Mauritania - WorldPop Population Estimates by COD Administrative Unit

For each country, the COD vector-based administrative boundaries are gridded (rasterized) and aligned to the corresponding WorldPop gridded population distribution dataset. To ensure that the output tables will have the same total population per country as the input WorldPop dataset, the administrative boundaries grid is clipped or filled to match the extent of the WorldPop dataset. This accounts for the differences in the extent between the census boundaries, originally used to produce the gridded population datasets, and the boundaries endorsed for use by the humanitarian community in the country. Population values for all grid cells within each administrative unit are then summed to calculate total population estimates for each administrative unit.

The most spatially detailed (ie, the smallest) administrative units available for each country are used for the summarizing process. Results are then aggregated to calculate the population estimates for the larger administrative units in the hierarchy. For information on the methodology used to produce the WorldPop gridded population distribution dataset, please refer to the “Mapping Populations - Land Cover-Based” and “Mapping Populations - Random Forest” subsections on the WorldPop Methods Page. For information on the administrative boundaries, please see the administrative boundaries common operational dataset.

Where there are large differences in geographic extent between the input WorldPop gridded population dataset and the COD administrative boundaries, such as occurs when disputed territories are included in one input and not the other, the estimates may be invalid for affected administrative units.