Mauritania

Mauritania is a country larger than a half of Alaska almost entirely in the Sahara Desert. Hundreds of years before Christ, the ancient kingdom of Mauritania was formed lasting until the Romans conquered the kingdom and incorporated the country as a province in their empire. In modern times, the French conquered the territory making the country part of their West African territory until 1960, when it granted the country independence.

War with Morocco over the disputed Western Sahara devastated the nation soon after its independence, and war with Senegal a few years later worsened the country’s condition. The leaders of Mauritania have been totalitarian and often cruel. Coups have only changed their oppressor without bringing significant relief and have often led them to a military government. Significant progress was made in 2007 with the country’s first democratic elections. Although these efforts also ended in a coup and further unrest, it was a step towards democracy and led to another election about ten years later. One interesting fact to note is that Mauritania is known for its poor human rights record, most notably the continued practice of slavery, a result of a historical caste system between the Bidhan and Haratin peoples. It was the last country in the world to abolish slavery in 1981, and criminalized it only in 2007.

No country can experience such a history without having to face dramatic results. The country is a poor one offering its inhabitants few opportunities for improvement. While most of the country lives on herding, subsistence farming, and fishing, only about half are literate, and many are unable to pursue any education. The country’s population of over four million are mainly located in the west. Hassaniya, which is their particular dialect of Arabic, is the official language. Several other national languages are spoken, as well as French. Islam is the official state religion, and it has long held the country in hopelessness.

Missionaries in Mauritania:

Missionaries in Africa (listed with BIMI account numbers)