The Untold History of Mauritania: A Crossroads of Empires, Slavery, and Modern Struggles
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Long before modern borders defined Mauritania, this vast desert region was a crucial hub for trans-Saharan trade. The Berber Sanhaja tribes dominated the area as early as the 3rd century, establishing caravan routes that connected sub-Saharan Africa to the Mediterranean. Cities like Chinguetti and Ouadane became legendary trading posts, where gold, salt, and enslaved people were exchanged under the scorching sun.
The arrival of Islam in the 8th century transformed Mauritanian society. The Almoravid dynasty, born in present-day Mauritania, launched a religious and military campaign that reshaped North Africa and even parts of Europe. Their legacy lives on in the ancient ksour (fortified villages) and libraries of Chinguetti, where centuries-old Quranic manuscripts still rest in the dry desert air.
When French colonists arrived in the 19th century, they dismissed Mauritania as a "land without people" – a convenient fiction to justify occupation. But the reality was far more complex. The Emirate of Trarza and other Moorish states fiercely resisted colonization. The famous resistance leader Ma al-Aynayn became a symbol of anti-colonial defiance, uniting Saharan tribes against European encroachment.
France's colonial administration (1903-1960) exploited existing social hierarchies, favoring certain Moorish elites while marginalizing Black African communities along the Senegal River. This divide-and-rule strategy planted seeds of ethnic tension that still haunt Mauritania today.
Mauritania was the last country in the world to officially abolish slavery (1981), yet the practice persists shockingly into the 2020s. An estimated 90,000 people (2% of the population) still live in conditions of modern slavery, mostly from the Haratin ethnic group.
Here's where Mauritania's history collides with contemporary crises: climate change is exacerbating slavery. As droughts devastate traditional livelihoods, desperate families fall prey to exploitative "patronage" systems. Meanwhile, international mining companies extracting iron ore and gold often turn a blind eye to forced labor in their supply chains.
Mauritania sits at the brink of the unstable Sahel region, where jihadist groups like AQIM and ISIS operate. The country has avoided Mali's fate through a mix of military vigilance and negotiation with tribal leaders – a strategy now studied by counterterrorism experts worldwide.
While Western media focuses on terrorism, China has been making quiet inroads. The Belt and Road Initiative funds infrastructure projects, but as in other African nations, these come with strings attached. The Nouakchott Friendship Port expansion gives Beijing strategic Atlantic access, raising eyebrows in Washington and Paris.
With 60% of Mauritania's population under 25, unemployment and corruption are creating a powder keg. Social media-savvy activists increasingly challenge the military-dominated government. The 2019 election of Mohamed Ould Ghazouani brought cosmetic reforms, but many young Mauritanians demand real change – especially the Afro-Mauritanians systematically excluded from power.
From its ancient caravan cities to its modern struggles with slavery and climate change, Mauritania remains one of Africa's most complex and overlooked nations. Its history isn't just about the past – it's a lens through which we can understand some of the world's most pressing issues today.