Mauritania's GDP composition by sector in 1997 was as follows:
agriculture, 25 percent; industry, 31 percent; and services, 44 percent.
The relative stability of the various sectors over the years, however,
disguises significant changes within those sectors. In agriculture, for
instance, there was a 30 percent rise in crop output
between 1993 and 1997, while livestock and fishing declined by 40
percent. Mining production peaked in 1994 and has since dropped back to
the 1993 level. Mining and fisheries contribute for 99.7 percent of the
exports. The low population density does not support a diversified
manufacturing sector, and industrial activities are located almost
solely in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, where the production growth rate
was 7.2 percent in 1994. Growth in commerce, transport, and
communications in the late 1990s compensated for declines in public
sector services.
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