# List of colonial governors of Mauritania

This is a list of colonial governors of Mauritania. The country of Mauritania had been a colony of France from 1903 to 1960.

## List of former colonial heads of Mauritania

(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes |
| French protectorate of Mauritania |||
| 12 May 1903 to 18 October 1904 | Xavier Coppolani, Commandant | |
| French civil territory of Mauritania | Incorporated into French West Africa | Incorporated into French West Africa |
| 18 October 1904 November 1904 | Xavier Coppolani, Commandant | |
| November 1904 to 12 May 1905 | Xavier Coppolani, Commissioner | He was killed in Tidjikja. |
| 12 May 1905 to 27 May 1905 | Louis Frèrejean, acting Commissioner | |
| 27 May 1905 to November 1907 | Bernard Laurent Montané-Capdebosq, Commissioner | |
| November 1907 to 1909 | Henri Joseph Eugène Gouraud, Commissioner | |
| 1909 to 1909 | Claudel, acting Commissioner | |
| 1909 to 1909 | Aubert, acting Commissioner | |
| 1 January 1910 to 1 March 1912 | Henri Hippolyte Patey, Commissioner | |
| 1 March 1912 to April 1914 | Charles Paul Isidore Mouret, Commissioner | |
| April 1914 to 17 November 1916 | Louis Jules Albert Obissier, Commissioner | |
| 17 November 1916 to 11 December 1920 | Nicolas Jules Henri Gaden, Commissioner | |
| 11 December 1920 to 9 November 1926 | Nicolas Jules Henri Gaden, Lieutenant Governor | |
| 9 November 1926 to 13 January 1928 | Albéric Auguste Fournier, Lieutenant Governor | |
| 13 January 1928 to 21 November 1929 | Alphonse Paul Albert Choteau, Lieutenant Governor | |
| 21 November 1929 to 19 June 1931 | René Héctor Émile Chazal, Lieutenant Governor | |
| 19 June 1931 to 22 June 1933 | Gabriel Omer Descemet, acting Lieutenant Governor | 1st Term |
| 22 June 1933 to 7 April 1934 | Louis François Antonin, acting Lieutenant Governor | |
| 7 April 1934 to 5 July 1934 | Gabriel Omer Descemet, Lieutenant Governor | 2nd Term |
| 5 July 1934 to August 1934 | Adolphe Deitte, Lieutenant Governor | |
| August 1934 to 1 November 1934 | Jean-Baptiste Victor Chazelas, acting Lieutenant Governor | 1st Term |
| 1 November 1934 to 15 April 1935 | Richard Edmond Maurice Édouard Brunot, Lieutenant Governor | |
| 15 April 1935 to 10 November 1935 | Jean-Baptiste Victor Chazelas, acting Lieutenant Governor | 2nd Term |
| 10 November 1935 to 1 September 1936 | Jules Marcel de Coppet, Lieutenant Governor | |
| 1 September 1936 to 24 October 1936 | Jean Louis Beyries, acting Lieutenant Governor | 1st Term |
| 24 October 1936 to 7 August 1938 | Oswald Durand, Lieutenant Governor | |
| 7 August 1938 to November 1938 | Charles André Dumas, acting Lieutenant Governor | |
| November 1938 to 28 August 1941 | Jean Louis Beyries, acting Lieutenant Governor | 1st Term |
| 28 August 1941 to 4 May 1944 | Jean Louis Beyries, Lieutenant Governor | 2nd Term |
| 28 August 1941 to 4 May 1944 | Jean Louis Beyries, Lieutenant Governor | 2nd Term; Jean Chalvet acting governor from April 1942 |
| 4 May 1944 to 31 July 1945 | Christian-Robert-Roger Laigret, Lieutenant Governor | |
| 31 July 1945 to 30 April 1946 | René Babin, acting Lieutenant Governor | |
| 30 April 1946 to 27 October 1946 | Georges Poirier, acting Lieutenant Governor | |
| Mauritania Overseas Territory of France |||
| 27 October 1946 to 19 July 1947 | Georges Poirier, acting Lieutenant Governor | |
| 19 July 1947 to 31 December 1947 | Lucien Eugène Geay, acting Lieutenant Governor | |
| 31 December 1947 to 7 August 1949 | Henry Jean Marie de Mauduit, Lieutenant Governor | |
| 7 August 1949 to 27 September 1950 | Édouard Louis Terrac, acting Lieutenant Governor | |
| 27 September 1950 to 25 April 1952 | Jacques Camille Marie Rogué, Lieutenant Governor | |
| 25 April 1952 to 23 February 1953 | Pierre Messmer, acting Lieutenant Governor | |
| 23 February 1953 to 6 April 1954 | Pierre Messmer, Lieutenant Governor | |
| 6 April 1954 to 23 June 1955 | Albert Jean Mouragues, Lieutenant Governor | 1st Term |
| 23 June 1955 to 14 May 1956 | Jean Paul Parisot, Lieutenant Governor | |
| 14 May 1956 to 5 October 1958 | Albert Jean Mouragues, Lieutenant Governor | 2nd Term |
| 5 October 1958 to February 1959 | Henri Joseph Marie Bernard, High Commissioner | |
| February 1959 to 28 November 1960 | Amédée Joseph Émile Jean Pierre Anthonioz, High Commissioner | |
| 28 November 1960 | Independence as the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. | Independence as the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. |
For continuation after Independence, see: Heads of state of Mauritania.