By Tim Lambert
Early Mauritania
In the 3rd century, Berbers arrived in what is now Mauritania. In the 7th century, the Arabs arrived. In the 15th century, the Portuguese arrived in Mauritania. They were followed by other Europeans who traded with the local people for gum arabic and slaves. In 1817, the French took control of the coastal region of Mauritania. In 1904, the whole region became a French Protectorate.
Mauritania takes its name from a province of the Roman Empire, although Roman Mauritania was further north. The region was first given the name by the French in 1899.
Modern Mauritania
Mauritania became independent in 1960. The first president was Moktar Ould Daddah. However, he was ousted by a coup in 1978. It was the first of several coups in the country. In 1981, Mauritania became the last country in the world to ban slavery, although it persists.
In 1989-1991, Mauritania and Senegal fought a war, the Mauritania-Senegal Border War.
Mohamed Ould Ghazouani was elected president of Mauritania in 2019. He was re-elected in 2024.
Today, Mauritania is still a poor country. Many of the workforce are farmers, but the country is rich in minerals. Oil was discovered off the coast of Mauritania in 2001. Gas was discovered in 2015. Mauritania also has great tourism potential. In 2026, Mauritania’s population was 5.4 million. The capital of Mauritania, Nouakchott, has a population of 1.6 million.
