Israel announced its first project in Mauritania, an eye clinic operated by the Foreign Ministry's Center for International Cooperation (MASHAV). Both Israel and the United States view the establishment of full diplomatic relations between Israel and Mauritania as a milestone in the promotion of normalization, which is widely seen as the goal of the peace process which has evolved since the Madrid Conference. Mauritania joins Egypt and Jordan as the only members of the Arab League to post ambassadors in Israel. The Israeli Foreign Ministry will continue to work for the development and strengthening of Israel’s relations with other countries in the region. On February 1, 2008 at least one gunman opened fire on the Israeli embassy, injuring at least three people [3] On 31 January (2008) Permanent representative of Republic of Armenia to the United Nations (New York) Armen Martirosyan has signed a protocol with Abderahim Ould Hadrami (Mauritanian representative to UN) in New York establishing full diplomatic relations with Mauritania. The discovery of oil in 2001 in the offshore Chinguetti deposit will be a test for the current government since, according to human rights activists, it can be a blessing for one of the poorest countries in the world as well as a curse bringing corruption and violence to the country. [edit] The Ould Daddah era (1960-78) After independence, President Moktar Ould Daddah, originally installed by the French, formalized Mauritania into a one-party state in 1964 with a new constitution, which set up an authoritarian presidential regime. Daddah's own Parti du Peuple Mauritanien (PPM) became the ruling organization in a single-party system. The President justified this decision on the grounds that he considered Mauritania unready for western-style multi-party democracy. Under this one-party constitution, Daddah was reelected in uncontested elections in 1966, 1971 and 1976. He was ousted in a bloodless coup on July 10, 1978, after bringing the country to near-collapse through a disastrous war to annex the southern part of Western Sahara, in an attempt to create a "Greater Mauritania". [edit] CMRN and CMSN military governments (1978-84) Col. Mustafa Ould Salek's CMRN junta proved incapable of either establishing a strong base of power or extracting the country from its destabilizing conflict with the Sahrawi resistance movement, the Polisario Front. It quickly fell to be replaced by another military government, the CMSN. The energetic Col. Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidallah soon emerged as its main strongman, and by giving up all claims to Western Sahara he found peace with the Polisario, and improved relations with its main backer, Algeria - but relations with the other party to the conflict, Morocco, and its European ally France, deteriorated. Instability continued, and Haidallah's ambitious reform attempts foundered. His regime was plagued by attempted coups and intrigue within the military establishment; in 1984, finally, he was deposed by Col. Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya. [edit] Ould Taya's rule (1984-2005) The Parti Républicain Démocratique et Social (PRDS), formerly led by President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, dominated Mauritanian politics following the country's first multi-party elections in April 1992 following the approval by referendum of the current constitution in July 1991. President Taya, who won elections in 1992 and 1997, first became chief of state through a December 12, 1984 bloodless coup which made him chairman of the committee of military officers that governed Mauritania from July 1978 to April 1992. Political parties, illegal during the military period, were legalized again in 1991. By April 1992, as civilian rule returned, 16 major political parties had been recognized; 12 major political parties were active in 2004. Most opposition parties boycotted the first legislative election in 1992, and for nearly a decade the parliament was dominated by the PRDS. The opposition participated in municipal elections in January-February 1994 and subsequent Senate elections, most recently in April 2004, gained representation at the local level as well as three seats in the Senate. Mauritania's presidential election, its third since adopting the democratic process in 1992, took place on November 7, 2003. Six candidates, including Mauritania's first female and first Haratine (former slave family) candidates, represented a wide variety of political goals and backgrounds. Incumbent President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya won reelection with 67.02% of the popular vote, according to the official figures, with Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla finishing second. Sid'Ahmed Taya recognized Israel (see Foreign relations of Mauritania), which made Mauritania the only Arab country not neighbouring Israel which recognized the latter (Morocco and Qatar have official ties with Israel, but do not fully recognize it). He also started cooperating with the United States in antiterrorism activities, which was criticized by human rights NGOs, who talked of an exaggeration and instrumentation of alleged terrorist activities for geopolitical aims.[4][5] A group of current and former Army officers launched a bloody but unsuccessful coup attempt on June 8, 2003. The leaders of the attempted coup were never caught. [edit] August 2005 military coup On 3 August 2005, a military coup led by Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall ended Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya's twenty-one years of strong-arm rule. On August 3, the Mauritanian military, including members of the presidential guard, seized control of key points in the capital of Nouakchott. They took advantage of President Taya's attendance at the funeral of Saudi King Fahd to organize the coup, which took place without loss of life. The officers, calling themselves the Military Council for Justice and Democracy, released the following statement: "The national armed forces and security forces have unanimously decided to put a definitive end to the oppressive activities of the defunct authority, which our people have suffered from during the past years." (BBC) The Military Council later issued another statement naming Colonel Vall as president and director of the national police force, the Sûreté Nationale. Sixteen other officers were listed as members. Colonel Vall was once regarded as a firm ally of the now-ousted president Rashed sheik adan even aiding him in the original coup that brought him to power, and later serving as his security chief. Applauded by the Mauritanian people, but cautiously watched by the international community, the coup has since been generally accepted, while the military junta has organized elections within the promised two year timeline. In a referendum on 26 June 2006, Mauritanians overwhelmingly (97%) approved a new constitution which limited the duration of a president's stay in office. The leader of the junta, Col. Vall, promised to abide by the referendum and relinquish power peacefully. Mauritania's establishment of relations with the State of Israel - it is one of only four Arab states to recognize Israel - was maintained by the new regime, despite widespread criticism from the opposition, who viewed it as a legacy of the Taya regime's attempts to curry favor with the West. Parliamentary and municipal elections in Mauritania took place on 19 November and 3 December 2006. [edit] 2007 Presidential election The first fully democratic Presidential election since 1960 occurred on 11 March 2007. The election is the final transfer from military to civilian rule following the military coup in 2005. This is the first time the president has been selected in a multi-candidate election in the country's post-independence history.