Before 1960, seventy percent of Mauritania’s population was nomadic and dependent on livestock. Population changes and a boom in fishing and mining following structural adjustment policies in the 1980s significantly boosted economic growth. But has this helped the poor? Research from the UK Institute of Development Studies suggests that the answer is yes. Exploring the links between growth, poverty, and inequality, the study suggests that recent reforms have reduced both poverty and inequality. However, whether Mauritania can meet the International Development Target of halving poverty by 2015 depends upon the ability to sustain a higher and more stable economic growth path.