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Olive trees are the oldest fruit-producing trees on the planet. Greece claims to be home to olive trees over 3,000 years old in Crete that are still bearing fruit. This Mediterranean native tree is attractive in an unusual way and will make an eye-catching specimen tree in your landscape and in your landscape.
Use these tips to prepare soil when planting olive trees so you can enjoy a long-living, fruit-bearing, gnarly-trunked tree in your home landscape.
Sunny Location
Olive trees grow best in the Mediterranean type climate. Thus, olive trees prefer to be grown in full sun, so select a planting location that provides direct sun for at least the majority of the day.
Remember the native habitat of the tree and try to provide the tree with all the comforts of home, like hot weather, full sun, and well-draining soil that remains a little on the dry side.
Soil Preparation For Olive Trees
Soil conditions are not much of a consideration when selecting a planting site. Olive trees will thrive in most soil conditions, even some clay, if the soil has good drainage. The only soil type this tree won't tolerate is soggy soil.
Amending the soil with organic material is not needed but you may want to add some compost if the soil has a high clay content or takes too long to drain away excess rainwater. It's best to plant the tree in native soil so it can adjust to the conditions of its new home quickly.
Do not add gravel or perforated drainage pipe under the planting hole as either of these will reduce drainage and can create a soggy soil situation for the tree.
Do not mix in any type of organic or synthetic fertilizer at planting time. Wait until the tree begins to produce new growth in the first spring after planting, then side-dress with a little compost or organic plant food.
Read more about soil when cultivating olive trees.
Dig The Hole
Dig a planting hole about the same width of the container, and about 1-inch (2.5 cm) shallower. Water the tree thoroughly, remove it from its container and prune off any circling roots.
Place the root ball in the hole. Use the removed soil from the hole to backfill and mound up 1-inch (2.5 cm) of soil on top of the root ball. Grade the soil down from the trunk to the surrounding soil to allow rainwater to drain away from the tree trunk rapidly.
Add a 2-inch (5 cm) layer of organic mulch around the base of the tree to prevent weed growth. Use shredded tree bark or straw but not compost. Keep the mulch 2-inches (5 cm) away from the base of the tree trunk and create a 3-foot perimeter of mulch around the base. The young tree should not have to compete with weeds for nutrients and moisture.
When To Plant
Olive trees can be planted in the spring, summer, or fall, with spring being the best time to plant. Spring planting will allow the young tree to become adjusted to its new home and develop a strong root system during the summer.
If you miss the spring planting season, summer is good for planting but you will need to check the soil often and water the tree frequently. winter is also an acceptable planting time for olive trees and this time of year will allow the newly planted tree time to focus its energy on root growth instead of leaf, branch, and fruit growth.
Last update on 2024-02-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Water Young Trees
Newly planted olive trees will need to be watered throughout their first summer. Apply 4-inches (10 cm) of water to each tree 2-3 times a week. Apply the water slowly so it can soak down to the tree roots.
After the first summer, do not water the tree except during times of drought.
Final Tips on How to Prepare Soil When Planting Olive Trees
Olive trees prefer deep, well-drained, sandy loam soils
Olive trees will not tolerate poorly drained soils, which can cause devastating root rot disease
Improve heavy soils by combining large amounts of compost and a few buckets of gypsum into a planting area at least 6.5 ft (2m) wide. Mound the soil to approximately 1 -1.3 ft (30 – 40 cm) deep in the centre to improve the drainage
Olive trees tolerate both acidic and alkaline soils. Though the preferred pH is 6 – 8. If your soil is acid, add lime or other organic fertilizer when preparing the soil to bring it up to the preferred neutral pH
Read Next
Learn More
- How do Olives Grow?
- Olive Tree Growth Rate
- How to Plant Olive Trees in Container?
- Bonsai Olive Tree Care Guide
Join our Facebook community: Olive Tree Growers and Enthusiasts
Hi, I'm Vangelis Kleftogiannis, the founder of Oliviada and an established olive oil expert from Kalamata, Greece. My expertise isn't just in producing quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil, but also in the cultivation and care of olive trees themselves. I am deeply committed to sharing my knowledge and know-how, helping others understand the intricacies of olive tree growing and the creation of quality olive oil.
Are You Looking to Buy an Olive Tree?
If you are looking to add more potted trees or other plants to your orchard, or if you like to replace a neglected olive tree, the best places to get them are your local nursery or an online nursery.
One of the most reliable and the world's largest online nurseries is Fast Growing Trees. They deliver fast, neat, and healthy plants backed with a 30-day guarantee.


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Samyang AF 14mm f/2.8 FE Review
The new Samyang AF 14mm f/2.8 FE is an affordable, yet high-quality, ultra-wide-angle lens for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras. It's also the second ever auto-focus lens from Samyang, who have always specialized in producing manual-focus only lenses, improving on the AF 50mm f/1.4 by having a quieter focusing system.
In terms of image quality, sharpness is good when shooting wide-open at f/2.8, becoming even better from f/4 onwards, but the edges aren't quite as sharp as the centre, with f/8-f/16 producing the sharpest results. There's also lots of evidence of chromatic aberrations, plus vignetting at wide-open apertures, admittedly something that other ultra-wide-angle lenses also suffer from.
As with the AF 50mm lens, the build quality is again excellent, with the metal lens mount and housing adding to the high-quality feel. Samyang have also included a very good petal-shaped lens hood, although it is non-removable which prevents the use of filters with this lens. Auto-focusing was acceptably quick and also quiet on the A7R II that we tested the lens with, although we missed having manual focus over-ride at any time.
The price of the Samyang AF 14mm f/2.8 FE is undoubtedly very attractive given the fast f/2.8 aperture, complex construction, and the quick and quiet auto-focusing, which makes this lens worthy of our Highly Recommended award.
Ratings (out of 5) | |
Design | 4 |
Features | 4.5 |
Ease-of-use | 4 |
Image quality | 4 |
Value for money | 5 |

subset: commoncrawl


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THE EUROPEAN Union Committee of the House of Lords published its report 'Brexit: acquired rights' today (Wednesday) which examines EU citizenship rights.
Their Justice Sub-Committee's findings noted that these are 'fundamental rights under EU law to live, work, study, and raise a family in a Member State of one's own choosing'.
The report states: "There was much talk before the referendum that these rights would somehow be protected as 'acquired rights'.
"This was misleading.
"If the UK wants to preserve certain EU rights on withdrawal, it will have to ensure they are safeguarded in the withdrawal agreement."
Full story in Friday's Costa Blanca News


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An English lawyer and writer, born 1613 at Walpole, in Norfolk; died London, 1669. He was a student of St. John's College, Cambridge, and of Lincoln's Inn, and about 1640 embraced the Catholic Faith. He was highly esteemed in his profession and was looked on as a master of English style. His time was entirely devoted to books and literary pursuits. He enjoyed the friendship of such scholars as the antiquary Blount, Christopher Davenport (Franciscus a Santa Clara), John Sergeant, and others. Among his writings are: "The Christian Moderator; or Persecution for Religion condemned by the Light of Nature, by the Law of God, the Evidence of our Principles, but not by the Practice of our Commissioners for Sequestrations--In Four Parts" (London, 1652, 4to.) . It was published under the pseudonym of William Birchley, and in it he frequently disclaims the pope's deposing power. "In his work, Austin assuming the disguise of an independent, shows that Catholics did not really holds the odious doctrines vulgarly attributed to them, and makes an energetic appeal to the independents to extend to the adherents of the persecuted church such rights and privileges as were granted to other religious bodies" (Dict. of Nat. Biogr., II, 264). "The Catholique's Plea; or an Explanation of the Roman Catholik Belief, concerning their Church, Manner of Worship, Justification, Civil Government, Together with a Catalogue of all the Poenal Statutes against popish Recusants, all which is humbly submitted to serious consideration, By a Catholick Gentleman" (London, 1659, 18mo.), also under the pseudonym of William Birchley; "Reflections upon the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance; or the Christian Moderator, The Fourth Part, By a Catholick Gentleman, an obedient son of the Church and loyal subject of his Majesty" (London, 1661); "A Punctual Answer to Doctor John Tillotson's book called 'The Rule of Faith'" (unfinished), "Devotions, First Part: In the Ancient Way of Offices, With Psalms, Hymns, and Prayers for every Day in the Week, and every Holiday in the Year". It is not known when and where the first edition appeared; the second, a duodecimo, is dated 1672. An edition printed at Edinburgh, 1789, contains a life of the author, presumably by Dodd. This work was adapted to the uses of the Anglican Church in Hick's "Harmony of the Gospels", etc., (London, 1701), and has been often reprinted as a stock book under the Hick's Devotions. "Devotions, Second Part, The Four Gospels in one, broken into Lessons, with Responsories, To be used with the Offices, Printed Anno Domini 1675" (2 vols., Paris, 12mo), a posthumous work, divided into short chapters with a verse and prayer at the end of each. The prayers, says Gillow, "gave rise to offense under the impression that they favoured Blackloe's doctrine concerning the middle state of souls, and on account of this the work was not republished". A third part of the "Devotions" was never printed; it contained, according to the author's own statement "Prayers for all occasions framed by an intimate friend according to his (Austin's) directions, and overlooked by himself". He also wrote several anonymous pamphlets against the divines who sat in the Westminster Assembly.
APA citation. (1907). John Austin. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02113a.htm
MLA citation. "John Austin." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02113a.htm>.
Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Joseph P. Thomas.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster at newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.


