Mauritania is almost three times as big as Germany and mainly consists of desert. Arabs, Berbers and black African people groups have met and mingled here. Around 70 percent of the population speak Hassaniya Arabic and belong to the Arab-Berber Maures people group. One half of this group are called the White Maures and are made up of mostly merchants, noblemen, academics and other elite. The Black Maures, the other half, are descendants of slaves from
Black Africa. The remaining 30 percent of the population represent various black African peoples living predominantly in the south and in the capital city, Nouakchott.
In 1957, 90 percent of Maures still lived in tents as nomads, and no major towns existed. A severe drought in the 1970s forced many to sell their surviving cattle and move to emerging cities, which have been growing ever since. The Arabs spread Islam to the Sahara in the eighth century, which weakened the influence
of the Berbers. In 1920 Mauritania became a French republic and gained independence as a state with Islamic jurisdiction in 1960
Revolutions in other Islamic nations have led the population to observe Islamic law more carefully. For most of them this seems the only solution to all problems such as poverty, corruption, slavery, injustice, drought, etc. And yet, socially, many still practice a nomadic lifestyle—preferring to sit on a carpet rather
than on chairs, showing little respect for traffic rules, and often marrying and divorcing several times.
Nowadays, the population of Mauritania is almost 100 percent Sunni Muslim and there are only a handful of Christians in the country.
LET’S PRAY
- Pray that this former nomadic people will find their way to Jesus.
- Pray for those believers whom God has called to demonstrate His love among the people of Mauritania.
- Pray that new Maure believers will grow strong in their faith and in courage to share it.
Post credited to the editors at Worldchristian: visit http://www. worldchristianconcern.org/donate to support mission efforts to reach the unreached for Christ.
