History of Mauritania in Timeline
Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a Northwest African country bordering the Atlantic Ocean, Western Sahara, Algeria, Mali, and Senegal. It is the 11th-largest country in Africa, with 90% of its territory located in the Sahara Desert. The majority of its 4.3 million population resides in the southern region, with about a third concentrated in the capital city of Nouakchott on the Atlantic coast.
1901: Xavier Coppolani takes charge of imperial mission
In 1901, Xavier Coppolani took charge of the French imperial mission in Mauritania, initiating a strategy of alliances and military pressure.
1903: French armies occupy Trarza and Brakna
Beginning in 1903, French armies began occupying Trarza and Brakna in Mauritania.
1905: Slavery officially abolished
In 1905, slavery was officially abolished in Mauritania for the first time.
1905: French colonial administration declared an end of slavery
In 1905, the French colonial administration declared an end of slavery in Mauritania, with very little success.
1912: French armies defeat Adrar
In 1912, the French armies defeated Adrar and incorporated it into the territory of Mauritania.
1959: Enshrinement of abolition of slavery
Mauritania enshrined abolition of slavery, albeit implicitly, in its 1959 constitution.
1960: Mauritania becomes independent
In 1960, Mauritania became an independent nation.
1961: Ratification of the Forced Labour Convention
In 1961 Mauritania ratified the Forced Labour Convention.
1964: One-party state formalized
In 1964, President Moktar Ould Daddah formalized Mauritania as a one-party state with a new constitution, establishing an authoritarian presidential regime.
1965: Founding of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nouakchott
In 1965, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nouakchott was founded, serving the Catholics in Mauritania.
1976: Mauritania annexes Western Sahara
In 1976, Mauritania, along with Morocco, annexed the territory of Western Sahara.
1976: Daddah re-elected in uncontested election
In 1976, President Daddah was re-elected in an uncontested election under the one-party constitution.
July 1978: Daddah ousted in a coup
On 10 July 1978, President Daddah was ousted in a bloodless coup, following a disastrous war to annex the southern part of Western Sahara.
1978: Daddah re-elected in uncontested election
In 1978, President Daddah was re-elected in an uncontested election under the one-party constitution.
1979: Mauritania withdraws from Western Sahara
In 1979, Mauritania withdrew from Western Sahara after military losses to the Polisario, with its claims taken over by Morocco.
1981: Newspapers report CIA operation
In 1981, United States newspapers mistakenly reported that the Central Intelligence Agency planned a covert operation to overthrow the government of Mauritania as part of U.S. Cold War strategy.
1981: Slavery officially abolished
In 1981, slavery was officially abolished in Mauritania for the second time.
1981: Nominal abolishment of slavery
Slavery was nominally abolished in Mauritania in 1981 by presidential decree.
December 1984: Haidallah deposed by Ould Taya
In December 1984, Haidallah was deposed by Colonel Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, who relaxed the political climate while retaining tight military control.
1984: Filming of Fort Saganne
In 1984, filming for Fort Saganne took place in Mauritania.
1986: Opening of first deepwater port
In 1986, Mauritania's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott.
1990: Conflict with Senegal continues
As low scale conflict with Senegal continued into 1990/91, the Mauritanian government engaged in and encouraged acts of violence and seizures of property directed against the Halpularen ethnic group.
1991: New Constitution approved
In 1991, a new Constitution was approved in Mauritania, putting an end to formal military rule and legalizing opposition parties.
1991: Tensions with Western countries grow
In 1991, tensions with Western countries grew after Mauritania took a pro-Iraqi position during the Gulf War.
1992: Referendum Scheduled for Western Sahara
A referendum was originally scheduled for 1992 in Western Sahara, to determine whether or not the indigenous Sahrawis wish to be independent.
1992: National and municipal elections
Since 1992, a series of national and municipal elections have produced limited decentralization in Mauritania.
1997: Filming of The Fifth Element
In 1997, filming for The Fifth Element took place in Mauritania.