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When your life is thrown into crisis mode because of outside circumstances that threaten to steal your joy, your peace, and even your love for God, you can either be overwhelmed or stand strong. But you don't have to face it alone! Your loving Father provides shelter for you, even in the biggest storms of life. He can get you through even when you are fatigued from the fight!
This mini series is a supplement to the Finding Christ in Crisis book and includes the messages:


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Beyond Festivals, Flags and Food: Developing Leadership in Cultural Intelligence
Four years ago, I decided to take a leap of faith and leave the comfort of the Ontario educational system to accept a job in Beijing, China, as an international school principal. I thought my experience, training, and education prepared me to apply the leadership skills that I had acquired throughout my 28-year educational career, but I was mistaken! Through reflection after leadership failures, humility, and conversations with stakeholders, I discovered I could use, and apply some of my acquired leadership skills; however, I needed to develop new or enhance my current leadership skills to fit my current context and role.
Most of the leadership training, literature, and information I received was from a white middle-aged man's perspective. This training was essential and relevant for my leadership success, but none of this information or training ever referenced the need for cultural intelligence or cultural competency as a school administrator. We talked about building school culture, but not about understanding culture in the truest sense of the word—and certainly not its impact on leadership. This realization helped shift my thinking and approach to interactions with staff, parents, and students. It is the basis of my doctoral research. Moving Beyond Festivals, Flags, and Food: Developing Leadership Cultural Intelligence examined how international school leaders developed and enhanced their cultural intelligence.
Cultural intelligence (CQ), is an essential skill that allows leaders to understand, adapt and apply strategies to lead in various cultural contexts. The changing nature of the political landscape, the need for equitable and inclusive practices, and the ability to unite communities and celebrate diversity are imperative for today's leaders. Leaders with CQ can lead intercultural teams, develop and communicate a shared mission and vision, model expected practices for staff, students, and the school community, prepare future generations of students and educators for the global landscape, and adapt to change as required by society.
Leading in an international school is complex. Leaders must balance the culture of the country, organization, staff, parents, students, and community (Dorfman, 2012). The environment of international schools is always changing, partially due to the transiency of families and frequent staff turnover. International school leaders must learn to navigate the complexities of culture within their unique setting. Culture is layered, and requires leaders to develop knowledge, understanding, strategies, and behavior that is appropriate for the context. International school leaders need to understand and adapt their leadership practices to match the expectations and demands of the landscape in their unique context.
How can school leaders who are considering or currently working in an international school develop or enhance their cultural intelligence? Here are ten actions for change that develop cultural intelligence shared by the international school leaders in my study.
1. Ask questions of curiosity to individuals with experience who are embedded in the culture and school.
2. Do your research about the country, city, culture, language, history, current affairs, politics, music, fashion, and media.
3. Learn about the desired leadership style of the culture. What do they expect from effective leaders?
4. Investigate and learn the form, context and use of the language.
5. Establish personal and professional networks in your new context.
6. Examine and acknowledge your implicit biases, stereotypes, and assumptions. Develop strategies to combat pre-determined biased behaviors.
7. Immerse yourself in your new culture and community. Go out and enjoy the celebrations and the uniqueness of your new home.
8. Have an open mind and reserve judgment.(check your implicit biases at the door!)
9. Nurture reciprocal relationships based on trust, authenticity, and respect.
10. Be reflective on missteps, misunderstandings, and miscues in order to learn and avoid future mistakes.
Developing cultural intelligence is not a journey that leaders need to travel alone. There are several paths you can take. You may wish to work one on one with a consultant who can coach you on developing specific elements of cultural intelligence. Attend a course or certification program offered through organizations like the Council of International Schools, International Baccalaureate Organization, or European Council of International Schools. Participate in or watch a webinar created through organizations or individuals devoted to cultural intelligence, diversity, equity, and inclusion work. Use social media platforms like Twitter, Clubhouse, and Linkedin to grow your network. Intentionally seek out and follow individuals that are doing the work in these areas. School districts often have departments or individuals within the system that can support administrators or teachers in learning more about specific diversities. These individuals often have networks within the community that can provide perspective and support to those seeking to develop or enhance their cultural intelligence.
Cultural missteps, mistakes and frustrations led me on a research journey to inquire into the importance of cultural intelligence and leadership. Cultural intelligence and responsiveness development requires conscious awareness, effort, and intentionality. Developing cultural intelligence is a process that leaders must continuously revisit as they move between and amongst diverse cultures. The elements of cultural intelligence do not exist in isolation–and influential international school leaders must have the capacity to draw on a wide range of skills and strategies to be a success practitioner of cultural intelligence. We live in a time of unprecedented change along with much uncertainty and must continue to learn from and with one another. Each culture, each context, and each role has something to teach us. We must work to understand one another better and value the experiences that make us who we are.
Dorfman, P., Javidan, M., Hanges, P., Dastmalchian, A., & House, R. (2012). GLOBE: A twenty-year journey into the intriguing world of culture and leadership. Journal of World Business, 47(4), 504–518. doi: 10.1016/j.jwb.2012.01.004
Luce, A. (2021). Moving Beyond Festivals, Flags and Foods: Developing Leadership Cultural Intelligence (Unpublished doctoral capstone). Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington.


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The Best Makeup Tips for Blonde Hair
Besides considering your eye color when using makeup, other factors such as the shade of your hair are also important. We can guide you to find the most flattering look for every one of you. This time we focus on women with blonde hair, revealing the best tips for enhancing the attractiveness of your hair and makeup so you can look really spectacular at any event, appointment, meeting, party, etc. Pay attention to this OneHowTo article and discover the best makeup tips for blonde hair.
Before starting with foundation, it is important to conceal any imperfections which can detract from your face's natural beauty. For women with blonde hair, impurities such as spots or red marks are more noticeable than with most other people, as your complexion is often lighter. Therefore, the best tip for making them virtually invisible is to apply a green concealer. This is ideal for hiding skin redness and balancing skin tone.
If you also want to camouflage unsightly dark circles, it's best to choose a beige, yellow or pale pink concealer, which in any case may be darker than the color of your skin.
Whatever color your hair may be, the golden rule when choosing your foundation is to choose the tone that suits the color of your skin. Make sure the foundation perfectly blends in with your facial skin tone and does not add color, as this can be achieved with cosmetics like blusher or lipstick. The best foundations for blonde women are fluids in neutral beige tones because they can give a very natural aspect that is very flattering for the face.
Eye shadows
To show off dramatic eye makeup and highlight the expressiveness of your eyes, it is also important that your choice is based on your eye color as well as the tone of your blonde hair. To follow, here are some tips that will make you look great for any occasion:
- Blonde hair and brown eyes: shades of pink, mauve, grey, orange, salmon, bronze and khaki are very flattering.
- Blonde hair and green eyes: shadows in shades of plums, lilac, burgundy, emerald green, brown, gold and copper are good choices.
- Blonde hair and blue eyes: beige, gold, copper tones, violet, cobalt blue and pink are excellent shades.
Remember the premise of less is more when it comes to eye makeup and don't overdo the amount of eye-shadow. That way, you'll avoid looking artificial or overdone which is unattractive.
Smoky eyes
Although you can show off classic smoky eyes to emphasize them and give them more depth, you can create the same effect with grays or browns which is ideal for a more natural and fresh look. If you have blue eyes, try using different shades of the same color and see how beautiful you look.
As for mascara and eyeliner, you can also opt for black when you want to emphasize your appearance or lighter shades like browns for an everyday look.
Another valuable makeup tip for blondes concerns your blusher tone. This is an essential cosmetic to give some color to your cheeks and achieve a fresher and more youthful appearance. Women with light blonde hair look best with pale pink blushers, whilst those with more golden blonde tones should opt for pink and peach blusher tones. If you have fairly dark blonde hair, pink shades are preferable to those that tend to have more brown hues.
You should always keep in mind that both terracotta and darker brown blushers will make your complexion appear whiter and paler.
Lip makeup
A lip tone that matches the blusher tone on the cheeks is always a safe bet for girls with blonde hair. Those with lighter skin can look very beautiful with pink lips with blue, apricot or peach hues. However, those with dull skin look amazing with pink, raspberry or scarlet lips. Forget about very dark lip colors like brown or purple, which can age your facial features and make your skin look paler.
If you have dyed your hair blonde, it is very important you consider the color of your eyebrows and try to blend them with your hair color so they look better. Do not use dark eyeliner on your eyebrows. Instead, choose light brown or grey tones. If you have bleached your hair and the change is very drastic, it is best to ask your hairdresser to lightly bleach your eyebrows as well.
In the next article we show you how to apply makeup on your eyebrows step by step, so don't miss it!
If you want to read similar articles to The Best Makeup Tips for Blonde Hair, we recommend you visit our Beauty & Personal Care category.


