Close-up portrait of a Mauritanian girl, Zouerat, Mauritania


As of 2018, Mauritania has a population of approximately million. The local population is composed of three main ethnicities: Bidhan or white Moors, Haratin or black moors, and West Africans. 30% Bidhan, 40% Haratin, and 30% others (mostly Black Sub-Saharans). Local statistics bureau estimations indicate that the Bidhan represent around 30% of citizens. They speak Hassaniya Arabic and are primarily of Arab-Berber origin. The Haratin constitute roughly 34% of the population. With many estimates putting them at around 40%. They are descendants of the original inhabitants of the Tassili n'Ajjer and Acacus Mountain sites during the Epipalaeolithic era. The remaining 30% of the population largely consists of various ethnic groups of West African descent. Among these are the Niger-Congo-speaking Halpulaar (Fulbe), Soninke, Bambara and Wolof.


Size: 4016px × 6016px
Location: Zouerat, Tiris Zemmour Region, Mauritania
Photo credit: © Roberto Cornacchia / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: africa, african, arab, arabic, arabs, berber, berbers, bidhan, child, close-, desert, destination, destinations, dry, girl, haratin, islam, islamic, mauritania, mauritanian, moor, moors, muslims, nature, nomad, nomadic, nomads, oasis, outdoor, people, portrait, portraiture, sahara, sahel, sand, sands, shy, shyness, smile, sunni, teenager, tour, travel, traveling, travelling, vacation, veil, west, woman, world, young