Updated
Overview
Senegal has 3.6 times the population of Mauritania: 18.93 million people against 5.32 million (2025).
Senegal's economy is 3.2 times the size of Mauritania's, at $37.01B versus $11.68B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Senegal | Mauritania | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $37.01B | $11.68B | 2025 | $32.27B / $10.77B |
| GDP per capita | $1,955 | Higher: $2,198 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 6.7% | 4.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 1.5% | 1.5% | 2025 | 0.8% / 2.5% |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.7% | 10.3% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 36 | 31 | 2025 / 2023 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $279 | Higher: $1,650 | 2024 / 2019 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $106 | $81 | 2024 / 2022 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 18.93 million | 5.32 million | 2025 | 18.85 million / 5.20 million |
| Population growth | 2.3% | 2.8% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 19.6 yrs | 17.4 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 3.71 | 4.56 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 68.9 yrs | 68.7 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 56% | 61% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 60% | 46% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 196,722 km² | 1,030,700 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 96.2/km² | 5.2/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 14 Mt | Lower: 5.24 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 0.8 t | 1.0 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $514.94M | $260.06M | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.6% | 2.2% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 19,000 | 21,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Senegal is growing faster: 6.7% annual GDP growth versus 4.0%.
Inflation is comparable in both: 1.5% in Senegal and 1.5% in Mauritania.
Average monthly earnings favour Mauritania: $1,650 against $279 (ILOSTAT, latest available years).
People and society
Mauritania is the younger society: median age 17.4 versus 19.6 years.
Internet adoption is higher in Senegal (60% vs 46% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Senegal is 81% smaller than Mauritania: 196,722 km² versus 1,030,700 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Senegal is far more densely settled: 96 people per km² against 5.
Military
Senegal spends 2.0 times as much on defence as Mauritania: $514.94M versus $260.06M (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Mauritania fields the larger armed forces: 21,000 personnel against 19,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Senegal bigger than Mauritania?
- Mauritania is larger by land area. Senegal covers 196,722 km² while Mauritania covers 1,030,700 km², so Mauritania is 5.2 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Senegal or Mauritania?
- Senegal has the larger population: 18.93 million versus 5.32 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Senegal richer than Mauritania?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Mauritania is richer: $2,198 against $1,955. Total GDP tells a different story: $37.01B for Senegal versus $11.68B for Mauritania.
- Who spends more on their military, Senegal or Mauritania?
- Senegal spends more: $514.94M versus $260.06M per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).