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Data integrity is a global expectation as evidenced by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) guidance, published in January and March of 2015 [3, 4], joining the FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMA) in prescribing expectations.
For life science companies, data integrity is both a regulatory compliance and also a financial issue. With industry's increasing reliance on technology and digital data, data integrity has begun to claim its place in the spotlight.
On numerous occasions regulators have cited companies for inadequate controls on the integrity of data, raising questions as to the authenticity and reliability of the data [5, 6, 7, 8]. Therefore, implementing a successful corporate data integrity program has become a prerequisite for successful GxP compliance in the 21st century and an integral part of a company's Quality Management System (QMS).
This Concept Paper focuses on electronic records and computerized systems – a key area of emphasis for GAMP®. However, manual systems and paper based records remain a key area of data integrity failures. The risks associated with manual systems, including the risks between manual and computerized systems, should not be overlooked. The intent of this Concept Paper is to share implementation considerations based on the experiences of several companies, including successes and challenges. Although the specifics of each individual company's data integrity program will be different, the considerations described should give companies a direction for creating a successful corporate data integrity program.
an effective data integrity program need executive commitment. In FDA's terminology, "senior management with executive authority" will be called upon to promote the data integrity cause, provide appropriate resource allocation, settle differences of opinion and priorities, and ensure that data integrity expectations are carried out across all levels of the organization [9].
Best practice experience dictates obtaining an officer of the company as the sponsor for the data integrity program because, at some point, sponsors will be required to:
The higher the level of the sponsor, the greater the force that can be leveraged to ensure alignment across the company.
Practically speaking, however, actual day-to-day sponsorship, guidance, and supervision of the data integrity program will likely be delegated to a mid-level executive. Regardless of who serves as the sponsor, management accountability, at all levels of the corporation from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to the operations floor supervision, plays a key role in ensuring data integrity. It is critical that they "walk the talk" and foster an environment that promotes and ensures good data integrity practices. By doing so, they demonstrate the core values of integrity in response to a failure. They do not incentivize data falsification and discourage the "wanting to please management" mentality that can lead to many data integrity issues. And of most importance, they eliminate the fear of management retribution and foster an environment where employees are empowered and encouraged to identify and report data integrity issues on the shop floor.
The MHRA stated in their guidance that: "The data governance system should be integral to the pharmaceutical quality system." [3, 4] They also prescribe that the effort and resource assigned should be commensurate with the risk.
Executives need an awareness of four key benefits that a data integrity program can deliver, including:
Specific points to emphasize these key benefits include:
By showing that the return on investment in an effective data integrity program outweighs the costs, the support of executive sponsors will be easier to obtain.
It is vital to obtain senior level executive sponsorship for a corporate data integrity program to ensure a holistic, thorough system that can withstand regulatory scrutiny.
The senior management sponsor will set the data integrity expectation and priorities; however, a steering committee consisting of the company's functional leaders and departmental supervisors will ensure their implementation. Because regulated data is created, reviewed, transformed and summarized, stored, migrated, and archived across multiple departments, an effective data integrity program requires a wide variety of functional inputs.
Data also crosses regulatory boundaries, e.g., data initially collected in clinical settings and nonclinical laboratories may fall under the Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) regulations, only to be later used in assessing postmarket safety issues and fall under the Good Pharmacovigilance Practice (GPvP), Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP), or even the Good Distribution Practices (GDPs). An effective data integrity program controls the integrity of regulated data across the data life cycle, all the way from its initial creation to its eventual long-term disposition and destruction. In this light, a cross-functional approach to implementing an effective data integrity program is a necessity.
To obtain accurate and helpful input, stakeholders from each of the key functional areas need to be represented in the program implementation group. Experience has shown that too large a team will be unwieldy and ineffective. Rather, consider a core steering committee supplemented on an ad hoc basis by subject matter experts and functional leaders of relevant regulated operations, as they come under the overall data integrity control framework during its implementation throughout the organization.
It may be tempting to assign the responsibility for implementing the data integrity program to the Information Technology (IT) department or to the Records and Information Management (RIM) department. Avoid this! There are a number of reasons why succumbing to this temptation carries a high risk.
First, IT and RIM personnel do not have the business process knowledge to decide when a data set is "complete," or "accurate," or "original," and so on. Additionally, IT or RIM may not actively be involved in all the company's day-today activities of the data life cycle. Without the capability to discern data quality, they cannot identify and implement controls designed to minimize the risk to data integrity:
Second, data integrity requires a series of controls spanning the entire data life cycle. Often, neither IT nor RIM will have insight into the company's data that either exist at a vendor, are transferred into the company from a vendor (or vice versa), or are created and held on behalf of the company at a vendor (such as through usage of a Contract Research Organization (CRO) or Contract Manufacturing Organization (CMO). Failing to acknowledge the need for controls around data from such vendors leaves a gap in the data life cycle that allow for accusations of data integrity failure.
Finally, there is a risk of scope creep if data integrity initiatives are turned over to IT. FDA is focused on a narrow application of integrity controls intended to avoid regulated data fraud and/or regulated data loss. In contrast, IT-led data integrity initiatives can quickly upscale into broad, corporate-wide data governance initiatives leaving FDA's data integrity controls as a subset of the greater body of data governance. It is better to view the implementation of an effective data integrity program as a step toward the long-term data governance; therefore, it is recommended to let IT lead the greater data governance initiative but not the more narrow GxP data integrity effort. Leaving data integrity in the hands of IT or RIM is a recipe for confusion, frustration, and non-compliance.
Read more by downloading Considerations for Corporate Data Integrity Program (Published: March 2016).


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Along with that, it can reduce music seamlessly and make it your custom ringtone. You can create ringtones, alarm tunes, and notification sounds with Ringtone Maker. One supply for all the newest R&B ringtones, up to date with new songs each week! If you're a person who loves enjoyable and who suppose that New Yr's eve is a very powerful event in the whole year, then we've got the best New Year Songs Ringtones on your phone. All the extra, it gets frustrating if you don't have anything to substitute that sound. Share jokes, pictures, videos, and ringtones; Have an enjoyable at enjoyable cell. That's all to set mp3 as a ringtone on home windows 10 mobile.
Top-rated rap and hip-hop ringtone melodies on your cellphone. Prime Rap & Hip Hop Ringtones Inside This App Embrace Hold Down the Ringtone to Set as Notification Rae Sremmurd – Black Beatles Feat Gucci ManZyion McCall Feat. Hip-Hop Ringtones app is a choice of the greatest hip-hop beats and rap melodies. Instrumental ringtones Many individuals imagine that by instrumental music, feelings are better suonerie gratis expressed than in songs. Do you love songs? With the MP3 Cutter and Ringtone Maker, you can easily create your ringtones out of your saved favorite music. Ringtone Maker & MP3 Cutter is a compact and practical ringtone production software. Has the next highly effective features:1.


