania: population and official figures
Mauritania is divided into 15 regions. The largest by population is Nouakchott-Sud with 627,415 people (12.7% of the total); the smallest is Inchiri with 29,484. Population figures are final results of the 2023 General Population and Housing Census (RGPH-5) from ANSADE, the national statistics agency. Nouakchott has been three wilayas since 2014 (Nouakchott-Nord, Nouakchott-Ouest and Nouakchott-Sud), each with its own page. Electricity, toilets, age and adult literacy come from the census Demographic Atlas; water, jobs, health, schooling and household wealth from the 2019-2021 Demographic and Health Survey, which reports Tiris Zemmour and Inchiri together.
Who governs Mauritania's regions?
Regions (13, matching the wilayas; Nouakchott region covers 3 wilayas): Regional council (11–25 members; 37 in Nouakchott) and its president elected by voters for five years. Regional development; created by Organic Law 2018-010.
How local power works in Mauritania · Level 5: devolved and state governments worldwide
All 15 regions, largest first
| # | Region | Population | Year | Growth (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nouakchott-Sud | 627,415 | 2023 | – |
| 2 | Hodh Ech Chargui | 625,643 | 2023 | – |
| 3 | Nouakchott-Nord | 614,465 | 2023 | – |
| 4 | Assaba | 451,804 | 2023 | – |
| 5 | Gorgol | 442,490 | 2023 | – |
| 6 | Hodh El Gharbi | 403,091 | 2023 | – |
| 7 | Brakna | 391,310 | 2023 | – |
| 8 | Guidimakha | 363,075 | 2023 | – |
| 9 | Trarza | 323,903 | 2023 | – |
| 10 | Nouakchott-Ouest | 204,881 | 2023 | – |
| 11 | Dakhlet Nouadhibou | 184,459 | 2023 | – |
| 12 | Tagant | 114,760 | 2023 | – |
| 13 | Tiris Zemmour | 79,129 | 2023 | – |
| 14 | Adrar | 71,623 | 2023 | – |
| 15 | Inchiri | 29,484 | 2023 | – |
More on Mauritania: official statistics · government and power · local power
Sources
- Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Analyse Démographique et Economique (ANSADE): RGPH 2023: Population des Wilayas, Moughataa et Communes (final results of the 5th General Population and Housing Census), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ab6f0a1f07d8…)
- Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de l'Analyse Démographique et Economique (ANSADE): RGPH-5 Atlas Démographique, October 2025 (maps I-7-2, II-2-1, III-4-2 and III-4-3 by wilaya), read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 dc101d7959c6…)
- Office National de la Statistique (ONS, now ANSADE) and Ministère de la Santé, with ICF (The DHS Program): Enquête Démographique et de Santé de la Mauritanie (EDSM) 2019-2021, final report: wilaya rows of Tables 2.1.2, 2.6, 2.11, 2.13, 3.3, 3.6, 3.9.1, 5.2, 8.1, 8.3, 9.1, 9.6, 10.3, 11.1 and 17.2, read 27 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c0c593e154fd…)
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