Economy of Mauritania

The economy Mauritania nne is based on five types of resources:

Fishing

Mauritania is one of the full of fish areas of the world thanks to an exceptional littoral ecosystem: the existence of shallow waters and mudholes allows the proliferation of Herbier S (zostères) which allied with the junction of currents (Upwelling) supports the reproduction of the marine species.

This privileged situation does not have escaped with the countries practitioner the intensive and industrial fishing which benefitted from the economic weakness of the country to buy fishing rights and thus to take part in the reduction of the fishing resources of this area. Measurements were recently installation with the creation of a fishing preserve narrowly supervised compared to the Bench of Arguin.

The breeding

The breeding, primarily of dromedaries of butchery and African oxen, constitutes the base of some great fortunes of the country. It is practically not exported (less than 2% of export total) and is practiced by the nomads since the 16th century.

Iron ore

Exploitation of iron ore, which is currently ensured by the SNIM (industrial National company and mine) which replaced Miferma, started at the time of French colonization in the area of Zouérate. The ore, whose layers are estimated at 200 million tons of electrolytic hematite (iron in a pure state containing less than carbon 8%), is extracted from mines with open sky with the Kedia d' Idjil like Fderîck, Rouessat and Tazadit (in fact of true reliefs made up of ore) and is conveyed to the harbor terminal of Casado with Nouhadibou on a distance of 650 km through the desert by a railway line skirting the border of the Western Sahara. The train ore tanker is one of largest world with three motor coaches drawing 200 coaches weighing 24000 tons. The total of exploited iron corresponds to 10,4 million tons per annum. The total of the iron imported into Europe corresponds to 10,2% of its needs.

It is about the most important source of revenue Mauritanian (94,9%).

Currently, Mauritania is the 13th iron producer in the world.

Oil

The Mauritania became producer of Pétrole beginning 2006. An oil reservoir was discovered in the Atlantic Ocean and the company Australia nne Woodside exploits the Champs of Chinguetti. This layer started production in February 2006, the first Tanker left the country in March of this same year bound for China. The government counts on a production in the long term of 100.000 Baril S per day. Several other layers (Tioff, Bandaged, Tevel) were located, and exploration continues, carried out in particular by Woodside, Dana Petroleum, and Total. Mauritania thus has a certain future as exporter (certainly relatively minor) of Pétrole and perhaps of Natural gas. These layers are estimated at 950 million barrels of petrol and quality is rather good.

Agriculture

Agriculture is especially practiced in the oases and in edge of the Senegal and of its principal affluents: culture practiced after the withdrawal of the flood in the major bed of the river (known as for that culture of fall), and cultures irrigated with pumping of water in the river. The rain culture, practiced in the back-country, is seriously compromised in period of dryness.

External bonds

Iron mines

Site of the SNIM
the terminal ore tanker of Nouadhibou on Google map

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