Resources

High-grade iron-ore deposits at Fderik, in the Sahara, constitute the country's principal resource. Copper is found at Akjoujt. The coastal waters abound in fish.

With the exception of a narrow strip in the south along the Senegal River, the country lies entirely within the Sahara. The elevation varies from 150 m (500 ft) in the southwest to 460 m (1,500 ft) in the northeast. Daytime temperatures in much of the Mauritania reach 38°C (100°F) for more than six months of the year, but the nights are cool. Annual rainfall varies from less than 130 mm (less than 5 in) in the north to 660 mm (26 in) in the Senegal Valley.

The most important resource of Mauritania is its large deposits of iron ore located in the Fderik area. Other mineral resources of the country include deposits of phosphates sulfur, gypsum and copper.