Climate: Desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Terrain: Mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Environment Issues: Overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought are contributing to desertification; limited natural freshwater resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial river; locust infestation

Languages: Arabic (official and national), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French; note – the spoken Arabic in Mauritania differs considerably from the Modern Standard Arabic used for official written purposes or in the media; the Mauritanian dialect, which incorporates many Tamazight words, is referred to as Hassaniya

Government Type: Presidential Republic