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The Berber and Bafour people were among the first to settle in what is now Mauritania. Originally a nomadic people, they were among the first in recorded history to convert from a nomadic to agricultural lifestyle. These groups account for roughly one third of Mauritania's ethnic makeup. The remainder of Mauritania's ethnic groups derive from former enslaved peoples and sub-Saharan ethnic groups originating mainly from the Senegal River Valley. These three groups constitute a strict caste system with deep ethnic divides that still exists today.
Mauritania achieved independence from France in 1960. Mauritania initially began as a single-party authoritarian regime and saw 49 years of dictatorships, flawed elections, failed attempts at democracy, and military coups. Following the last coup in 2008, led by Ould Abdel AZIZ, AZIZ was elected president in 2009 and reelected in 2014. International observers recognized the elections as free and fair. Following his two terms, AZIZ became the first Mauritanian president to step down and observe a democratic transfer of power. This solidified Mauritania's status as an emerging democracy. After winning 52% of the vote, Mohamed Ould Cheikh GHAZOUANI was inaugurated in 2019.
The country is working to address the vestiges of slavery, which was officially abolished in 1981 but not criminalized until 2007. Between 2005 and 2011, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) launched a series of attacks killing American and foreign tourists and aid workers, attacking diplomatic and government facilities, and ambushing Mauritanian soldiers and gendarmes. Although Mauritania has not seen an attack since 2011, AQIM and similar groups remain active in the Sahel region.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara
Geographic coordinates
Map references
Area - comparative
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico; about six times the size of Florida
Land boundaries
total: 5,002 km
border countries (4): Algeria 460 km, Mali 2236 km, Morocco 1564 km, Senegal 742 km
754 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills
highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m
lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
mean elevation: 276 m
Natural resources
iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish
Land use
agricultural land: 38.5% (2018 est.)
arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 38.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 0.2% (2018 est.)
other: 61.3% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
450 sq km (2012)
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km)
Major aquifers
Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin, Taodeni-Tanzerouft Basin
Major rivers (by length in km)
Senegal river mouth (shared with Guinea [s], Senegal and Mali) - 1,641 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Population distribution
with most of the country being a desert, vast areas of the country, particularly in the central, northern, and eastern areas, are without sizeable population clusters; half the population lives in or around the coastal capital of Nouakchott; smaller clusters are found near the southern border with Mali and Senegal as shown in this population distribution map
Natural hazards
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind primarily in March and April; periodic droughts
Geography - note
Mauritania is considered both a part of North Africa's Maghreb region and West Africa's Sahel region; most of the population is concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country
People and Society
noun: Mauritanian(s)
adjective: Mauritanian
Ethnic groups
Black Moors (Haratines - Arab-speaking descendants of African origin who are or were enslaved by white Moors) 40%, White Moors (of Arab-Berber descent, known as Beydane) 30%, Sub-Saharan Mauritanians (non-Arabic speaking, largely resident in or originating from the Senegal River Valley, including Halpulaar, Fulani, Soninke, Wolof, and Bambara ethnic groups) 30%
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 Berber words, is referred to as Hassaniya
major-language sample(s):
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Muslim (official) 100%
Demographic profile
With a sustained total fertility rate of about 4 children per woman and almost 60% of the population under the age of 25, Mauritania's population is likely to continue growing for the foreseeable future. Mauritania's large youth cohort is vital to its development prospects, but available schooling does not adequately prepare students for the workplace. Girls continue to be underrepresented in the classroom, educational quality remains poor, and the dropout rate is high. The literacy rate is only about 50%, even though access to primary education has improved since the mid-2000s. Women's restricted access to education and discriminatory laws maintain gender inequality - worsened by early and forced marriages and female genital cutting.
The denial of education to black Moors also helps to perpetuate slavery. Although Mauritania abolished slavery in 1981 (the last country in the world to do so) and made it a criminal offense in 2007, the millenniums-old practice persists largely because anti-slavery laws are rarely enforced and the custom is so ingrained. According to a 2018 nongovernmental organization's report, a little more than 2% of Mauritania's population is enslaved, which includes individuals sujbected to forced labor and forced marriage, although many thousands of individuals who are legally free contend with discrimination, poor education, and a lack of identity papers and, therefore, live in de facto slavery. The UN and international press outlets have claimed that up to 20% of Mauritania's population is enslaved, which would be the highest rate worldwide.
Drought, poverty, and unemployment have driven outmigration from Mauritania since the 1970s. Early flows were directed toward other West African countries, including Senegal, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, and Gambia. The 1989 Mauritania-Senegal conflict forced thousands of black Mauritanians to take refuge in Senegal and pushed labor migrants toward the Gulf, Libya, and Europe in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Mauritania has accepted migrants from neighboring countries to fill labor shortages since its independence in 1960 and more recently has received refugees escaping civil wars, including tens of thousands of Tuaregs who fled Mali in 2012.
Mauritania was an important transit point for Sub-Saharan migrants moving illegally to North Africa and Europe. In the mid-2000s, as border patrols increased in the Strait of Gibraltar, security increased around Spain's North African enclaves (Ceuta and Melilla), and Moroccan border controls intensified, illegal migration flows shifted from the Western Mediterranean to Spain's Canary Islands. In 2006, departure points moved southward along the West African coast from Morocco and then Western Sahara to Mauritania's two key ports (Nouadhibou and the capital Nouakchott), and illegal migration to the Canaries peaked at almost 32,000. The numbers fell dramatically in the following years because of joint patrolling off the West African coast by Frontex (the EU's border protection agency), Spain, Mauritania, and Senegal; the expansion of Spain's border surveillance system; and the 2008 European economic downturn.
Age structure
0-14 years: 37.56% (male 755,788/female 748,671)
15-24 years: 19.71% (male 387,140/female 402,462)
25-54 years: 33.91% (male 630,693/female 727,518)
55-64 years: 4.9% (male 88,888/female 107,201)
65 years and over: 3.92% (male 66,407/female 90,707) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 75
youth dependency ratio: 69.5
elderly dependency ratio: 5.6
potential support ratio: 18 (2020 est.)
Median age
total: 21 years
male: 20.1 years
female: 22 years (2020 est.)
Population distribution
with most of the country being a desert, vast areas of the country, particularly in the central, northern, and eastern areas, are without sizeable population clusters; half the population lives in or around the coastal capital of Nouakchott; smaller clusters are found near the southern border with Mali and Senegal as shown in this population distribution map
urban population: 56.1% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 3.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.372 million NOUAKCHOTT (capital) (2021)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.83 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2020 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
766 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7Infant mortality rate
total: 52.05 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 57.96 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 45.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 64.86 years
male: 62.43 years
female: 67.37 years (2021 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
17.8% (2015)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 98.7% of population
rural: 68.4% of population
total: 84.4% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.3% of population
rural: 31.6% of population
total: 15.6% of population (2017 est.)
Current Health Expenditure
4.6% (2018)
Physicians density
0.19 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 83.5% of population
rural: 25.2% of population
total: 56% of population
unimproved: urban: 16.5% of population
rural: 74.8% of population
total: 44% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths
<500 (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: very high (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
animal contact diseases: rabies
respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 53.5%
male: 63.7%
female: 43.4% (2017)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 9 years
male: 9 years
female: 10 years (2019)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 21.1%
male: 18.8%
female: 24.9% (2017 est.)
Environment - current 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
Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 40.82 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 2.74 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 6.16 megatons (2020 est.)
desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty
Land use
agricultural land: 38.5% (2018 est.)
arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 38.1% (2018 est.)
forest: 0.2% (2018 est.)
other: 61.3% (2018 est.)
urban population: 56.1% of total population (2021)
rate of urbanization: 3.84% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
forest revenues: 1.3% of GDP (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: very high (2020)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
animal contact diseases: rabies
respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis
Food insecurity
severe localized food insecurity: due to poor performance of pastoral cropping season - according to the latest analysis, about 484,000 people are assessed to need humanitarian assistance in the June−August 2021 period as a result of fodder production deficits in Trarza, Brakna, Gorgol, Guidimaka and Assaba districts (2021)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 454,000 tons (2009 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 36,320 tons (2009 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 8% (2009 est.)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Senegal river mouth (shared with Guinea [s], Senegal and Mali) - 1,641 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km), Senegal (456,397 sq km)
Major aquifers
Senegalo-Mauritanian Basin, Taodeni-Tanzerouft Basin
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 95.4 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
industrial: 31.8 million cubic meters (2017 est.)
agricultural: 1.223 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Total renewable water resources
11.4 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
Country name
conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
conventional short form: Mauritania
local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
local short form: Muritaniyah
etymology: named for the ancient kingdom of Mauretania (3rd century B.C. to 1st century A.D.) and the subsequent Roman province (1st-7th centuries A.D.), which existed further north in present-day Morocco; the name derives from the Mauri (Moors), the Berber-speaking peoples of northwest Africa
Government type
presidential republic
name: Nouakchott
geographic coordinates: 18 04 N, 15 58 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: may derive from the Berber "nawakshut" meaning "place of the winds"
Administrative divisions
15 regions (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott Nord, Nouakchott Ouest, Nouakchott Sud, Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza
28 November 1960 (from France)
National holiday
Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
history: previous 1964; latest adopted 12 July 1991
amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by Parliament; consideration of amendments by Parliament requires approval of at least one third of the membership; a referendum is held only if the amendment is approved by two-thirds majority vote; passage by referendum requires simple majority vote by eligible voters; passage of amendments proposed by the president can bypass a referendum if approved by at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament; amended 2006, 2012, 2017
Legal system
mixed legal system of Islamic and French civil law
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Mauritania
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: President Mohamed Ould Cheikh el GHAZOUANI (since 1 August 2019) (2019)
head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Ould BILAL (since 6 August 2020) (2020)
cabinet: Council of Ministers - nominees suggested by the prime minister, appointed by the president
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 22 June 2019 (next scheduled for 22 June 2024); prime minister appointed by the president (2019)
election results: Mohamed Ould Cheikh El GHAZOUANI elected president in first round; percent of vote - Mahamed Ould Cheikh El GHAZOUANI (UPR) 52%, Biram Dah Ould ABEID (independent) 18.6%, Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBACAR (independent) 17.9%, other 11.55%
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Parliament or Barlamane consists of the National Assembly or Al Jamiya Al Wataniya (157 seats; 113 members in single- and multi-seat constituencies directly elected by a combination of plurality and proportional representation voting systems, 40 members in a single, nationwide constituency directly elected by proportional representation vote, and 4 members directly elected by the diaspora; all members serve 5-year terms)
elections: first held as the unicameral National Assembly in 2 rounds on 1 and 15 September 2018 (next to be held in 2023)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - NA
note: a referendum held in August 2017 approved a constitutional amendment to change the Parliament structure from bicameral to unicameral by abolishing the Senate and creating Regional Councils for local development
Judicial branch
highest courts: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (subdivided into 7 chambers: 2 civil, 2 labor, 1 commercial, 1 administrative, and 1 criminal, each with a chamber president and 2 councilors ); Constitutional Council (consists of 6 members)
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president appointed by the president of the republic to serve a 5-year renewable term; Constitutional Council members appointed - 3 by the president of the republic, 2 by the president of the National Assembly, and 1 by the president of the Senate; members serve single, 9-year terms with one-third of membership renewed every 3 years
