MigrantoImmigrants in Mauritania
189.8K foreign-born residents — the #115 largest immigrant population in the world
Where immigrants come from
The top 3 countries account for 93% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Mali | 122945 |
| Western Sahara | 32947 |
| Senegal | 20739 |
| Guinea | 3650 |
| Algeria | 1922 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 1415 |
| Syria | 651 |
| Benin | 647 |
| Ivory Coast | 542 |
| Cameroon | 460 |
| Morocco | 401 |
| Saudi Arabia | 357 |
| Tunisia | 290 |
| Egypt | 263 |
| Ghana | 240 |
| Palestine | 188 |
| Brazil | 186 |
| China | 185 |
| Niger | 174 |
| Togo | 168 |
| Libya | 161 |
| Lebanon | 138 |
| Iraq | 131 |
| USA | 125 |
| DR Congo | 104 |
| Gabon | 97 |
| Spain | 97 |
| South Korea | 80 |
| UAE | 78 |
| Argentina | 76 |
| Russia | 69 |
| Belgium | 69 |
| Italy | 62 |
| Chad | 58 |
| Canada | 57 |
| Kuwait | 35 |
By region of origin
Africa is the leading region of origin at 99%
187.2K
1.6K
297
265
262
182
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about immigration in Mauritania.
Mali is the leading source of immigration by a wide margin
Mali accounts for 65% of all immigrants, far ahead of the second-largest source at just 17%.
Immigration sources have diversified since 1990
The top source country's share fell from 85% to 65%, indicating a broader spread of origins.
How immigration changed over time
Total immigrant population by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 110227 |
| 1995 | 88054 |
| 2000 | 55481 |
| 2005 | 56197 |
| 2010 | 65646 |
| 2015 | 161138 |
| 2020 | 176583 |
| 2024 | 189807 |
Top sources over time
Immigration from the 5 largest source countries
| Year | Mali | Western Sahara | Senegal | Guinea | Algeria |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 6776 | 0 | 94138 | 2748 | 1450 |
| 1995 | 41626 | 0 | 36493 | 2936 | 1549 |
| 2000 | 7483 | 0 | 37730 | 3042 | 1601 |
| 2005 | 7559 | 0 | 38114 | 3073 | 1617 |
| 2010 | 5297 | 26001 | 26706 | 2157 | 1133 |
| 2015 | 104491 | 28007 | 17630 | 3105 | 1634 |
| 2020 | 114379 | 30652 | 19294 | 3396 | 1788 |
| 2024 | 122945 | 32947 | 20739 | 3650 | 1922 |
Fastest-changing origins
How immigration from each country has changed since the selected year
Mauritania as a destination, by diaspora
Share of each country's emigrants who settled in Mauritania
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many immigrants live in Mauritania?
Around 189.8K foreign-born residents live in Mauritania, making it the #115-largest immigrant population in the world.
Where do most immigrants in Mauritania come from?
Most immigrants in Mauritania come from Mali, Western Sahara and Senegal — these three countries account for about 93% of all foreign-born residents.
What share of the population of Mauritania are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 4% of the population of Mauritania — that's 189.8K out of a total population of 5.2M.
How has immigration to Mauritania changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the immigrant population in Mauritania has grown from 161.1K to 189.8K people, a growth of about 18%.
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