Population in the largest city in Mauritania
Mauritania: Population in the largest city was 49.4% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
49.4%
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
20th
of 153 countries
All-time high
57.7%
in 2004
All-time low
8.9%
in 1961
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population in the largest city in Mauritania, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in the largest city in Mauritania is 49.4%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.4% on the previous year and down 4.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Mauritania peaked at 57.7% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 8.9%, in 1961.
Mauritania ranks 20th of 153 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 9.3% | — |
| 1961 | 8.9% | -4.5% |
| 1962 | 9.4% | +5.5% |
| 1963 | 10.9% | +16.6% |
| 1964 | 12.8% | +17.1% |
| 1965 | 14.4% | +12.3% |
| 1966 | 15.7% | +9.0% |
| 1967 | 17.1% | +9.3% |
| 1968 | 18.8% | +9.6% |
| 1969 | 20.6% | +9.9% |
| 1970 | 22.7% | +10.2% |
| 1971 | 25.1% | +10.5% |
| 1972 | 27.8% | +10.9% |
| 1973 | 30.9% | +11.1% |
| 1974 | 34.5% | +11.4% |
| 1975 | 38.5% | +11.7% |
| 1976 | 43.2% | +12.0% |
| 1977 | 45.8% | +6.1% |
| 1978 | 45.8% | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 45.6% | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 45.3% | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 45.2% | -0.4% |
| 1982 | 45.2% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 45.6% | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 46.3% | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 47.5% | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 49.2% | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 51.5% | +4.8% |
| 1988 | 53.9% | +4.5% |
| 1989 | 54.1% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 54.3% | +0.5% |
| 1991 | 54.4% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 54.1% | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 53.6% | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 53.6% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 53.8% | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 54.5% | +1.3% |
| 1997 | 55.0% | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 55.3% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 55.5% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 55.6% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 56.3% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 57.1% | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 57.5% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 57.7% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 57.6% | -0.2% |
| 2006 | 57.3% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 56.9% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 56.2% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 55.4% | -1.4% |
| 2010 | 54.6% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 53.8% | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 53.1% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 52.6% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 52.1% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 51.6% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 51.1% | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 50.6% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 50.4% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 50.3% | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 50.2% | -0.2% |
| 2021 | 50.1% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 49.9% | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 49.7% | -0.4% |
| 2024 | 49.5% | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 49.4% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.8% | 8.9% | 20.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 36.0% | 22.7% | 45.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 48.4% | 45.2% | 54.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 54.4% | 53.6% | 55.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.8% | 55.4% | 57.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 52.0% | 50.3% | 54.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 49.8% | 49.4% | 50.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More urban development data for Mauritania
- Population density 4.87 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 46.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.3035 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 1.61 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 3.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 1.45 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 1.61 million (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
- Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen 9.24 million current US$ (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in Mauritania?
- Population in the largest city in Mauritania was 49.4% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 57.7% in 2004.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.9% in 1961.
- How does Mauritania rank for population in the largest city?
- Mauritania ranks 20th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Mauritania data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.