> Mauritania had 11.2 million sheep in 2024, the 34th largest in the world (0.82% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 22%.

Source: https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/mauritania/

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# Sheep in Mauritania

Mauritania had 11.2 million sheep in 2024, the 34th largest in the world (0.82% of the world total). Over ten years it grew by 22%. This is the highest figure on record.
The 2024 figure is estimated by FAO.

[Today’s prices](https://husfarm.com/today-price/lamb/)

Animals, 202411.2 million head
World rank34 of 177
10-year change+22%
Record11.2 million head2024

## Sheep in Mauritania, 1961–2024 (head)

## Mauritania compared with the world, 2024

Share of world total0.82%0.79% in 2014
10-year change+22%world +17%

### Position in the world ranking

| # | Country | Head | Share |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 32 | [Burkina Faso](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/burkina-faso/) | 11,543,571 | 0.85% |
| 33 | [Peru](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/peru/) | 11,278,083 | 0.83% |
| 34 | **Mauritania** | 11,208,099 | 0.82% |
| 35 | [Yemen](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/yemen/) | 10,799,861 | 0.79% |
| 36 | [Romania](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/romania/) | 10,443,400 | 0.77% |

[Full ranking of 177 countries](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/)

### Map of sheep numbers by country

under 0.1%0.1–1%1–5%5–15%15% or moreno data
Share of the world total; Mauritania is outlined. Small island states are not drawn at this scale.

## By year

| Year | Head | Change |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2024 | 11,208,099 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 11,090,055 | −0.8% |
| 2022 | 11,181,479 | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 11,137,471 | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 10,988,830 | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 10,840,008 | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 10,576,752 | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 10,534,752 | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 10,224,152 | −7.9% |
| 2015 | 11,106,000 | +21% |
| 2014 | 9,150,000 | −9.2% |
| 2013 | 10,073,318 | +3.9% |
| 2012 | 9,693,464 | +6.1% |
| 2011 | 9,136,633 | +5.0% |
| 2010 | 8,701,555 | +5.0% |
| 2009 | 8,287,195 | +5.0% |
| 2008 | 7,892,567 | −11% |
| 2007 | 8,850,000 | 0.0% |
| 2006 | 8,850,000 | 0.0% |
| 2005 | 8,850,000 | 0.0% |
| 2004 | 8,850,000 | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 8,800,000 | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 8,774,289 | +4.5% |
| 2001 | 8,396,449 | +4.5% |
| 2000 | 8,034,880 | +4.5% |
| 1999 | 7,688,880 | +12% |
| 1998 | 6,835,000 | +8.5% |
| 1997 | 6,300,000 | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 6,199,200 | +17% |
| 1995 | 5,288,000 | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 5,280,000 | 0.0% |
| 1993 | 5,280,000 | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 5,100,000 | −3.8% |
| 1991 | 5,300,000 | +3.9% |
| 1990 | 5,100,000 | +6.3% |
| 1989 | 4,800,000 | +6.7% |
| 1988 | 4,500,000 | +7.1% |
| 1987 | 4,200,000 | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 4,100,000 | +5.1% |
| 1985 | 3,900,000 | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 3,800,000 | −5.0% |
| 1983 | 4,000,000 | −24% |
| 1982 | 5,247,100 | −2.8% |
| 1981 | 5,400,000 | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 5,197,200 | +6.1% |
| 1979 | 4,900,000 | +4.3% |
| 1978 | 4,700,000 | +4.4% |
| 1977 | 4,500,000 | +7.1% |
| 1976 | 4,200,000 | +10% |
| 1975 | 3,810,000 | +8.9% |
| 1974 | 3,500,000 | −13% |
| 1973 | 4,000,000 | 0.0% |
| 1972 | 4,000,000 | −4.8% |
| 1971 | 4,200,000 | −6.7% |
| 1970 | 4,500,000 | +13% |
| 1969 | 4,000,000 | −4.8% |
| 1968 | 4,200,000 | 0.0% |
| 1967 | 4,200,000 | +5.0% |
| 1966 | 4,000,000 | +5.3% |
| 1965 | 3,800,000 | +2.7% |
| 1964 | 3,700,000 | 0.0% |
| 1963 | 3,700,000 | +2.8% |
| 1962 | 3,600,000 | 0.0% |
| 1961 | 3,600,000 | — |

## Questions and answers

### How many sheep are there in Mauritania?

Mauritania had 11.2 million sheep in 2024, 0.82% of the world total, according to FAOSTAT.

### Where does Mauritania rank in the world by number of sheep?

Mauritania ranked 34th of 177 countries in 2024. The largest herd was in China with 13.4% of the world total.

### How has the number of sheep in Mauritania changed?

It rose by 22% between 2014 and 2024, compared with +17% for the world. 2024 was the highest figure on record.

### Where does this data come from?

From FAOSTAT, the statistics database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; the 2024 figure for Mauritania is estimated by FAO. Shares, ranks and per-person figures are calculated by Husfarm.

## Other large producers

[China](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/china/)[India](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/india/)[Australia](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/australia/)[Iran](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/iran/)[Nigeria](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/nigeria/)[Chad](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/chad/)[Turkey](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/turkey/)[Ethiopia](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/ethiopia/)[Sudan](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/sudan/)[Pakistan](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/pakistan/)[Algeria](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/algeria/)[United Kingdom](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/united-kingdom/)
[All countries producing sheep](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep/)

## Other products of Mauritania

[Rice (paddy)](https://husfarm.com/production/rice/mauritania/)[Cow milk](https://husfarm.com/production/cow-milk/mauritania/)[Sorghum](https://husfarm.com/production/sorghum/mauritania/)[Goat milk](https://husfarm.com/production/goat-milk/mauritania/)[Sheep milk](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep-milk/mauritania/)[Sheep meat](https://husfarm.com/production/sheep-meat/mauritania/)[Beef (cattle meat)](https://husfarm.com/production/beef/mauritania/)[Camel meat](https://husfarm.com/production/camel-meat/mauritania/)[Camel milk](https://husfarm.com/production/camel-milk/mauritania/)[Skim milk of cows](https://husfarm.com/production/skim-milk-of-cows/mauritania/)[Dates](https://husfarm.com/production/dates/mauritania/)[Other pulses n.e.c.](https://husfarm.com/production/other-pulses-n-e-c/mauritania/)
[Agricultural production in Mauritania](https://husfarm.com/production/country/mauritania/)

Source: FAO. 2025. FAOSTAT: Crops and livestock products. Accessed on 4 November 2026. [fao.org/faostat](https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL). Licence: [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Charts, rankings and changes calculated by Husfarm.

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