Western Africa
Mauritania
Absolute number
Prevalence
Married by 15: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 15
Married by 18: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 18
Prevalence of child marriage
- Mauritania
- Western Africa
The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Mauritania and Western Africa from 1996 to 2025.
In Mauritania, 40% of girls in 1996 married before age 18, compared with 37% in 2021, which is the latest available value.
In Western Africa, the prevalence was 41% in 2000 and was 32% in 2025.
Show data table
| Year | Mauritania | Western Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 39.6% | |
| 2000 | 41.5% | |
| 2001 | 37.2% | |
| 2005 | 39.1% | |
| 2006 | 36.2% | |
| 2010 | 38.6% | |
| 2011 | 37.3% | |
| 2015 | 37.9% | |
| 2016 | 37.5% | |
| 2020 | 35.8% | |
| 2021 | 36.6% | |
| 2025 | 31.9% |
Mauritania
Child Marriage
Prevalence
Residence
- Rural
- Urban
Wealth
- Poorest
- Second
- Middle
- Fourth
- Richest
Education
- No schooling
- Primary education
- Secondary or higher
Compare regions of Mauritania
Understand differences inside the country
Touch the timeline to see how the child marriage affect differently each sub-region of Mauritania in the last decades.
Levels of child marriage vary across different parts of Mauritania. See the range of values within the country, and explore the chart for details.
Prevalence of child marriage
Compare regions of Mauritania
Understand differences
inside the country
Prevalence of child marriage before age 18 years in each region of Mauritania in 2021.
Region with no data
2021
Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Mauritania in 2021
The chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) across Mauritania. Data refer to 2021, the latest year with available data.
The practice is most common in Guidimagha (57%), Gorgol (50%), Eastern Basin Region (50%), and Assaba (46%).
Show data table
| Year | Adrar | Assaba | Brakna | Dakhlet Nouadhibou | Eastern Basin Region | Gorgol | Guidimagha | North Nouakchott | South Nouakchott | Tagant | Tiris Zemour and Inchiri | Trarza | West Nouakchott | Western Basin Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 30.4% | 46.2% | 34.5% | 19.5% | 49.7% | 50.2% | 57.3% | 23.8% | 23.5% | 38.2% | 25.6% | 27.5% | 16.5% | 43.7% |
Compare countries
How does Mauritania compare to other countries?
Prevalence of child marriage
- Mauritania
The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Mauritania from 1996 to 2021.
In Mauritania, 40% of girls in 1996 married before age 18, compared with 37% in 2021, which is the latest available value.
Residence
Child marriage prevalence
Review the data to find if girls living in rural areas are more likely to marry in childhood than girls in urban areas
The bubble chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) disaggregated by residence in Mauritania. Data refer to the latest available year.
In Mauritania, 37% of girls married before age 18. The prevalence is 52% of girls in rural areas, compared with 23% in urban areas.
For more data related to child marriage, please see the child marriage country profiles available on the UNICEF Data website
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Where does child marriage occur?
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