Demographic features of the population of Mauritania () include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects.
According to , the total population was in , compared to only 657 000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 39.9%, 57.4% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 2.7% was 65 years or older.
Structure of the population (Census 24.II.2013):
Population by Age Group (Estimates 1.VII.2016) (Data refer to national projections.):
Registration of vital events in Mauritania is incomplete. The Population Department of the United Nations prepared the following estimates.
Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
Fertility data as of 2010 (DHS Program):
Official census figures identify 100% of Mauritanian citizens as Muslim.
In practice, approximately 99.2% of the population is Sunni Muslim following the Maliki school, with very small minorities, about 0.8%, made up of foreign residents practicing Christianity, Judaism, or other faiths.
40% Black Moors (Haratins), 30% Sahelian and West African Mauritanians (non-Arabic speaking, largely resident in or originating from the Senegal River Valley, including Halpulaar, Fulani, Soninke, Wolof, Bambara, and Serer ethnic groups 30%), and 30% White Moors (bidhans).
Arabic, Pulaar, Soninke and Wolof are the four national languages of Mauritania while Arabic, particularly spoken in the Hassaniya Arabic dialect, remains the sole official language. Other languages, such as Serer and French are also spoken. French is widely used in media and among educated classes.