Mauritania Rate of Natural Increase

Mauritania’s rate of natural increase (RNI)—the difference between its crude birth rate and crude death rate—reflects a relatively high population growth, with an estimated RNI of around 2.5% per year as of the early 2020s. This rate is comparable to some of its neighbors but varies in regional context. For instance, Senegal to the south has a slightly lower RNI, hovering around 2.3%, while Mali to the east exhibits a higher RNI, often exceeding 2.8%. Western Sahara and Algeria to the north have significantly lower RNIs, largely due to lower birth rates and higher urbanization; Algeria’s RNI, for example, is closer to 1.5%. The relatively high RNI in Mauritania and Mali is driven by youthful populations and high fertility rates, whereas the lower rates in Algeria and Western Sahara are influenced by greater access to education and family planning. Thus, Mauritania’s RNI situates it among the faster-growing populations in North and West Africa, though not at the very highest levels seen in the region.

Data from US Census International Database