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The twenty imports Mauritania is best placed to replace.

Mauritania imported USD 3.4bn of manufactured goods in 2024 and exported USD 72m. These are the twenty that sit closest to what it already makes well, with how concentrated the supply of each is.

USD 848mthe twenty, imported in 2024
21products imported at scale, not yet exported well, and close to existing strengths
114products Mauritania already exports well
62product lines imported at USD 10m or more
The twenty

Demand, capability, exposure. Nothing else is claimed.

Each line shows the import bill, where it comes from, the nearest thing Mauritania already exports well, and how many countries make it. It does not say whether a plant in Mauritania would pay. That reason is not in any trade record, and it is the maker's question.

This edition is trade and capability only, scored out of 8. The UK edition adds which public bodies buy each product and which region holds the capability; those layers are built only where a country publishes contract awards and regional trade, and Mauritania does not publish them in a form this record can read yet.

  1. 1

    Cement clinkers (whether or not coloured)HS 252310

    Comes fromAlgeria 75%, 4 source countries
    Nearest export strengthPlasters: (consisting of calcined gypsum or calcium sulphate)... (exports USD 1m)
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well36

    Score 8 of 8: import bill USD 60m, top 6 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 2 per cent (3); Algeria supplies 75 per cent (2).

    USD 60mup 233% on 2022
  2. 2

    Sugars: sucrose, chemically pure, in solid form, not containing added flavouring or colouring matterHS 170199

    Comes fromBrazil 78%, 15 source countries
    Nearest export strengthDog or cat food: (not put up for retail sale), used in animal feeding (exports USD 9m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 177k
    Countries that export it well44

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 273m, top 2 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 18 per cent (2); Brazil supplies 78 per cent (2).

    USD 273mup 39% on 2022
  3. 3

    Fish preparations: sardines, sardinella and brisling or sprats, prepared or preserved, whole or in pieces (but not...HS 160413

    Comes fromMorocco 94%, 8 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 78k
    Countries that export it well19

    Score 7 of 8: import bill USD 33m, top 18 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 3 per cent (3); Morocco supplies 94 per cent (2).

    USD 33mup 73% on 2022
  4. 4

    Vehicles: with only spark-ignition internal combustion piston engine, cylinder capacity not over 1000ccHS 870321

    Comes fromUnited Arab Emirates 99%, 12 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 3 more lines in the heading, USD 122m
    Countries that export it well16

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 46m, top 10 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 39 per cent (1); United Arab Emirates supplies 99 per cent (2).

    USD 46mfrom USD 7m in 2022
  5. 5

    Soap: in forms n.e.c. in item no. 3401.11HS 340120

    Comes fromIndonesia 75%, 24 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 50k
    Countries that export it well41

    Score 6 of 8: import bill USD 19m, top 37 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 5 per cent (3); Indonesia supplies 75 per cent (2).

    USD 19mup 32% on 2022
  6. 6

    Food preparations: of flour, meal, starch, malt extract or milk products, for uses n.e.c. in heading no. 1901HS 190190

    Comes fromNetherlands 36%, 26 source countries
    Nearest export strengthDog or cat food: (not put up for retail sale), used in animal feeding (exports USD 9m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 41k
    Countries that export it well39

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 87m, top 3 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 18 per cent (2).

    USD 87mup 6% on 2022
  7. 7

    Medicaments: consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses...HS 300490

    Comes fromFrance 52%, 40 source countries
    Nearest export strengthFertilizers, animal or vegetable: whether or not mixed together or... (exports USD 6m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 167k
    Countries that export it well32

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 52m, top 8 per cent of candidates (3); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 47 per cent (1); France supplies 52 per cent (1).

    USD 52mup 4% on 2022
  8. 8

    Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: nitrogenous, ammonium nitrate, whether or not in aqueous solutionHS 310230

    Comes fromRussia 42%, 11 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well22

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 37m, top 13 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 13 per cent (2); Russia supplies 42 per cent (1).

    USD 37mup 79% on 2022
  9. 9

    Footwear: n.e.c. in heading no. 6402, (other than just covering the ankle), with outer soles and uppers of rubber or...HS 640299

    Comes fromChina 87%, 16 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 156k
    Countries that export it well16

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 35m, top 16 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 26 per cent (1); China supplies 87 per cent (2).

    USD 35mdown 49% on 2022
  10. 10

    Iron or non-alloy steel: bars and rods, hot-rolled, hot-drawn or hot-extruded, containing indentations, ribs, grooves...HS 721420

    Comes fromTurkey 53%, 10 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well45

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 17m, top 47 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 6 per cent (3); Turkey supplies 53 per cent (1).

    USD 17mup 218% on 2022
  11. 11

    Fertilizers, mineral or chemical: diammonium hydrogenorthophosphate (diammonium phosphate)HS 310530

    Comes fromMorocco 100%, 1 source country
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well17

    Score 5 of 8: import bill USD 10m, top 98 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 10 per cent (3); Morocco supplies 100 per cent (2).

