Mauritania population pyramid 2026
5,461,319 people in 2026 (projected). Mauritania’s median age has barely moved since 1950, staying near 17, while its population has grown more than eightfold to about 5.5 million.
- 2026 population
- 5.5Mrank 123 of 237
- Median age
- 17.5 yearsoldest rank 225
- Fertility rate
- 4.48births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful3.3% age 65+
Mauritania population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Mauritania age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 42.0% of the population, while 3.3% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 54.7% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Mauritania’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 82.9: about 83 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (76.9 children and 6.0 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Mauritania’s population pyramid
Seventy-five years of the same shape
Most countries’ pyramids have changed shape since 1950; Mauritania’s has mainly grown. The median age was about 16.7 in 1950 and is about 17.5 in 2026, and children under 15 made up 44% of the population then and 42% now. Over the same period the population rose from about 660,000 to about 5.5 million, so each band has simply expanded while the triangular outline stayed intact.
The reason is that falling mortality was not matched by falling fertility. Infant mortality dropped from about 185 per 1,000 live births in 1950 to about 31 in 2023, and life expectancy rose from about 38 to about 69. Fertility, by contrast, rose from about 5.8 children per woman in 1950 to about 6.7 around 1970 and has declined only slowly since, to about 4.5 in 2026. With more than six births for every death, the population grows by about 2.7% a year, a rate at which it would double in roughly a quarter of a century; the guide to population growth and fertility explains how the two measures relate.
More women than men in adult life
The two sides of the pyramid are not mirror images. Boys slightly outnumber girls, as everywhere, but from ages 20–24 upwards women are in the majority, with about 91 men per 100 women at 30–34 and 88 at 40–44. Higher female life expectancy explains part of this at older ages, but not in early adulthood. Labour migration by young men, within West Africa and further afield, is often cited, and the UN records net emigration of about 150,000 between 2000 and 2023. The chart alone cannot show how much of the gap reflects emigration and how much reflects incomplete data on a population that was largely nomadic until the droughts of the 1970s and 1980s.
Still near the start of the transition
Mauritania’s 2026 structure is most similar to those of Benin, Angola and Tanzania, and it appears among the countries in the youngest populations ranking. Under the medium scenario fertility falls to about 3.1 by 2050, but the population still reaches about 9.4 million that year, and it is still growing in 2100, at about 17 million. The base of the pyramid continues to widen through 2050, and only in the second half of the century does the median age pass 30.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Mauritania’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
In the UN medium scenario births outnumber deaths in every year through 2100. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Mauritania is projected to record 181,311 births (about 496 births a day) and 28,554 deaths, a natural increase of 152,757. Net migration adds −5,842 people, ranking #154 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 3,276,526 births, 607,693 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −149,282. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −226,287 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 71.2 years39.4 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 67.1 years37.4 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 13.7 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 27.5per 1,000 births · 185 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 34.1per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 30.2 yearssex ratio at birth 103.3
Women in Mauritania are projected to live 4.1 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 185 to 27.5 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #45 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 30.2 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Mauritania
The median age of 17.5 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 4.48 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 69.2 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,461,319 | #123 | Largest first |
| Median age | 17.5 years | #225 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 4.48 | #11 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +2.7% | #16 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 69.2 years | #183 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 3.3% | #203 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Mauritania
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 843,038 | 15.4% | 426.8K / 416.2K |
| 2 | 5–9 | 764,463 | 14.0% | 386.7K / 377.8K |
| 3 | 10–14 | 688,499 | 12.6% | 348.7K / 339.8K |
| 4 | 15–19 | 600,180 | 11.0% | 302.3K / 297.8K |
| 5 | 20–24 | 495,558 | 9.1% | 244.6K / 251K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Mauritania has 2,682,126 males and 2,779,193 females. That is 96.5 males per 100 females, ranking #163 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.1% of the population and females for 50.9%. There are 97,067 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 82.3 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 103.3 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, slightly below the typical value of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Mauritania has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 657,715 in 1950 to 5,461,319 in 2026, a change of 730%. Over the same span, median age moved from 16.7 to 17.5 years.