March 1999: Agreement with World Bank and IMF
In March 1999, the government of Mauritania signed an agreement with a joint World Bank-International Monetary Fund mission on a $54 million enhanced structural adjustment facility (ESAF).
1999: Introduction of Modern Standard Arabic
Since 1999, all teaching in the first year of primary school in Mauritania is in Modern Standard Arabic; French is introduced in the second year.
2000: DNA study of Yemeni people
In 2000, a DNA study of the Yemeni people suggested a possible ancient connection with Berber tribes of Mauritania.
2001: Filming of Winged Migration
In 2001, filming for Winged Migration took place in Mauritania.
2001: Oil discovered by Woodside Company
In 2001, oil was discovered in Mauritania by the Woodside Company.
2001: Oil discovery
In 2001, oil was discovered in Mauritania in the offshore Chinguetti Field.
2004: Per capita expenditure on health
In 2004, per capita expenditure on health in Mauritania was US$43 (PPP).
August 2005: Military coup led by Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall
On 3 August 2005, a military coup led by Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall ended President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya's 21 years of rule.
2005: Military coup
In 2005, a military coup occurred in Mauritania, leading to later democratic elections.
June 2006: New constitution approved
In June 2006, 97% of Mauritanians approved a new constitution that limited the duration of a president's stay in office.
December 2006: Parliamentary and municipal elections take place
In December 2006, parliamentary and municipal elections in Mauritania took place.
March 2007: First democratic presidential elections
On 11 March 2007, Mauritania's first fully democratic presidential elections took place, effecting the final transfer from military to civilian rule following the military coup in 2005.
August 2007: Slavery officially abolished for the third time
In August 2007, slavery was officially abolished in Mauritania for the third time.
2007: Enactment of criminal law against ownership of slaves
A criminal law against the ownership of slaves in Mauritania was enacted in 2007.
August 2008: Presidential guards take over
On 6 August 2008, the head of the presidential guards took over the president's palace in Nouakchott, leading to the arrest of the President, Prime Minister, and Minister of Internal Affairs.
2008: Accusations of torture
Following the 2008 coup, Amnesty International accused the military government of Mauritania of practicing coordinated torture against criminal and political detainees.
2008: Amnesty International on torture
In 2008, Amnesty International alleged that torture was common in Mauritania and that its usage is "deeply anchored in the culture of the security forces".
2008: Mauritanian coup d'état
In 2008, General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz led a coup d'état in Mauritania, leading to a period of political instability.
2009: New presidential elections held
In 2009, Abdel Aziz insisted on holding new presidential elections to replace Abdallahi in Mauritania. Abdallahi formally resigned under protest.
2009: Presidential elections won by Abdel Aziz
In 2009, General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz won the presidential elections in Mauritania following the previous year's coup.
2010: US State Department Human Rights Report on antislavery law
According to the US State Department 2010 Human Rights Report, Government efforts were not sufficient to enforce the antislavery law, and no cases have been successfully prosecuted under the antislavery law despite the fact that de facto slavery exists in Mauritania."
2010: US State Department Human Rights Report
According to the US State Department 2010 Human Rights Report, abuses in Mauritania include:
February 2011: Arab Spring spreads to Mauritania
In February 2011, the waves of the Arab Spring spread to Mauritania, with thousands taking to the streets of the capital.
2011: Life expectancy
As of 2011, life expectancy at birth in Mauritania was 61.14 years.
2012: Football ranking
Despite being ranked as the fourth-worst team in the world in 2012, Mauritania's football team later showed improvement.
2012: CNN documentary on slavery
In 2012, a CNN documentary estimated that 10% to 20% of the population of Mauritania live in slavery, although this estimation is considered by several academics to be grossly overstated.
2012: Government minister statement on slavery
In 2012, a government minister stated that slavery "no longer exists" in Mauritania.
November 2014: Mauritania invited to G20 summit
In November 2014, Mauritania was invited as a non-member guest nation to the G20 summit in Brisbane.
2014: Presidential elections won by Abdel Aziz
In 2014, General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz won subsequent presidential elections in Mauritania.
