🇲🇷 Mauritania
Presidential systemElectoral autocracy
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Mohamed Ould Ghazouani
President · 2,634 days in office
How the political system works in Mauritania
Mauritania is governed as a presidential system. Its president, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, has led the country since Aug 1, 2019. Mauritania has had 10 presidents since 1960. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as an electoral autocracy.
Tenure records
Longest-serving
Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya
7,539 days
Shortest-serving
Ba Mamadou Mbaré
112 days
Average tenure
2,143 days
Mohamed Ould Ghazouani: 23% above average
Female leaders
0 of 10
All male to date
Recent presidents by days in office
Is a leader's tenure getting longer or shorter in Mauritania?
Across 10 completed terms, the average president of Mauritania has served 2,143 days (about 5.9 years). Terms are getting shorter: the last five completed terms averaged just 1,022 days. The last leader to beat the average was Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who left office in 2019.
One completed term Average tenure per decade
All presidents of Mauritania
| # | Name | Took office | Left office | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 |  Mohamed Ould Ghazouani | Aug 1, 2019 | Incumbent | 2,634 |
| 10 |  Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz | Aug 5, 2009 | Aug 1, 2019 | 3,648 |
| 9 | Ba Mamadou Mbaré | Apr 15, 2009 | Aug 5, 2009 | 112 |
| 8 | Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz | Aug 6, 2008 | Apr 15, 2009 | 252 |
| 7 |  Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi | Apr 19, 2007 | Aug 6, 2008 | 475 |
| 6 |  Ely Ould Mohamed Vall | Aug 3, 2005 | Apr 19, 2007 | 624 |
| 5 |  Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya | Dec 12, 1984 | Aug 3, 2005 | 7,539 |
| 4 |  Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla | Jan 4, 1980 | Dec 12, 1984 | 1,804 |
| 3 |  Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Louly | Jun 3, 1979 | Jan 4, 1980 | 215 |
| 2 |  Mustafa Ould Salek | Jul 10, 1978 | Jun 3, 1979 | 328 |
| 1 |  Moktar Ould Daddah | Nov 28, 1960 | Jul 10, 1978 | 6,433 |
Officeholder history via Wikidata. Multiple rows for one person indicate separate terms.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the President of Mauritania?
- Mohamed Ould Ghazouani has been President of Mauritania since Aug 1, 2019.
- How is the leader of Mauritania chosen?
- Mauritania is governed as a presidential system. Its president, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, has led the country since Aug 1, 2019. Mauritania has had 10 presidents since 1960. Under the Regimes of the World classification, it counts as an electoral autocracy.
- Who is the longest-serving President of Mauritania?
- Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, with 7,539 days in office.
- Are leaders serving longer or shorter terms in Mauritania?
- Across 10 completed terms, the average president of Mauritania has served 2,143 days (about 5.9 years). Terms are getting shorter: the last five completed terms averaged just 1,022 days. The last leader to beat the average was Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who left office in 2019.
- Has Mauritania ever had a female president?
- No. All 10 presidents of Mauritania to date have been men.