The under-15 share changed from 44.1% to 42.0%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 1.4% to 3.3%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Mauritania’s population is projected to grow by about 72%, reaching 9,415,598 in 2050. The median age changes from 17.5 to 22.3 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 1.4 percentage points to 4.7%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 33.8%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 17,118,469. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 657,715 | 16.7 | 5.79 | 38.4 | 28,308 | 15,342 | −227 | +1.9% |
| 1960 | 824,298 | 17.7 | 6.15 | 43.6 | 38,123 | 16,519 | −318 | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 1,099,806 | 17.0 | 6.68 | 50.5 | 52,004 | 17,622 | −855 | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 1,474,043 | 15.8 | 6.67 | 53.2 | 65,630 | 20,604 | −2,997 | +2.9% |
| 1990 | 1,951,878 | 16.0 | 6.17 | 58.1 | 80,798 | 20,863 | −3,000 | +2.9% |
| 2000 | 2,613,442 | 16.6 | 5.46 | 61.0 | 99,085 | 23,157 | −2,997 | +2.8% |
| 2010 | 3,390,964 | 16.7 | 5.38 | 65.7 | 132,040 | 23,921 | +1,128 | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 4,600,131 | 16.8 | 4.91 | 66.8 | 164,387 | 29,488 | −1,483 | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 5,022,442 | 17.1 | 4.70 | 68.5 | 172,885 | 27,725 | +2,999 | +3.0% |
| 2024* | 5,169,395 | 17.3 | 4.63 | 68.7 | 175,914 | 27,985 | −2,185 | +2.8% |
| 2026* | 5,461,319 | 17.5 | 4.48 | 69.2 | 181,311 | 28,554 | −5,842 | +2.7% |
| 2030* | 6,062,528 | 18.2 | 4.24 | 70.0 | 192,444 | 30,008 | −7,946 | +2.5% |
| 2040* | 7,681,908 | 20.1 | 3.60 | 71.8 | 213,430 | 35,402 | −10,327 | +2.2% |
| 2050* | 9,415,598 | 22.3 | 3.14 | 73.5 | 230,876 | 43,347 | −12,078 | +1.9% |
| 2060* | 11,180,220 | 24.7 | 2.80 | 75.1 | 241,794 | 54,044 | −12,944 | +1.6% |
| 2070* | 12,908,450 | 27.2 | 2.56 | 76.7 | 249,174 | 67,719 | −13,428 | +1.3% |
| 2080* | 14,520,791 | 29.8 | 2.37 | 78.2 | 250,599 | 84,501 | −14,434 | +1.0% |
| 2090* | 15,941,788 | 32.3 | 2.24 | 79.7 | 249,824 | 104,094 | −15,523 | +0.8% |
| 2100* | 17,118,469 | 34.7 | 2.14 | 81.2 | 245,091 | 124,829 | −15,226 | +0.6% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 426,805 | 416,233 | 843,038 | 15.4% |
| 5–9 | 386,699 | 377,764 | 764,463 | 14.0% |
| 10–14 | 348,708 | 339,791 | 688,499 | 12.6% |
| 15–19 | 302,341 | 297,839 | 600,180 | 11.0% |
| 20–24 | 244,594 | 250,964 | 495,558 | 9.1% |
| 25–29 | 198,725 | 212,342 | 411,067 | 7.5% |
| 30–34 | 166,776 | 182,731 | 349,507 | 6.4% |
| 35–39 | 138,456 | 154,825 | 293,281 | 5.4% |
| 40–44 | 113,904 | 129,805 | 243,709 | 4.5% |
| 45–49 | 91,116 | 106,457 | 197,573 | 3.6% |
| 50–54 | 75,080 | 87,656 | 162,736 | 3.0% |
| 55–59 | 61,179 | 70,354 | 131,533 | 2.4% |
| 60–64 | 47,157 | 54,465 | 101,622 | 1.9% |
| 65–69 | 34,773 | 40,451 | 75,224 | 1.4% |
| 70–74 | 22,847 | 27,404 | 50,251 | 0.9% |
| 75–79 | 13,226 | 16,634 | 29,860 | 0.5% |
| 80–84 | 6,543 | 8,742 | 15,285 | 0.3% |
| 85–89 | 2,475 | 3,527 | 6,002 | 0.1% |
| 90–94 | 606 | 993 | 1,599 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 104 | 195 | 299 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 11 | 21 | 32 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Mauritania’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Benin99% overlap · median age 18.2
- Tanzania98% overlap · median age 17.6
- Angola98% overlap · median age 16.7
- Cameroon98% overlap · median age 18.2
- Nigeria98% overlap · median age 18.3
- Mozambique97% overlap · median age 16.6
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Mauritania.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Mauritania Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/mauritania/
MLA
“Mauritania Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/mauritania/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Mauritania Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/mauritania/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Mauritania in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Mauritania's population in 2026 is projected at 5,461,319.
What is the median age in Mauritania?
The projected median age in Mauritania in 2026 is 17.5 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Mauritania?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 4.48 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Mauritania's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 72%, from 5.5M to 9.4M.
What share of Mauritania is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 3.3% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 4.7%.
How many babies are born in Mauritania each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 181,311 births and 28,554 deaths in 2026, about 496 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 152,757.
What is life expectancy in Mauritania for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 71.2 years for women and 67.1 years for men, a gap of 4.1 years in favour of women.
Does Mauritania have more immigrants or emigrants?
Mauritania is projected to lose about 5,842 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −149,282.
What is the sex ratio in Mauritania?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 96.5 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.