Population of Mauritania

As of July 2026, the population of Mauritania is 5.5 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 147 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 2.75%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 16.7 years in 2016 to 17.5 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 69.2 years and population density is 5.3 inhabitants per square kilometer.

Population Growth

The population growth rate of Mauritania peaked in 1992, reaching around 4.7% annually, but has since declined to approximately 2.69% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 148.16 thousand in 2023 to nearly 146.92 thousand in 2026.

Life Expectancy

In Mauritania, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 64.5 years in 2006 to 69.2 years in 2026, representing an increase of almost 5 years over the past 2 decades.

Most populous cities in Mauritania

The cities of Mauritania are mostly small, but 2 stand out with more than 100 thousand inhabitants. The most populous city is Nouakchott, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 1.2 million inhabitants. It is followed by Nouadhibou, Dakhlet Nouadhibou with 146 thousand and Kiffa, Assaba with 62.1 thousand.

These are the 20 most populous cities in Mauritania: