MAURITANIA
Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a large West African country located between the Sahara Desert and the Atlantic Ocean. It borders Senegal, Mali, Algeria, and Western Sahara. The capital and largest city is Nouakchott. As of 2023–2025 estimates, Mauritania’s population is about 4.8–5.1 million people.
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Mauritania is culturally and ethnically diverse, with three major groups: the Bidhan (Arab-Berber/Moor populations), the Haratin (descendants of enslaved Black Mauritanians), and sub-Saharan ethnic groups such as the Wolof, Soninké, Pulaar (Fula), and Bambara. Arabic is the official language, while Hassaniya Arabic is the most widely spoken. Pulaar, Soninké, and Wolof are also common across the southern regions.
FAMILY
This category includes anything related to a client’s home life, relationships with parents, siblings, or extended family, and the roles they play within their household. It also covers family expectations, communication patterns, cultural values, responsibilities, conflicts, and any major events or changes happening at home. The goal is to understand how the client’s family environment shapes their daily stress, emotional wellbeing, and behavior.
Provides an overview of Mauritanian family life, marriage practices, clan identities, and gender expectations. Explains differences between Arab-Berber/Moor families and sub-Saharan ethnic groups.
Covers rural and urban living patterns, pastoral family systems, and social vulnerabilities that affect households. Shows how families rely on community networks for survival.
The World Bank overview details community conditions, living standards, and how social and family networks cope with economic hardship. Provides context for understanding family stressors and resilience patterns.
The Wikipedia article on the Malian Family Code gives a detailed overview of the legal structure regulating family relationships in Mali, including marriage, divorce, parental authority, inheritance, and children’s rights.
COMMUNITY
This category explores how people in Mauritania live together beyond the nuclear family — their neighborhoods, friendships, communal networks, social expectations, village or urban community structures, and how these influence daily life, social support, identity, and belonging. It covers social norms, community rituals, mutual aid, socialization practices, and how daily life is shaped by community ties.
This article from the Borgen Project highlights ten key facts about living conditions in Mauritania, including how poverty, education, infrastructure, and household size affect family life and support systems.
This Britannica entry on Mali offers a comprehensive overview of the country’s geography, history, people, and cultural foundations. It includes discussion of family structures, religious background, language diversity, and political developments.
This page outlines the severe socio-economic and living-condition challenges in Mali, including high child mortality, lack of sanitation, limited access to electricity, and growing urbanization pressures
This InterNations “Living in Mali” guide offers a practical overview of daily life, social norms, and community culture for people living or relocating to Mali. It highlights how local languages, extended kin networks, and communal behaviors shape social interactions.
RELIGION
This category explores the beliefs, spiritual practices, and religious values that shape a client’s worldview. In many African communities, religion is deeply connected to daily life, moral expectations, community belonging, and decision-making. By understanding the client’s religious background—whether traditional beliefs, Christianity, Islam, or blended practices—counselors can better interpret their coping styles, sources of support, stress responses, and the meaning they attach to personal struggles.
Gives a broad overview of Mauritania’s religious composition — primarily Sunni Islam — along with information on minority faiths and how religion shapes social norms.
Explains how Islam influences daily life, law, education, dress, and moral expectations. Highlights the role of Islamic scholars and Sufi brotherhoods.
The U.S. State Department outlines the country’s laws, protections, and restrictions related to religious practice, including treatment of minority beliefs.
Analyzes religious freedom, social pressure, apostasy laws, and how strongly Islamic identity is tied to national and cultural identity in Mauritania.