
Western Africa Economy
MAURITANIA Since independence from France in 1960, Mauritania has been largely ruled by the military. Slave labor still occurs. There are major differences between the Arab and black populations. The economy is undeveloped and trade union rights are severely curtailed. Four central trade union organizations are members of the World Trade Union Confederation, ITUC. Country Facts State condition: Republic, unitary state Surface: 1 030 700 km² Capital: Nouackchott Language: Arabic, Wolof official language Labor market and economy: The basis for the country's economy is the fishing and mining industry, mainly consisting of iron and copper, and the extraction of oil. The waters off the coast belong to the earth's richest fishing waters, but are overexploited by foreign fishing fleets. Fisheries still contribute 15 percent of GDP and 45 percent of…