Population in Mauritania
Mauritania: Population was 5.02 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
5.02 million people
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
127th
of 236 countries
All-time high
5.02 million people
in 2023
All-time low
657,722 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Population in Mauritania, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
Mauritania recorded 5.02 million people for population in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 34.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in Mauritania peaked at 5.02 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 657,722 people, in 1950.
Mauritania ranks 127th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 657,722 people | — |
| 1951 | 670,891 people | +2.0% |
| 1952 | 684,812 people | +2.1% |
| 1953 | 699,392 people | +2.1% |
| 1954 | 714,679 people | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 730,730 people | +2.2% |
| 1956 | 747,615 people | +2.3% |
| 1957 | 765,353 people | +2.4% |
| 1958 | 783,999 people | +2.4% |
| 1959 | 803,611 people | +2.5% |
| 1960 | 824,307 people | +2.6% |
| 1961 | 846,174 people | +2.7% |
| 1962 | 869,192 people | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 893,425 people | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 918,957 people | +2.9% |
| 1965 | 945,847 people | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 974,159 people | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 1.00 million people | +3.0% |
| 1968 | 1.03 million people | +3.1% |
| 1969 | 1.07 million people | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 1.10 million people | +3.1% |
| 1971 | 1.13 million people | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 1.17 million people | +3.1% |
| 1973 | 1.20 million people | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 1.24 million people | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 1.28 million people | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 1.32 million people | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 1.35 million people | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 1.39 million people | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 1.43 million people | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 1.47 million people | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 1.52 million people | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 1.56 million people | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 1.61 million people | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 1.65 million people | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 1.70 million people | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 1.75 million people | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 1.80 million people | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 1.86 million people | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 1.90 million people | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 1.95 million people | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 2.01 million people | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 2.09 million people | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 2.17 million people | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 2.25 million people | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 2.31 million people | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 2.36 million people | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 2.41 million people | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 2.47 million people | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 2.54 million people | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 2.61 million people | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 2.68 million people | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 2.74 million people | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 2.80 million people | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 2.87 million people | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 2.94 million people | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 3.01 million people | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 3.09 million people | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 3.18 million people | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 3.28 million people | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 3.39 million people | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 3.50 million people | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 3.62 million people | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 3.73 million people | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 3.85 million people | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 3.97 million people | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 4.09 million people | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 4.21 million people | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 4.34 million people | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 4.47 million people | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 4.60 million people | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 4.73 million people | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 4.88 million people | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 5.02 million people | +3.0% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 5.02 million people is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 12.20 million people, 41% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 5.02 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.26 million people, 35% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 725,880 people | 657,722 people | 803,611 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 937,743 people | 824,307 people | 1.07 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.26 million people | 1.10 million people | 1.43 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.68 million people | 1.47 million people | 1.90 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.26 million people | 1.95 million people | 2.54 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.92 million people | 2.61 million people | 3.28 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.92 million people | 3.39 million people | 4.47 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.81 million people | 4.60 million people | 5.02 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More population data for Mauritania
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.5617 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.6195 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.8005 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.6195 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.6% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.22 million people (2100)
- Population density 16.61 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.6% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1772 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, per capita 0.3851 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in Mauritania?
- Population in Mauritania was 5.02 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population recorded in Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 5.02 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest population recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 657,722 people in 1950.
- How does Mauritania rank for population?
- Mauritania ranks 127th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mauritania data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.