2014: Filming of Timbuktu
In 2014, filming for Timbuktu took place in Mauritania.
2014: US State Department on torture
In 2014, the United States Department of State identified torture by Mauritanian law enforcement as one of the "central human rights problems" in the country.
2015: Gold production
In 2015, Mauritania's gold production reached 9 metric tons.
2016: UN expert on human rights on torture
Juan E. Méndez, an independent expert on human rights from the United Nations, reported in 2016 that legal protections against torture were present but not applied in Mauritania.
August 2017: Abolishment of the Senate
In August 2017, the Senate, the upper house of the Mauritanian parliament, was abolished following a referendum. President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz initiated the referendum after the Senate rejected his proposals to amend the constitution.
August 2017: National flag changed
In August 2017, the national flag of Mauritania was changed with the addition of two red stripes, symbolizing the country's sacrifice and defense.
April 2018: Law passed on blasphemous speech
On 27 April 2018, the National Assembly of Mauritania passed a law that makes the death penalty mandatory for anyone convicted of "blasphemous speech" and acts deemed "sacrilegious".
2018: Walk Free Foundation's Global Slavery Index
According to the Walk Free Foundation's Global Slavery Index, there were an estimated 90,000 enslaved people in Mauritania in 2018, or around 2% of the population.
2018: Armed forces budget
As of 2018, the Mauritanian armed forces budget constituted 3.9% of the country's GDP.
2018: Qatar corruption scandal at the European Parliament
In 2018, Mauritania bribed members of the EU parliament, including Antonio Panzeri, to suppress negative commentary about Mauritania, an event known as the Qatar corruption scandal at the European Parliament.
2018: Global Slavery Index estimates 90,000 slaves
In 2018, the Global Slavery Index estimated that there were approximately 90,000 slaves in Mauritania, representing about 2.1% of the population, highlighting the ongoing issue of slavery in the country.
August 2019: Mohamed Ould Ghazouani sworn in as president
In August 2019, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani was sworn in as president of Mauritania following the 2019 elections, which marked the country's first peaceful transition of power since its independence.
2019: Mohamed Ould Ghazouani succeeds Abdel Aziz
In 2019, General Mohamed Ould Ghazouani succeeded General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz following the elections, leading an autocratic government with a poor human rights record, particularly due to the perpetuation of slavery.
2019: Africa Cup of Nations qualification
In 2019, Mauritania qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations.
2020: Atlas of Cursed Places episode
In 2020, the TV show Atlas of Cursed Places aired an episode that mentions Mauritania as a possible location for the lost city of Atlantis. The episode aired on the Discovery Channel and National Geographic Channel.
2020: Christian population
In 2020, the number of Christians in Mauritania was estimated at 10,000.
June 2021: Arrest of Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz
In June 2021, former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz was arrested amidst a corruption probe investigating allegations of embezzlement.
2021: Population of Mauritania
As of 2021, Mauritania had a population of about 4.3 million, with roughly a third concentrated in the capital and largest city, Nouakchott.
December 2023: Aziz sentenced to prison
In December 2023, Aziz was sentenced to 5 years in prison for corruption.
2023: AFCON 2023 qualifiers
In 2023, Mauritania defeated Sudan in the AFCON 2023 qualifiers.
June 2024: Ghazouani re-elected for a second term
In June 2024, President Ghazouani was re-elected for a second term in Mauritania.
June 29, 2024: Presidential election
On June 29, 2024, the last presidential election was held, with President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani winning re-election.
2024: Global Innovation Index ranking
In 2024, Mauritania was ranked 126th out of 139 in the Global Innovation Index.
2024: Filming of The Grand Tour
In 2024, filming for The Grand Tour took place in Mauritania.
2024: EU deal with Mauritania to reduce migration
In early 2024, a surge in refugees arriving on the Canary Islands led to a visit from European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez. Subsequently, the EU signed a €210M deal with Mauritania to curb the passage of African migrants through its territory towards the Canary Islands.
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