    USD 10mdown 11% on 2022
  12. 12

    Iron or steel: structures and parts thereof, n.e.c. in heading 7308HS 730890

    Comes fromIndonesia 42%, 28 source countries
    Nearest export strengthAluminium: casks, drums, cans, boxes and the like for any material... (exports USD 7m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 31k
    Countries that export it well33

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 44m, top 11 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 34 per cent (1); Indonesia supplies 42 per cent (1).

    USD 44mup 131% on 2022
  13. 13

    Rubber: new pneumatic tyres, of a kind used on construction, mining or industrial handling vehicles and machinesHS 401180

    Comes fromJapan 50%, 13 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 2 more lines in the heading, USD 28m
    Countries that export it well17

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 28m, top 23 per cent of candidates (2); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 44 per cent (1); Japan supplies 50 per cent (1).

    USD 28mdown 7% on 2022
  14. 14

    Vehicles: public transport type (carries 10 or more persons, including driver), with only compression-ignition...HS 870210

    Comes fromChina 79%, 6 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 12k
    Countries that export it well30

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 19m, top 35 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 47 per cent (1); China supplies 79 per cent (2).

    USD 19mup 255% on 2022
  15. 15

    Cigarettes: containing tobaccoHS 240220

    Comes fromUnited Arab Emirates 54%, 9 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well41

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 18m, top 40 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 11 per cent (2); United Arab Emirates supplies 54 per cent (1).

    USD 18mdown 61% on 2022
  16. 16

    Iron or steel: grinding balls and similar articles for mills, forged or stamped, but not further workedHS 732611

    Comes fromChina 83%, 8 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this linenone recorded; 1 more line in the heading, USD 26m
    Countries that export it well14

    Score 4 of 8: import bill USD 14m, top 63 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 23 per cent (2); China supplies 83 per cent (2).

    USD 14mup 4% on 2022
  17. 17

    Food preparations: sweet biscuits, whether or not containing cocoaHS 190531

    Comes fromSpain 33%, 24 source countries
    Nearest export strengthDog or cat food: (not put up for retail sale), used in animal feeding (exports USD 9m)
    Exports of this lineUSD 290k
    Countries that export it well52

    Score 3 of 8: import bill USD 18m, top 39 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 21 per cent (2).

    USD 18mup 16% on 2022
  18. 18

    Paper and paperboard: cartons, boxes and cases, of corrugated paper or paperboardHS 481910

    Comes fromSpain 31%, 24 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this lineUSD 577k; 1 more line in the heading, USD 11m
    Countries that export it well46

    Score 3 of 8: import bill USD 17m, top 42 per cent of candidates (1); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 24 per cent (2).

    USD 17mup 49% on 2022
  19. 19

    Soups and broths and preparations thereforHS 210410

    Comes fromSenegal 49%, 14 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well31

    Score 3 of 8: import bill USD 12m, top 76 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 18 per cent (2); Senegal supplies 49 per cent (1).

    USD 12mup 33% on 2022
  20. 20

    Organic surface-active agents: whether or not put up for retail sale, n.e.c. in item no. 3402HS 340249

    Comes fromIndonesia 78%, 10 source countries
    Nearest export strengthnone named
    Exports of this linenone recorded
    Countries that export it well25

    Score 3 of 8: import bill USD 11m, top 89 per cent of candidates (0); proximity to Mauritania's export strengths in the top 44 per cent (1); Indonesia supplies 78 per cent (2).

    USD 11mfrom USD 82k in 2022

The bill and its path, the sources and their unit values, who exports the line well, the nearest strengths, the public buyers where a country publishes them, and the method. We reply by email. Privacy

One line per customs heading. Products Mauritania already exports well and still imports are below, because they are a different conversation. No employment figures appear on this page, by decision.

Made here already, still imported

Scale conversations, not capability ones.

  • Fertilizers, animal or vegetable: whether or not mixed together or chemically... imports USD 11m, exports USD 6m, top source Algeria 68%
How the twenty were chosen

Three scores, each from a field the record carries.

Import bill, 0 to 3, by percentile among the 62 lines imported at USD 10m or more: above the median one point, top quarter two, top tenth three.

Proximity to export strengths, 0 to 3, on the same percentiles: the product-space method (Hidalgo, Klinger, Barabasi and Hausmann, Science 2007) on CEPII's BACI file of every bilateral trade flow for 2024, 157 countries and 5,388 products. Two products are close when the countries that export one well tend to export the other well. Only products in the upper half for proximity can enter the list at all: best placed is a proximity claim.

Supply concentration, 0 to 2: one point when a single country supplies 40 per cent or more, two at 60 per cent.

Scope. Manufactured goods, customs chapters 16 to 96, excluding ores, fuels and precious metals. Primary agriculture is out of scope for a page about manufacture.

What it cannot tell you

A map of where to look.

Trade data says what crossed the border, not why. Cost, scale, patents, tariffs and the plain fact that a supplier is good at it are all invisible here. The world file reconciles what each pair of countries reports, so a national customs file would differ in detail. Nothing on this page is a forecast or a promise.

Source: CEPII BACI, HS22, version 202601, years 2022 to 2024. Edition of 2026-11-03. The UK edition with its procurement and regional layers is at /made-here/.

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