[2] The election was won in a second round of voting by Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, with Ahmed Ould Daddah a close second. [edit] Regions and departments Main articles: Regions of Mauritania and Departments of Mauritania Atar, Mauritania Chinguetti mosque Mauritania is divided into 12 regions (régions) and one capital district, which in turn are subdivided into 44 departments (départements). The regions and capital district (in alphabetical order) and their capitals are: Region Capital Adrar Atar Assaba Kifa Brakna Aleg Dakhlet Nouadhibou Nouadhibou Gorgol Kaédi Guidimaka Sélibaby Hodh Ech Chargui Néma Region Capital Hodh El Gharbi Ayoun el Atrous Inchiri Akjoujt Nouakchott (capital district) Tagant Tidjikdja Tiris Zemmour F'dérik Trarza Rosso [edit] Geography Satellite image of Mauritania, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map Library Sand dunes altered by traces of the Dakar Rally; Desert scenes continue to define the Mauritanian landscape. Richat Structure, Mauritania Main article: Geography of Mauritania At 397,929 mi² (1,030,700 km² [6]), Mauritania is the world's 29th-largest country (after Bolivia). It is comparable in size to Egypt. Mauritania is generally flat, its 1,030,700 square kilometers (397,850 sq mi) forming vast, arid plains broken by occasional ridges and clifflike outcroppings. A series of scarps face southwest, longitudinally bisecting these plains in the center of the country. The scarps also separate a series of sandstone plateaus, the highest of which is the Adrar Plateau, reaching an elevation of 500 meters (1,640 ft). Spring-fed oases lie at the foot of some of the scarps. Isolated peaks, often rich in minerals, rise above the plateaus; the smaller peaks are called guelbs and the larger ones kedias. The concentric Guelb er Richat (also known as the Richat Structure) is a prominent feature of the north-central region. Kediet Ijill, near the city of Zouîrât, has an elevation of 1,000 meters (3,280 ft) and is the highest peak. Approximately three quarters of Mauritania is desert or semidesert. As a result of extended, severe drought, the desert has been expanding since the mid-1960s. To the west, between the ocean and the plateaus, are alternating areas of clayey plains (regs) and sand dunes (ergs), some of which shift from place to place, gradually moved by high winds. The dunes generally increase in size and mobility toward the north. [edit] Economy Main article: Economy of Mauritania A majority of the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though most of the nomads and many subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for almost 50% of total exports. With the current rises in metal prices, gold and copper mining companies are opening mines in the interior. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In recent years, drought and economic mismanagement have resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. In March 1999, the government signed an agreement with a joint World Bank-IMF mission on a $54 million enhanced structural adjustment facility (ESAF). The economic objectives have been set for 1999-2002. Privatization remains one of the key issues. Mauritania is unlikely to meet ESAF's annual GDP growth objectives of 4%-5%. [edit] Demographics Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (December 2007) Main article: Demographics of Mauritania Population   3,270,065 (July 2007 estimated)[citation needed] Life expectancy at birth  53.12 years (2006 estimate)[citation needed] Ethnic groups  40% mixed Arab/Black; 30% Arab; 30% Black Religions   99.84% Muslim, most of whom are Sunnis Languages   Hassaniya dialect of Arabic (official and national); Other languages spoken include: Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof and French. [edit] Culture Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (December 2007) Qur'an collection in a library in Chinguetti Music of Mauritania Modern-day slavery [7] Islam in Mauritania Status of religious freedom in Mauritania Mauritania and Madagascar are the only two countries in the world not to use decimal-based currency. The basic unit of currency, the ouguiya, comprises five khoums List of films shot in Mauritania [edit] See also Association des Scouts et Guides de Mauritanie Communications in Mauritania Education in Mauritania Military of Mauritania Music of Mauritania Sports in Mauritania Transport in Mauritania Lists List of cities in Mauritania List of Mauritanian companies [edit] Notes ^ For more information please read slave owner Abdel Nasser Ould Yasser account in "Enslaved, True stories of Modern Day Slavery" edited by Jesse Sage and Liora Kasten, directors of the American Anti-Slavery Group ^ BBC NEWS | Africa | Mauritania vote 'free and fair' [edit] References CIA World Factbook, https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mr.html US State Department, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5467.htm Encyclopaedia Britannica, Mauritania - Country Page [edit] External links Find more about Mauritania on Wikipedia's sister projects: Dictionary definitions Textbooks Quotations Source texts Images and media News stories Learning resources Mauritania entry at The World Factbook Government République Islamique de Mauritanie official government site Assemblée Nationale Mauritanienne official site Discussion boards A multilingual bulletin board dedicated for Mauritanians and people having relations with them Slavery One of many sites about slavery in modern Mauritania Slavery still exists in Mauritania News AllAfrica.com - Mauritania news headline links (French) (Arabic) (English) News and Views of the Maghreb Overviews Arab Gateway - Mauritania Encyclopaedia Britannica, Mauritania - Country Page BBC News Country Profile - Mauritania CIA World Factbook - Mauritania US State Department - Mauritania includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports Mauritania's location on a 3D globe (Java) US Library of Congress - Country Studies (French) (Arabic) (English) country info & who's who Directories Columbia University Libraries - African Studies: Mauritania directory category Open Directory Project - Mauritania directory category Stanford University - Africa South of the Sahara: Mauritania directory category The Index on Africa - Mauritania directory category Yahoo! 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