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Mauritania

Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Mixed (Islamic law and French civil law)Unitary presidential republicReviewed· 2026-08-03
Capital
Nouakchott
Population
4,900,000
Languages
Arabic, French
Currency
MRU

Mauritania · Legislation

Legislation and primary sources

Where to find the authoritative text of the law in Mauritania, and how to confirm it is still in force.

Sources of law, ranked

Sharia
Declared the sole source of law by the constitution.
Constitution
Supreme written norm within the Islamic frame.
Laws and ordinances
National Assembly statutes and presidential ordinances.
Codes
Personal status (2001), penal, commercial, labour and mining codes.
Customary practice
Operates alongside codified rules, particularly in land matters.

The legislative process

Bills are examined in committee and voted by the National Assembly, then promulgated by the President. The Conseil constitutionnel may be seised before promulgation.

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