Mauritania-China Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023

Complete trade statistics: $2.28B total volume •Mauritania surplus: $54.28M

MauritaniaChina

$1.17B

Exports (2023)

ChinaMauritania

$1.11B

Imports (2023)

Trade Balance

$54.28M

Surplus for Mauritania

Total Trade

$2.28B

Combined Volume

Trade Flow Visualization

Direct trade relationship between Mauritania and China. Green line shows exports from Mauritania, red line shows imports.

Detailed Product Trade Analysis

Comprehensive breakdown of trade flows by product category, revealing the specialized nature of the Mauritania-China commercial relationship and competitive positioning in global markets.

MauritaniaChina Exports

$1.17B
2023 Total

Export Market Intelligence

Product Diversity:
Specialized Focus
Market Share:
72.0% top product
1Iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated
$839.05M
72.0% of exports
2Copper ores and concentrates
$159.01M
13.6% of exports
3Flours, meals and pellets: of fish or of crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates
$93.39M
8.0% of exports
4Molluscs: scallops, whether in shell or not, including queen scallops of the genera Pecten, Chlamys or Placopecten, dried, salted, in brine, or smoked, cooked or not before or during the smoking process
$26.16M
2.2% of exports
5Crustaceans: live, fresh or chilled, rock lobsters and other sea crawfish (Palinurus spp., Panulirus spp., Jasus spp.), in shell or not
$9.99M
0.9% of exports

🎯 Strategic Export Focus

Mauritania's export portfolio to China demonstrates strategic specialization, with iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.

ChinaMauritania Imports

$1.11B
2023 Total

Import Dependency Profile

Supply Diversity:
Concentrated
Critical Imports:
6.2% concentration
1Footwear: n.e.c. in heading no. 6402, (other than just covering the ankle), with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics
$68.96M
6.2% of imports
2Tea, green: (not fermented), in immediate packings of a content not exceeding 3kg
$66.31M
6.0% of imports
3Fabrics, woven: dyed, containing 85% or more by weight of artificial staple fibres
$37.99M
3.4% of imports
4Fabrics, woven: unbleached or bleached, containing 85% or more by weight of artificial staple fibres
$28.85M
2.6% of imports
5Fabrics, woven: printed, containing 85% or more by weight of artificial staple fibres
$17.50M
1.6% of imports

📦 Import Strategy Analysis

Mauritania's import pattern from China reveals strategic sourcingin footwear: n.e.c. in heading no. 6402, (other than just covering the ankle), with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics, highlighting complementary economic structures and potential supply chain optimization opportunities.

Competitive Trade Position Analysis

🏆

Market Leadership

Mauritania demonstrates competitive strength in exportingiron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated to China, leveraging comparative advantages.

Export Leader in 5+ Categories
🔄

Trade Complementarity

The bilateral relationship showsstrongcomplementarity, with each country specializing in different sectors.

Highly Balanced
📈

Growth Potential

The $2.28B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.

Significant Partnership

Executive Summary: Mauritania-China Trade Relationship

Key Trade Highlights 2023

  • Total Trade Volume: $2.28 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
  • Trade Balance: Mauritania maintains a surplus of $54.28 million
  • Export Focus: Mauritania's primary exports include iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated, copper ores and concentrates, flours, meals and pellets: of fish or of crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates
  • Import Dependencies: Key imports from China include footwear: n.e.c. in heading no. 6402, (other than just covering the ankle), with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics, tea, green: (not fermented), in immediate packings of a content not exceeding 3kg, fabrics, woven: dyed, containing 85% or more by weight of artificial staple fibres

Strategic Trade Indicators

Trade IntensityHigh
Export DiversificationConcentrated
Trade Balance HealthBalanced

📈 Market Position: This bilateral trade relationship represents an important regional trade partnerships, with complementary economic strengths driving sustained commercial exchange.

Historical Trade Analysis & Economic Context

Trade Evolution Timeline

2019-2023: Recent Trends

Current trade volume of $2.28B represents the culmination of evolving bilateral commercial relationships, influenced by global supply chain shifts and changing economic priorities.

