22 June 2011 Last updated at 13:00 ET

Mauritania profile

• Overview
• Facts
• Leaders
• Media
• Timeline

State-run and privately owned newspapers are available

Mauritania's main national TV and radio networks are state-owned. In 2010, MPs passed a law to liberalise broadcasting, paving the way for the launch of privately-owned stations.

"Media laws are the best in the sub-region and press freedom is satisfactory," says Reporters Without Borders. The watchdog adds that sensationalist newspapers, called "peshmergas", dominate the media.

US-based Freedom House reports that privately-owned newspapers face closure for publishing material deemed offensive to Islam or threatening to the state.

The BBC is available on FM in the capital (106.9) and in the second city, Nouadhibou (102.4). Radio France Internationale is also relayed.

Internet access is unrestricted. There were more than 151,000 users by June 2012 (Internetworldstats.com) - around 4.5% of the population.

Press

• Chaab - state-run daily, in Arabic
• Horizons - state-run daily, in French
• Journal Officiel - government journal of record
• Le Calame - private weekly
• L'Eveil-Hebdo - private weekly
• Rajoul Echaree - private
• Akhbar Nouakchott - private, Arabic daily
• Nouakchott Info - private, French-language daily

Television

• Television de Mauritanie (TVM) - state-run, programmes in Arabic and French
• Al-Mourabitoun TV - private
• Chinguett TV - private

Radio

• Radio Mauritanie - state-run, programmes in Arabic and French
• MFM - private

News agency/internet

• Mauritanian News Agency (AMI) - state-run
• Maurinews - private
• Sahara Media - private
• Al-Akhbar - private, pages in English