Difference between revisions of "Mauritania"
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Mauritania was formerly a colony of [[France]] but gained independence in 1960. In 1976, in a partition agreement with [[Morocco]], Mauritania annexed the southern one-third of the former Spanish Sahara ([[Western Sahara]]) (the northern two-thirds being annexed by Morocco). Attacks by the Western Sahara independence movement [[Polisario]] led to Mauritania abandoning its Western Sahara territory in 1979; this was subsequently occupied and annexed by Morocco. | Mauritania was formerly a colony of [[France]] but gained independence in 1960. In 1976, in a partition agreement with [[Morocco]], Mauritania annexed the southern one-third of the former Spanish Sahara ([[Western Sahara]]) (the northern two-thirds being annexed by Morocco). Attacks by the Western Sahara independence movement [[Polisario]] led to Mauritania abandoning its Western Sahara territory in 1979; this was subsequently occupied and annexed by Morocco. | ||
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| + | ==Human rights issues== | ||
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| + | [[Slavery]] is reported to still be widespread in Mauritania, despite a 1981 law outlawing it. [http://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSL1833437920070322?feedType=RSS] | ||
[[Category:African Countries]] | [[Category:African Countries]] | ||
Revision as of 22:24, August 24, 2007
Mauritania is a nation of north-western Africa, bounded by Senegal, Mali, Algeria, Western Sahara and the Atlantic Ocean. Much of its territory is desert or semi-desert. It has a land area of 397,955 square miles (1,030,700 sq km) and a population of 3.27 million (2007 est). The capital city is Nouakchott.
Mauritania was formerly a colony of France but gained independence in 1960. In 1976, in a partition agreement with Morocco, Mauritania annexed the southern one-third of the former Spanish Sahara (Western Sahara) (the northern two-thirds being annexed by Morocco). Attacks by the Western Sahara independence movement Polisario led to Mauritania abandoning its Western Sahara territory in 1979; this was subsequently occupied and annexed by Morocco.
Human rights issues
Slavery is reported to still be widespread in Mauritania, despite a 1981 law outlawing it. [1]