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; courts of first instance or wilya courts are established in the regions' headquarters and include commercial and labor courts, criminal courts, Moughataa (district) Courts, and informal/customary courts
Political parties and leaders
Alliance for Justice and Democracy/Movement for Renewal or AJD/MR [Ibrahima Moctar SARR]
Burst of Youth for the Nation [Lalla Mint CHERIF]
Coalition of Majority Parties or CPM (includes UPR, UDP)
El Karama Party [Cheikhna Ould Mohamed Ould HAJBOU]
El Vadila Party [Ethmane Ould Ahmed ABOULMAALY]
National Forum for Democracy and Unity or FNDU [Mohamed Ould MAOLOUD] (coalition of hard-line opposition parties, includes RNRD-TAWASSOUL)
National Rally for Reform and Development or RNRD-TAWASSOUL [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould SEYIDI]
Party of Unity and Development or PUD [Mohamed BARO]
Popular Progressive Alliance or APP [Messaoud Ould BOULKHEIR]
Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]
Ravah Party [ Mohamed Ould VALL]
Republican Party for Democracy and Renewal or PRDR [Mintata Mint HEDEID]
Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]
Union of Progress Forces [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]
Union for the Republic or UPR [Seyidna Ali Ould MOHAMED KHOUNA]
International organization participation
ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU (candidate), EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAS, MIGA, MIUSMA, NAM, OIC, OIF, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Jiddou JIDDOU, First Secretary (since 24 June 2021)
chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700
email address and website:
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia KIERSCHT (since 27 January 2021)
embassy: Nouadhibou Road, Avenue Al Quds, NOT PRTZ, Nouakchott
mailing address: 2430 Nouakchott Place, Washington DC 20521-2430
telephone: [222] 4525-2660
email address and website:
Flag description
green with a yellow, five-pointed star between the horns of a yellow, upward-pointing crescent moon; red stripes along the top and bottom edges; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam; green also represents hope for a bright future; the yellow color stands for the sands of the Sahara; red symbolizes the blood shed in the struggle for independence
National symbol(s)
five-pointed star between the horns of a horizontal crescent moon; national colors: green, yellow
National anthem
name: "Hymne National de la Republique Islamique de Mauritanie" (National Anthem of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania)
lyrics/music: Baba Ould CHEIKH/traditional, arranged by Tolia NIKIPROWETZKY
note: adopted 1960; the unique rhythm of the Mauritanian anthem makes it particularly challenging to sing; Mauritania in November 2017 adopted a new national anthem, "Bilada-l ubati-l hudati-l kiram" (The Country of Fatherhood is the Honorable Gift) composed by Rageh Daoud (sound file of the new anthem is forthcoming)
Economic overview
Mauritania's economy is dominated by extractive industries (oil and mines), fisheries, livestock, agriculture, and services. Half the population still depends on farming and raising livestock, even though many nomads and subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s, 1980s, 2000s, and 2017. Recently, GDP growth has been driven largely by foreign investment in the mining and oil sectors.
Mauritania's extensive mineral resources include iron ore, gold, copper, gypsum, and phosphate rock, and exploration is ongoing for tantalum, uranium, crude oil, and natural gas. Extractive commodities make up about three-quarters of Mauritania's total exports, subjecting the economy to price swings in world commodity markets. Mining is also a growing source of government revenue, rising from 13% to 30% of total revenue from 2006 to 2014. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, and fishing accounts for about 15% of budget revenues, 45% of foreign currency earnings. Mauritania processes a total of 1,800,000 tons of fish per year, but overexploitation by foreign and national fleets threaten the sustainability of this key source of revenue.
The economy is highly sensitive to international food and extractive commodity prices. Other risks to Mauritania's economy include its recurring droughts, dependence on foreign aid and investment, and insecurity in neighboring Mali, as well as significant shortages of infrastructure, institutional capacity, and human capital. In December 2017, Mauritania and the IMF agreed to a three year agreement under the Extended Credit Facility to foster economic growth, maintain macroeconomic stability, and reduce poverty. Investment in agriculture and infrastructure are the largest components of the country's public expenditures.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$23.17 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)
$23.52 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$22.2 billion note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
3.5% (2017 est.)
1.8% (2016 est.)
0.4% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$5,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)
$5,200 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)
$5,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
GDP (official exchange rate)
$706 million (2018 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.2% (2019 est.)
3.1% (2018 est.)
2.2% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 27.8% (2017 est.)
industry: 29.3% (2017 est.)
services: 42.9% (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 64.9% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 21.8% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 56.1% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: -3.2% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 39% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -78.6% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
rice, milk, goat milk, sheep milk, sorghum, mutton, beef, camel milk, camel meat, dates
fish processing, oil production, mining (iron ore, gold, copper)
note: gypsum deposits have never been exploited
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 50%
industry: 1.9%
services: 48.1% (2014 est.)
Population below poverty line
31% (2014 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
32.6 (2014 est.)
39 (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 29.5% (2000)
revenues: 1.354 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 1.396 billion (2017 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
-$711 million (2017 est.)
-$707 million (2016 est.)
$2.52 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)
$2.06 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
$302 million (2017 est.)
Exports - partners
China 32%, Switzerland 13%, Spain 9%, Japan 9%, Italy 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
iron ore, fish products, gold, mollusks, processed crustaceans (2019)
$3.68 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)
$3.28 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)
$319 million (2017 est.)
Imports - partners
China 26%, France 6%, Spain 6%, Morocco 6%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
ships, aircraft, wheat, raw sugar, refined petroleum (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$875 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$849.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)
Debt - external
$4.15 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$3.899 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
Exchange rates
ouguiyas (MRO) per US dollar -
363.6 (2017 est.)
352.37 (2016 est.)
352.37 (2015 est.)
319.7 (2014 est.)
299.5 (2013 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24
total: 21.1%
male: 18.8%
female: 24.9% (2017 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 32% (2019)
electrification - urban areas: 56% (2019)
electrification - rural areas: 4% (2019)
Electricity - installed generating capacity
558,000 kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144Electricity - from fossil fuels
65% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118Electricity - from nuclear fuels
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141Electricity - from hydroelectric plants
16% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100Electricity - from other renewable sources
20% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38Refined petroleum products - consumption
17,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150Natural gas - proved reserves
28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 62,099 (2020)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1.34 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 4,932,571 (2020)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106.1 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: Mauritania's small population and low economic output limit sustained growth; transparency and tax burdens hinder foreign investment; World Bank and European Investment Bank support regulations to promote fixed-line broadband, improvement of the national backbone network, and connectivity to international cables; limited system of cable and open-wire lines, mobile-cellular services expanding though monopolies, and little stimulus for competition; 3G penetration high yet little development in LTE; mobile broadband access speeds are low; importer of broadcasting equipment from UAE (2020)
domestic: fixed-line teledensity 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular network coverage extends mainly to urban areas with a teledensity of roughly 104 per 100 persons; mostly cable and open-wire lines; a domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with regional capitals (2019)
international: country code - 222; landing point for the ACE submarine cable for connectivity to 19 West African countries and 2 European countries; satellite earth stations - 3 (1 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean, 2 Arabsat) (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments
Broadcast media
10 TV stations: 5 government-owned and 5 private; in October 2017, the government suspended all private TV stations due to non-payment of broadcasting fees; as of April 2018, only one private TV station was broadcasting, Al Mourabitoune, the official TV of the Mauritanian Islamist party, Tewassoul; the other stations are negotiating payment options with the government and hope to be back on the air soon; 18 radio broadcasters: 15 government-owned, 3 (Radio Nouakchott Libre, Radio Tenwir, Radio Kobeni) private; all 3 private radio stations broadcast from Nouakchott; of the 15 government stations, 3 broadcast from Nouakchott (Radio Mauritanie, Radio Jeunesse, Radio Koran) and the other 12 broadcast from each of the 12 regions outside Nouakchott; Radio Jeunesse and Radio Koran are now also being re-broadcast in the regions (2019)
Internet users
total: 1.56 million (2021 est.)
percent of population: 20.8% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 19,246 (2020)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2020 est.)
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 1 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 6
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 454,435 (2018)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2017)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 2 (2013)
total: 728 km (2014)
standard gauge: 728 km 1.435-m gauge (2014)
total: 12,253 km (2018)
paved: 3,988 km (2018)
unpaved: 8,265 km (2018)
(some navigation possible on the Senegal River) (2011)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Nouadhibou, Nouakchott
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Mauritanian Navy (Marine Mauritanienne), Islamic Republic of Mauritania Air Group (Groupement Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, GAIM); Gendarmerie (Ministry of Defense); Ministry of Interior and Decentralization: National Guard, General Group for Road Safety (2021)
note(s) - the Gendarmerie is responsible for maintaining civil order around metropolitan areas and providing law enforcement services in rural areas; the National Guard performs a limited police function in keeping with its peacetime role of providing security at government facilities, to include prisons; the General Group for Road Safety maintains security on roads and operates checkpoints throughout the country
Military expenditures
2.5% of GDP (2020 est.)
2.8% of GDP (2019 est.)
3% of GDP (2018)
2.9% of GDP (2017)
2.9% of GDP (2016)
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Mauritanian Armed Forces have approximately 16,000 active personnel (15,000 Army; 700 Navy; 300 Air Force); est. 3,000 Gendarmerie; est. 2,000 National Guard (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Mauritanian Armed Forces' inventory is limited and made up largely of older French and Soviet-era equipment; since 2010, Mauritania has received a limited amount of mostly secondhand military equipment from a variety of suppliers, including Brazil, China, France, and Turkey (2021)
Military deployments
450 Central African Republic (MINUSCA) (Sep 2021)
note - Mauritania is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, and Niger
Military service age and obligation
18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2021)
Military - note
since a spate of terrorist attacks in the 2000s, including a 2008 attack on a military base in the country's north that resulted in the deaths of 12 soldiers, the Mauritanian Government has increased the defense budget and military equipment acquisitions, enhanced military training, heightened security cooperation with its neighbors and the international community, and built up the military's special operations and civil-military affairs forces
Mauritania is part of a five-nation anti-jihadist task force known as the G5 Sahel Group, set up in 2014 with Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, and Niger; it has committed 550 troops and 100 gendarmes to the force; in early 2020, G5 Sahel military chiefs of staff agreed to allow defense forces from each of the states to pursue terrorist fighters up to 100 km into neighboring countries; the G5 force is backed by the UN, US, and France; G5 troops periodically conduct joint operations with French forces deployed to the Sahel under Operation Barkhane (2021)
Terrorist group(s)
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 26,001 (Sahrawis) (2020); 72,816 (Mali) (2021)
IDPs: 744,944 (conflict in North Mozambique) (2021)
Trafficking in persons
current situation: Mauritania is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to conditions of forced labor and sex trafficking; adults and children from traditional slave castes are subjected to slavery-related practices rooted in ancestral master-slave relationships; Mauritanian boys are trafficked within the country by religious teachers for forced begging; Mauritanian girls, as well as girls from Mali, Senegal, The Gambia, and other West African countries, are forced into domestic servitude; Mauritanian women and girls are forced into prostitution in the country or transported to countries in the Middle East for the same purpose
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Mauritania does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so and was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; the government convicted five hereditary slaveholders, drafted new anti-trafficking legislation and a national action plan, raised awareness on child forced begging in Quranic schools with imams and religious leaders by establishing an inter-ministerial committee, published a child protection guide, and operated a cash transfer program; however, the government rarely imprisoned convicted slaveholders and did not identify any victims; government agencies lacked resources; government officials refuse to investigate or prosecute political offenders (2020)


