For more information see the Mauritania profile.

The Islamic Republic of Mauritania is located on the northwestern coast of Africa. The land is entirely desert except for the north bank of the Senegal River on the southern border.

An unrelenting drought for 20 years has devastated the country and provoked inter-ethnic violence over limited water and usable land. Independence from France in 1960 was followed by an endless succession of military coups. In 1992 a civilian government was appointed.

The constitutional guarantee of freedom of conscience and religious liberty does not extend to Muslims, which make up 99.7% of the population . All proselytization or conversion to another religion is illegal. According to their law, Mauritanians who confess Christ face the death sentence if discovered.