70% "Moors", or Beidane/Haratines (African/Arab/Berber)

30% Other African (non-Arabic speaking Africans: Wolof, Bambara, Toucouleur, Fula, Serer, Soninke)

Mauritania's population is composed of several ethnic groups: the Moors (African or Arab) or Beidane; the Haratins, descendants of freed sub-Saharan black slaves who have grown up in this society; the Soninke; the Serer (generally farmers and stock-breeders);[49] and the Hal-pulaar or Fulas, who include settled farmers called Toucouleur and nomadic stock-breeders.

Spoken languages are: Hassaniya, Pulaar, Soninke, Imraguen language, Wolof, Serer[49] and French (widely used in the media and among educated classes, see African French). Modern Standard Arabic is also an official language.

Zenaga, a Berber language, was once spoken throughout much of Mauritania, but today it is almost totally replaced by Hassaniya. Only a tiny group of about 200 to 300 speakers of the Zenaga language may be left.