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Value exactly what is it?
the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.
"your support is of great value"
So what do you get with most pest control? Is there a value, often times is an unknown because you really can't see the result or can you? The Pest Company comes out and you may or may not see them do their work. Maybe you used to see 3 scorpions per month and now you see none. Do they talk with you or leave you notes on their service?


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Typical Rolfing session
Many people come to my practice because their body presses them like a "badly fitting shoe". They report from tension to chronic pain in various parts of the body. They no longer feel well in their skin. It is uncomfortable. Movement restrictions cause them trouble.
How do you walk?
However, my interest as a Rolfer is not so much in your symptoms as in the way your body organises itself as an overall structure in movement. Therefore, I will ask you to move in space or simply walk up and down. It is in movement that I can best recognize structural imbalances. I pay attention to the "how", i.e. how you walk.
How do you lift?
Perhaps I ask you: "What is it like when you lift a glass of water on the table next to you? What happens during lifting in your legs?" Dealing with weight becomes an exciting topic as you watch your body organize itself in this task at the present moment. This perspective will occupy us again and again.
Ultimately, it is about "how" you organize stability in your body.
"How do you lift a box? – How do you lift your leg? – Such open questions do not serve my curiosity, but help you to perceive what is happening to you. By trying to put what you have experienced into words – which is not always easy – your body can better integrate and store these experiences.
How does the stretching feel in the body?
In the second part of the session you lie on the massage bench and receive a Rolfing treatment. Often you will feel a slow, deep pressure in the tissue, followed by a feeling of liberation. When you get up and move afterwards, you may notice improved physical mobility.
Touching in Rolfing® is a slow process. When pressure is applied to an area, it is done very slowly, as in slow motion. This thoughtfulness is important. So the tissue has time to become soft, to release itself and to relax. Literally speaking, my elbow or my hand "melts" into the tissue. This creates the impression that the tension or cramping under the "friendly" pressure slowly melts, dissolves and lets go. After that, the area usually feels soft and warm. The quality of touch in Rolfing is very variable. It can be very subtle, large or deliberate. Maybe you can feel it pull up into your arm or neck while I'm working on your shoulder.
How intense is it right now?
Maybe you have done yoga before. Then you surely know the pulling sensation when you go into a yoga position and stay there for a minute or longer and the muscles slowly stretch. It pulls, it is intense and yet it feels good. Rolfing feels exactly the same when the touch is intense. That is why Rolfing is also called "Yoga for the West".
"It is not allowed to hurt …" you will hear me say from time to time.
Since every person has a different feeling of pain, I ask you to tell me on a scale from 1 to 10 how intense this "yoga stretch feeling" is at the moment. We don't want to exceed the value of 6 or 7 if possible. You can also say "STOP" at any time. I will then change my technique or the pressure or choose a different approach. There are always several ways to the "Rome of your well-being".
How does the movement feel now?
After the session you should relax for one to one and a half hours or do a quiet activity. Consider this time as part of the treatment. This is the best way for your body to integrate and store what you have experienced. Afterwards you return to your everyday life.
After the session
In between and at the end of the session I will ask you to stand up from the massage bench. Maybe you are just standing there or you are moving in the room. The following questions can then come from me: "What is the body feeling like now?", "What do you perceive in your movements?" – This part of the session is important. You have a lot of time to move and enjoy the new body feeling – this feeling of walking like in new shoes.
"In Structural Integration, we expect to give a cycle of 10 sessions. There is a reason for this. We are not dealing with local problems. We are not dealing with the kind of things that you can say, 'Well, I fixed that, that's all." We are dealing with an intent to make a body more secure, more adequate within the field of gravity. This requires that muscles be balanced, and need to be balanced around a vertical line. And when I talk about balancing muscles, I'm talking about balancing the right side against the left side. About balancing the front of the body against the back of the body and, finally, about balancing the innermost muscles against the outermost, the inside against the outside, this is the most important of these balances, and we start from the outside working in, and it takes ten hours before we can get to the place where we can really balance the outside against the inside."
Dr. Ida P. Rolf
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me in my practice in Munich or Berlin. Here you will find the contact page.


