Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mauritania
Mauritania: Exclusive breastfeeding rate was 40.3% in 2018. ▲ Rising
Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mauritania, 2001–2018
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.
Exclusive breastfeeding rate in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | % of children under 6 months | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 20.2% | — |
| 2007 | 11.2% | -44.7% |
| 2008 | 15.9% | +42.4% |
| 2009 | 34.7% | +118.2% |
| 2010 | 45.9% | +32.3% |
| 2011 | 26.7% | -41.9% |
| 2015 | 41.1% | +54.4% |
| 2018 | 40.3% | -2.1% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 40.3% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 46.7%, 86% of the median. (32 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 40.3% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 53.6%, 75% of the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 20.5% | 11.2% | 34.7% | 4 |
| 2010s | 38.5% | 26.7% | 45.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More reference data data for Mauritania
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0975 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 3.86 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0216 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.98 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.327 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1337 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 14.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.99 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1178 (2050)
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
CSV · JSON — 8 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
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.