Mauritania
Capital: Nouakchott · Lower middle income · Pop. 5.2 million
Source: World Bank Open Data (WHO/UNICEF JMP & FAO AQUASTAT)
Mauritania has about 82 cubic meters of renewable internal freshwater per person each year — below the ~1,000 m³ threshold widely used to define water scarcity. It withdraws the equivalent of 337% of those internal resources annually (extreme (over-extraction) water stress), meaning it relies on rivers from outside its borders, desalination, or drawing down stored reserves.
Agriculture accounts for about 91% of Mauritania's water withdrawals, the rest going to households and industry.
Common questions
How many people in Mauritania have safe drinking water?
Comprehensive safely-managed drinking-water data is not available for Mauritania; basic-service estimates may exist.
Does Mauritania have enough freshwater?
Mauritania has roughly 82 m³ of renewable internal freshwater per person per year, and uses about 337% of it annually (extreme (over-extraction) stress).