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In advance of the premiere of Dark Heart on this side of the pond, I had the chance to chat with Tom Riley about his dark and gritty new series.
British TV Premieres in Nov 2018: Agatha Raisin, The Cry, Dark Heart, The Little Drummer Girl, Outlander & More
Twenty-two titles make their series or new season premieres in November, from British crime dramas and comedies to historical dramas and competition shows.
BritBox Bringing Dark Heart, Shakespeare & Hathaway, Bancroft & More New Titles to the US
BritBox has announced several titles that will premiere in the US exclusively on the BBC Studios/ITV streaming service, including the next BritBox Original series, Dark Heart.


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Mexico announced their third friendly of the year when they play Colombia on May 30th at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado. This would be Mexico's third friendly of the year after their March 26th game against the Czech Republic in Charlotte, North Carolina and the March 29th game against Greece in Arlington, Texas. Mexico will play the friendly as a tune up for the Concacaf Nations League finals in June, while Colombia will play as a tune up for the 2020 Copa America, in which they will host Group B of the tournament.
Colombia is the CONMEBOL team with the longest time since they last faced Mexico. Their last meeting was all the way back in 2012, a friendly which Colombia won by a score of 2-0 with goals by Radamel Falcao and Juan Guillermo Cuadrado. Mexico's coach at the time was Jose "Chepo" de la Torre. Colombia also holds current record of the longest time of any CONMEBOL team since they last faced each other in an official game, with the 2005 Gold Cup Quarterfinals (which Colombia won by a score of 2-1) being the last time they faced each other.
Colombia should be the strongest rival Mexico has faced since the tragic friendly against Argentina last September. That being said, a lot of fans might not be happy since there were strong rumors that they were negotiating with Brazil for this friendly but US TV rights got in the way. This would be the second time in 2020 that this happened, since the rumors were strong that Mexico was going to play with teams of the caliber of the Netherlands and Italy in the March friendly window, but the need of the games having to be played in the United States ended up forcing Mexico to settle for the Czech Republic and Greece. While the Czech Republic is a tough friendly against a team that is preparing itself for the 2020 Euro, it's not in the same category as either the Dutch or the Italians. Still it's a very good friendly for Mexico, which is not the case with the Greece friendly. Even with the expanded Euro tournament, Greece didn't qualify for it. Colombia though is stronger than both and should be a tough test for Mexico, especially as they prepare themselves for hosting Copa America. Nothing will be a better sign for them that to beat the team they defeated in the Copa America final last time they hosted for their only Copa America.


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Matrixport, a blockchain and cryptocurrency platform headquartered in Asia, today announced the launch of "ETH2.0 Staking Earn", a new product that allows customers to participate in Ethereum 2.0 (ETH2.0) staking, while receiving additional token rewards, Benefit from mining revenue and better liquidity from related DeFi projects.
The return rate of the "ETH2.0 Staking Earn" product is expected to be between 3% and 10%. Users can get higher income, which is generated by a combination of 2.30%* average ETH2.0 pledge reward and 6.81%* DeFi mining token income (transaction fee income 0.14%*).
"ETH2.0 Staking Earn" generates additional income through mature DeFi protocols Curve and Lido, which is an ETH 2.0 liquid staking solution supported by industry-leading collateral providers. Lido is currently the largest decentralized contract ETH 2.0 pledge, Pledged more than 540,000 ETH. By using Curve, users can also enjoy stable currency exchange services with low slippage and low transaction fees.
"'ETH2.0 Staking Earn' balances the strong ETH 2.0 pledge reward and the liquidity advantage of the DeFi protocol. In addition, the significantly lower investment threshold encourages wider community participation. Our first-class products reflect Matrixport's commitment to innovation The unremitting commitment to bring products to the market to benefit long-tail encryption users."
– John Ge, Co-founder and CEO of Matrixport
In order to facilitate ETH 2.0 investment, a minimum investment threshold of 5 ETH has been set. The rate of return on investment is updated once a month and within 3 working days after the opening period at the end of each month. In addition, "ETH2.0 Staking Earn" allows users to withdraw funds in advance, but requires payment of service fees.
Until August 21st, Matrixport users can reserve their shares, which will be confirmed on September 1.
"In line with the mission of making mortgages simple and secure, while maintaining the decentralization and censorship resistance of Ethereum, this cooperation with Matrixport is in perfect harmony with Lido's values ??by promoting wider participation in the Ethereum mortgage economy. Lido Committed to contributing as much value as possible to the maturity of the DeFi mortgage economy, this is another big step towards this goal."
– Konstantin Lomashuk, co-founder of Lido DAO
Earlier this month, Matrixport successfully completed its Series C financing and plans to continue to expand and obtain more licenses.


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A strong resume is critical in any job search. Think of it as an opportunity to get your foot in the door and start conversations that may lead to a meaningful professional opportunity. But what makes a resume strong enough to standout from the rest of the pack? There are hundreds and thousands of suggestions that career experts recommend in hundreds of books that are solely about resume writing. Here are our top five tips:
Update Your Information: This might sound overly simple, but do you have the correct phone number, email address and living address on your resume? You would be surprised how many people forget to update this information on their resume after a move or a change and it could make a big difference. For example: You apply to jobs in Boston after moving there from Los Angeles, but a Boston-area human resources hiring manager skips over your "Los Angeles resume" because they are only looking at "Boston candidates".
Use the Right Keywords/Titles: Today's job market sees more job seekers applying for fewer open jobs and human resources departments/hiring managers do not have the time to look at every resume individually. Most likely, after posting an open job on a career website like Urban Interns, the person reviewing resumes will run a search through all the applications that applied. The search will narrow down the list of candidates by as much as 75 percent or more. So how does your resume make the cut? Keywords and position titles.
Lets say you run the social media applications at your company. Under responsibilities, should you list "social media" or "Twitter and Facebook"? The answer is both. The chances of your resume getting noticed will improve greatly if you list important keywords more then once or twice in the entire body of your resume. Another area to consider for an upgrade is your position titles. It might have made sense at your old job to be the "Production Manager, Team A" in the marketing department, but simply listing "Production Manager, Team A" doesn't convey that you were in charge of 75 percent of the production of marketing collateral and might not make sense for people unfamiliar with the company. Instead, make your positions titles commonplace that directly and closely relates to the work you did. For example: "Marketing Manager, Production" or just "Marketing Manager". Don't worry about background checks; changing your titles slightly will pass the bar.
Don't Shortchange Your Experience: Don't feel the need to start cutting away from previous work experience and responsibilities just to fit your resume on one page. If you have the background to add a second page, do so. Your previous experience is critical to finding new jobs, so make sure it's all there. Also, keeping your complete background lets you add more keywords, which greatly helps getting your resume noticed by search engines.
Proofread: Your resume has to be flawless and void of mistakes – grammatically and otherwise. As a rule of thumb, you cannot proofread your resume enough to make sure it's 100 percent perfect. Maybe even visit a co-working space to get feedback from people in your industry.
Ask Someone to Review: After your resume is up-to-date and complete, ask a friend, co-worker or family member to look it over for you. A fresh set of eyes will add fresh perspective. This "somebody" can not only help you more effectively proofread your resume, but let you know if something is confusing or if your missing an important piece of data. Don't be embarrassed and ask people who you trust to help you with the review.
If your resume is the key to a new job or career, you will want to make sure it's polished before you start showing it off. Use these tips and advice to boost your job search now.


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This post contains affiliate links. That means I may earn a small comision if you click on a link and purchase something. This cost you nothing. Read all the legal boring stuff here..
Wreaths are expensive. They look really nice but I hate having to fork out $40 to
Making a wreath can be just as expensive when fake foliage can cost $5 for a stem.
Follow these directions and you can have a cute fall wreath for under $10.
- Cardstock in reds, yellows, and oranges
- Hot Glue Gun
- Cricut, Silhouette, or Glowforge(use this link to get up to $500 off a Glowforge)
- Leaf templates(buy here)
- Cardboard
- Wire
- Ribbon
- String
- Pencil
- Tack
- Awl
You will receive 8 different leaf designs in SVG, PNG, DXF, EPS format.
You can use these leaf clipart on any of your fall projects.
After you purchase, you will receive a zip file containing all of your leaf files.
Step 1:
Hand cutting
Cut out your pieces for your wreath base out of cardboard. If you are lucky enough to have a laser cutter, sign up below and I will send you the SVG for the base.
If you are going to cut the cardboard by hand, use the string, pencil, and tack to draw a circle.
Cut the string to 13 inches long. Tie it onto the pencil and tack the other end of the string into the middle making sure the string is 10 inches long from the middle to the pencil.
Draw a circle.
Shorten the string to 6.75 inches and draw a second circle inside the first.
Cut out the wreath base.
Use the first cardboard circle to trace a second circle and cut it out.
Glue one circle right on top of the other making sure that the corrugation is in opposite directions.
Cut out two complete circles.
Sign up below to get the template emailed to you.
Put the first circle together then glue the second circle on top making sure that the interlocking sections are not on top of each other.
Step 2:
Now that you have your base put together, you will need a way to hang your wreath.
Use an awl to punch two hole about an inch aparet.
Put the wire through the holes making sure to leave a loop.
Turn the base over, twist the wire together and glue it down.
Step 3:
Cut out all the leaves. (Make more than you think you need.)
You can get the leaf templates here.
Start gluing down the leaves on the the side without the the loop of wire for hanging.
Step 4:
Once you have all the leaves glued down, start making the bow. First cut three leagths of ribbon 18 inches long. Form them into loops.
Stack the loops on top of each other.
Use a wire to join the ribbon together.
Cut a length of ribbon that is 5 inches long and glue it around the middle.
Cut a length of ribbon twice as long as you want the tails to be. Glue the tails onto the back. Making sure that the decorative side is facing forward.
Cut the ends of the ribbon at an angle to make it look nicer.
Step 5:
Glue the bow on to the front of the leaf wreath.
Hang up your wreath and enjoy that you just saved yourself some money.
Save this Fall Wreath Tutorial for Later
You might also like:


