Mauritania:
Military & Transnational Issues


Military branches	Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Mauritanian Navy (Marine Mauritanienne; includes naval infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2007)
Military service age and obligation	18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 2 years; majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service in Air Force and Navy is voluntary (2006)
Manpower available for military service	males age 18-49: 606,463 females age 18-49: 607,955 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service	males age 18-49: 370,513 females age 18-49: 384,269 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	5.5% (2006)

Disputes - international	Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara remain dormant
Trafficking in persons	current situation: Mauritania is a source and destination country for children trafficked for the purpose of forced labor, begging, and domestic servitude; adults and children are subjected to slavery-related practices rooted in ancestral master-slave relationships in isolated parts of the country where a barter economy exists tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Mauritania is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to show evidence of increased efforts to combat trafficking, particularly in the area of law enforcement