Share of women using contraceptives in Mauritania
Mauritania: Share of women using contraceptives was 14.3% in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Share of women using contraceptives in Mauritania, 1981–2021
Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of women ages 15-49.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of women using contraceptives in Mauritania is 14.3%, measured in 2021.
The figure is up 25.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women using contraceptives in Mauritania peaked at 17.8% in 2015 and was at its lowest, 0.8%, in 1981.
That places Mauritania 113th out of 116 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Share of women using contraceptives in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | % of women ages 15-49 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 0.8% | — |
| 1991 | 4.1% | +412.5% |
| 2001 | 8.0% | +95.1% |
| 2007 | 9.3% | +16.3% |
| 2011 | 11.4% | +22.6% |
| 2015 | 17.8% | +56.1% |
| 2021 | 14.3% | -19.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 8.7% | 8.0% | 9.3% | 2 |
| 2010s | 14.6% | 11.4% | 17.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 14.3% | 14.3% | 14.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
More gender data for Mauritania
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 2,466 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth 1.77 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 85,317 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 87,574 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 83,378 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 85,511 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 81,699 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 83,772 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 80,167 (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 82,174 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women using contraceptives in Mauritania?
- Share of women using contraceptives in Mauritania was 14.3% in 2021, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women using contraceptives recorded in Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 17.8% in 2015.
- What is the lowest share of women using contraceptives recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.8% in 1981.
- How does Mauritania rank for share of women using contraceptives?
- Mauritania ranks 113th out of 116 countries with data for 2021.
- Is share of women using contraceptives rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mauritania data come from?
- The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), and UN Population Division, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women using contraceptives. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 7 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Contraceptive prevalence rate is the percentage of women who are practicing, or whose sexual partners are practicing, any form of contraception. It is usually measured for women ages 15-49 who are married or in union.