Mauritania.

Mauritania is a West African country with a population of 2.0 million as of mid 1989. It has a land area of 397,950 square miles yielding a low density of 5 persons/square mile. The birth rate is 46/1000 and the death rate is 20/1000, yielding a rate of growth of 2.7% annually. The fertility rate is 6.5 children/woman and the infant mortality rate is 132/1000 live births. The country is divided ethnically between Moors, people of Arab descent, and blacks, people of African descent. This creates tension and the country has suffered from racial violence. Following several years of drought, the population has shifted from the rural areas to the more populated areas. The resultant reduction in food production has caused Mauritania to become increasingly dependent on imported food and international aid. Currently the government has no official family planning program short of attempting to reduce infant mortality. Further, it welcomes population growth as a tool in aiding development. Currently only 1% of women use contraceptives; although a recent proclamation by the Islamic leaders has removed any moral or religious objections to the widespread use of contraceptives.