Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mauritania

Mauritania: Exclusive breastfeeding rate was 40.3% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
40.3%
Change on year
down 2.1%
World rank
45th
of 72 countries
All-time high
45.9%
in 2010
All-time low
11.2%
in 2007
Years of data
8
2001–2018

Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mauritania, 2001–2018

10203040502001200920182001: 20.2 % of children under 6 months2007: 11.2 % of children under 6 months2008: 15.9 % of children under 6 months2009: 34.7 % of children under 6 months2010: 45.9 % of children under 6 months2011: 26.7 % of children under 6 months2015: 41.1 % of children under 6 months2018: 40.3 % of children under 6 months

Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children under 6 months.

Analysis

In 2018, exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mauritania stood at 40.3%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and up 153.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mauritania peaked at 45.9% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 11.2%, in 2007.

Mauritania ranks 45th of 72 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 20.5% 11.2% 34.7% 4
2010s 38.5% 26.7% 45.9% 4

Countries ranked near Mauritania

  1. 42 Turkey 40.7% compare
  2. 43 Cuba 40.6% compare
  3. 44 Mali 40.5% compare
  4. 46 Haiti 39.9% compare
  5. 47 Egypt 39.5% compare
  6. 48 Cameroon 39.4% compare

See the full ranking of 72 places →

More reference data data for Mauritania

All data for Mauritania →

Frequently asked questions

What is exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mauritania?
Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mauritania was 40.3% in 2018, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Mauritania?
The highest recorded value was 45.9% in 2010.
What is the lowest exclusive breastfeeding rate recorded in Mauritania?
The lowest recorded value was 11.2% in 2007.
How does Mauritania rank for exclusive breastfeeding rate?
Mauritania ranks 45th out of 72 countries with data for 2018.
Is exclusive breastfeeding rate rising or falling in Mauritania?
Over the last ten years it is up 153.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Mauritania data come from?
The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Exclusive breastfeeding rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

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About this data

Indicator
Exclusive breastfeeding rate
Unit
% of children under 6 months
Source
Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
72 places, 509 data points, 1986–2020
Last refreshed

The share of infants less than six months old who were fed only with breast milk in the past 24 hours. WHO and UNICEF recommend that children be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water.