Debt - external: $2.3 billion (1994)

Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 ouguiya (UM) = 5 khoums

Exchange rates: ouguiyas (UM) per US$1 - 141.230 (December 1996), 137.222 (1996), 129.768 (1995), 123.575 (1994), 120.806 (1993), 87.027 (1992)

Fiscal year: calendar year

@Mauritania:Communications

Telephones: 17,000 (1991 est.)

Telephone system: poor system of cable and open-wire lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications stations (improvements being made) domestic : mostly cable and open-wire lines international: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios: 300,000 (1993 est.)