2015-2019: Growth Period

Sustained expansion in bilateral trade driven by complementary economic structures, with Mauritania leveraging its comparative advantages in iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated.

2010-2015: Foundation Building

Establishment of modern trade frameworks and reduction of barriers, facilitating increased commercial exchange and investment flows between the two economies.

Pre-2010: Early Development

Initial stages of bilateral trade relationship development, with focus on traditional export-import patterns and gradual market integration.

Key Economic Drivers

1

Comparative Advantage

Mauritania's specialization in iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomeratedcomplements China's demand patterns, creating natural trade synergies.

2

Supply Chain Integration

Deep integration in global value chains has strengthened bilateral linkages, particularly in footwear: n.e.c. in heading no. 6402, (other than just covering the ankle), with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics.

3

Market Access & Trade Policy

Favorable trade agreements and market access conditions have facilitated the growth of this $2.28B bilateral relationship.

Trade Pattern Insights

Trade ComplementarityAsymmetric
Seasonal VariationsModerate
Product ConcentrationMedium
Market DependencyModerate
🔮

Trade Relationship Outlook

The $2.28B bilateral trade volume positions this relationship for continued growth, supported by technological advancement, evolving consumer preferences, and strengthening economic ties. Key opportunities lie in expanding cooperation in emerging sectors while managing potential supply chain vulnerabilities.

Economic Impact & Strategic Outlook

Economic Impact Assessment

💰

Trade Volume Impact

The $2.28 billion bilateral trade volume represents a important trade relationshipfor both economies.

Economic Significance: Moderate
🏭

Industrial Integration

Trade flows in iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated and footwear: n.e.c. in heading no. 6402, (other than just covering the ankle), with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics demonstrate deep industrial linkages and supply chain integration.

Supply Chain Integration: Specialized
⚖️

Trade Balance Effects

Mauritania's trade surplus of $54.28 million strengthens its overall economic position in this bilateral relationship.

Balance Impact: Well Balanced

Strategic Future Outlook

🚀Growth Opportunities

Emerging Sectors
Technology transfer and innovation cooperation in copper ores and concentrates present expansion opportunities.
Market Diversification
Beyond current focus on footwear: n.e.c. in heading no. 6402, (other than just covering the ankle), with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics, new product categories offer potential for trade expansion.

⚠️Risk Factors

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
Moderate concentration in key sectors requires monitoring
Market Competition
Global competition in iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated may affect future market positioning.

🎯Strategic Recommendations

  • Strengthen cooperation in high-value sectors beyond current trade patterns
  • Develop alternative supply chains to reduce dependency risks
  • Explore joint ventures in emerging technology sectors
  • Enhance trade facilitation and reduce transaction costs

Market Position & Competitive Summary

The bilateral trade relationship between Mauritania and China represents a total trade volume of $2.28 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates a favorable trade balance for Mauritania, with exports exceeding importsby $54.28 million.

Export Strengths

Mauritania's exports to China total $1.17 billion, with competitive advantages in iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated, representing $839.05M or72.0% of bilateral exports.

Import Dependencies

Imports from China amount to $1.11 billion, highlighting economic interdependence in footwear: n.e.c. in heading no. 6402, (other than just covering the ankle), with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics, with Footwear: n.e.c. in heading no. 6402, (other than just covering the ankle), with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics comprising6.2% of total imports.

The trade relationship reflects broader economic patterns and comparative advantages. The trade surplus indicates Mauritania's competitive position in this bilateral relationship. This partnership is characterized by complementary trade flows, with each country specializing in different product categories based on their respective economic strengths, industrial capabilities, and position in global value chains.

Download Bilateral Trade Data

Access detailed trade data between Mauritania and China in multiple formats.

Data Source: CEPII BACI (Base pour l'Analyse du Commerce International) • Last Updated: January 2025 • Coverage: 1995-2023