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On this episode of Think Like A Founder, SNP Co-Founder & CEO Maureen Taylor speaks with Charlotte Melkert, Co-Founder and CEO of Equalture. They talk about Gen Z's proclivity for social impact, being motivated by naysayers, and how failure can bring your company to the next level.
Equalture helps companies remove their bias and hire the right people by using a neuroscience-backed, gamified assessment to measure skills and behaviors. Since founding Equalture, Charlotte has gained several awards and nominations, including being part of Sifted's top 14 European Gen Z Founders and Forbes 30 Under 30 - Europe - Technology (2022).
Think Like A Founder is produced by SNP Communications in San Francisco, California. Learn more about the Think Like A Founder podcast and curriculum by visiting us at https://snpnet.com/tlaf/ or connect with Maureen Taylor on LinkedIn to continue the conversation there.
Series Producer: Mike Sullivan
Sound Design: Marc Ream
Content and Scripting: Catherine Hardy and Jaselin Drown
Production Coordinator: Natasha Thomas
Thanks also to Róisín Hunt, Selena Persiani-Shell, Jordan Bailey, Matt Johnson, Eli Shell, John Hughes, and Renn Vara.


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While Turkey – with its ceaselessly falling currency – is struggling with the same global forces as other emerging markets, an internal struggle between President Erdoğan, Central Bank Govenor Basci and deputy PM for the economy Ali Babacan is undermining Turkish economic vitality. Interest and currency rates have become subject to inter-departmental feuding generating significant financial uncertainty.
Over the past few years, the Turkish Lira – like many other emerging market currencies – has been facing global headwinds stemming from the U.S Federal Reserve tapering its quantitative easing program.
The Lira has fallen once again to record lows, now traded at around 2.6 against the greenback at the end of March (see chart below). All emerging countries (more or less) face the same dilemma: raise rates to stabilize their falling currency and their debt or ease rates to boost their growth rates.
Adopting this global perspective can be misleading, however, if it overlooks nation-level specifics. For instance, China has a unique set of conflicting economic goals that require ever more careful moves.
In Turkey, internal political disputes rather than economic choices determine the outcomes for interest, currency, and growth rates. In particular, investors need to consider the longstanding and evolving fight between President Erdoğan and Central Bank governor Erdem Basci.
Hold on tight technocrats
The dilemma highlighted above is due – on the one hand – to technocrats willing to adopt tighter monetary policies to stabilize the falling lira, smooth credit growth, and soften the current account deficit; and on the other hand, the President who wants to push Turkey's economy to a target growth rate of 5%.
This battle of wills has led to mounting financial uncertainty in Turkey.
President Erdoğan is trying to strengthen his new presidential powers (which he received in mid-2014), simultaneously seeking to turn the country into a presidential system and to boost economic growth ahead of general elections in June.
In doing so, he has repeatedly lambasted the central bank's independence, relying on his traditional anti-western/anti-Gülen/conspiracy theory rhetoric: Mr.Basci is accused of being a "traitor", part of the "interest rate lobby" and controlled by "foreign interests."
Moreover, high interest rates are said to increase inflation – in a complete denial of economic theory –, to make the country "impossible to invest [in]", and are equated to "selling out the homeland."
Each successive speech by the President espousing such views has been met with an instant weakening of the Lira. In the words of economist Dani Rodrik – "as [Erdoğan's] power has increased so has his hubris and there are now very few people around him who dare to speak the truth about what is happening in the economy and to argue that his economic theory is nonsense."
Opposing Erdoğan is Central Bank governor Erdem Basci, as well as deputy prime minister for the economy Ali Babacan. Tellingly, both men claim to "have the ear of Prime Minister Davutoglu", and both admit to viewing their jobs as "damage control."
How does this fight over monetary policy affect the economy?
A simple chart can show the striking effect of the changes in monetary policy on the exchange rate:
The benchmark rate – in Turkey the one week repo rate – has already been decreased three times between 2012 and 2013, leading to massive capital outflows and the fall of the Lira (Period 1).
Govenor Basci had at that time responded aggressively by raising the rate from 4,5 to 10%, allowing the currency to strengthen for a while against the dollar (Period 2). From mid-2014, the constant pressures from Erdoğan to decrease the interest rates led (without apparent economic justification) to a series of five cuts (Period 3).
These moves occurred, despite inflation being well above set targets, (see chart below) and a high current account deficit – even though as a big energy importer, the falling oil prices should have improved both indicators. The consequences, however, have been clear, with the Lira sliding to record lows and investors fleeing: highly detrimental for an economy largely dependent on capital inflows.
Financial uncertainty continues in Turkey
Going forward, geopolitical tensions will push the Lira further down, as was the case in late March following the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen. Additionally, U.S. interest rates are expected to rise by mid year. Still, the U.S. rate rise having likely already been priced in the exchange rate market, and geopolitical risk has a comparatively small effect on the Lira.
External factors aside, the outcome will depend on Turkey's internal political dynamic.
Recent events point to a lull in tensions between Mr. Basci and Erdoğan. They held a conciliatory meeting on 12 March.
Whether because or in spite of said meeting, the fact remains that the Central Bank has been able to resist further easing. Furthermore, the Central Bank has been able to maintain the same interest rates in the face of "uncertainty in global markets and elevated food prices." The potential respite – if any – should not last long.
In June, Turkey will hold general elections, increasing uncertainty during both the pre- and post-election periods. Prior to the election, easing pressure on the central bank will give a temporary boost to the economy. Newspapers have already been talking about the possible resignation of Mr Babacan or Basci, so the issue will likely be settled by Erdoğan before the elections.
The replacement of the current economic team with one that is more pro-growth – and less concerned about price and financial stability – would be a worrying perspective indeed.
In general there has, for a number of years, been a shift underway in Turkey towards a more presidential system. Such a system portends greater pressure on the rule of law as well as more disdain for cautious economic policy, thus leading to more political risk and less credible policies. And that is why technocrats should hold on tight.


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This Engagement session was so much fun. First of all, to say they are a gorgeous couple would be an understatement. To see how in love they are with each other makes me that much more excited for their Wedding next year!
Archives for November 2011
The Lavender Farm With the {S} Family
Lavender Hill Farm, here in Northern MI is like this hidden little gem in the summer. It is so gorgeous and smells so heavenly. I met this lovely little family there this summer while they were here visiting family.
Cousins + Sisters <3
I have to admit I was a little nervous to photograph 5 little girls under the age of 5. Mostly because photographing my, at the time, one 3 year old daughter proved to be quite the task. These little girls all proved me wrong. These are all so gorgeous and not to mention so very sweet and well behaved. I've been honored with photographing them on more than one occasion and hope to continue watching them all grow.


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Learn about this topic in these articles:
characteristics of playas
- In playa: Saline minerals
…of a salt pan are zoned like bathtub rings, with less-soluble sulfates and carbonates at the outer margin and highly soluble sodium chloride (table salt) at the centre. The crystallization of these salts can be compared with the evaporation of brine in a dish. The first precipitates from the evaporating…
Read More
- In feldspar: Chemical composition
…those in many rocks are zoned—i.e., different parts of individual grains have different Ab and An contents. One explanation for zoning in plagioclases formed from magmas can be implied from information known about the Ab-An system. Upon cooling, the first crystals that form from a melt with the composition X…
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rock texture
- In igneous rock: Important textural types
Finally, crystal zoning describes faintly to very well-defined geometric arrangements of portions within individual crystals that differ significantly in composition (or some other property) from adjacent portions; most common are successive shells grouped concentrically about the centres of crystals, presumably reflecting shifts in conditions during crystal growth.
Read More