Mauritania Travel Overview
At a glance
Capital: Nouakachott
Official language: Arabic
Currency: Ouguiya
Continent: West Africa
Former desert kingdom, today’s presidential republic
Mauritania has been ruled by a military government since August 2008. In July 2009 presidential elections took place again.
Location
According to Countryaah, Mauritania is a state in North Africa, which is located in the western Sahara. The state borders Senegal, Mali, Algeria, Western Sahara and the Atlantic Ocean. Half of the country consists of desert.
Travel to Mauritania
Mauritania is shaped by the African culture on the coast and the culture of the Arab world, which came into the country through the spread of Islam. This clash can be seen especially in architecture, but also in African music and daily customs.
Mauritania sightseeing
Travelers are recommended to visit the caravan towns of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt and Oualata, which were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. Another highlight of many Mauritania trips is the Atar camel market.
Health
Vaccinations against tetanus, rabies and meningococci are recommended, as the medical standard of Mauritania is not comparable with the European one. If you are seriously ill, it is advisable to fly out, so take out travel insurance in good time.
Important facts
Capital: Nouakachott
Official language: Arabic
Currency
Currency (sub-unit)
Ouguiya (5 Khoums)
ISO 4217 code
MRO / 478
Geography
Continent: Africa
Region: west
Geo coordinates: N 21 ° 0 ‘28.4 ” W -10 ° -56’ -27″
Highest mountain: Kediet Ijill (910 m)
Total area: 1,030,700 km²
Mainland: 1,030,400 km²
National border: 5,074 km
Coastline: 754 km
Politics
Dependency: France until 1960
UN member since: 1961
Other political affiliation: Arab League
Form of government: Presidential Democracy
Economy
Export goods: Iron ore, fish, meat
BSP: $ 2,176,000,000
GDP: $ 2,062,000,000
GDP purchasing power parity: $ 7,280,000,000
Economic growth: 5.7%
Export: $ 1,154,000,000
Import: $ 1,266,000,000
Electricity consumption: 216 million KWh
Oil consumption: 28,000 million m³
Cultivation area: 0.19%
Bovine: 1,580,000 pieces
Sheep: 8,000,000 pieces
Fishing: 89,000 t
Demographic data
Residents: 3,177,400
Residents in cities: 1,808,300
Average age: 17 years
0-14 years: 45.6%
15-64 years: 52.2%
> 65 years: 2.2%
Population growth: 2.88%
Birth rate: 40.99 / 1,000 residents
Death rate: 12.16 / 1,000 residents
Ratio men / women: 0.98
Fertility: 5.86 children / woman
Infant mortality: 69.48 ‰
Life expectancy men: 50.88 years
Life expectancy women: 55.42 years
Country codes and abbreviations
ISO 3166 Alpha 2: MR
ISO 3166 Alpha 3: MRI
ISO 3166 numeric: 478
Top Level Domain: mr
IOC country code: MTN
UN / LOCODE: MR
Source: Abbreviationfinder
Communication
Telephone connections: 59,000
Cell Phones: 610,000
TV: 440,000
Computer: 40,000
Internet users: 26,000
Transportation
Railway lines: 717 km
Paved roads: 1,340 km
Cars: 30,000
Health
Number of doctors: 300
Daily food intake: 2,790 kcal / resident
HIV- infected people: 11,600
Education
Illiteracy: 57%
History
Foundation: 350 BC Chr.
Last sovereign since: -1960 BC Chr.
Religion
Main religious group: Muslims
Crime
Prison inmates: 1,200
Military
Armed forces (troop strength): 16,000
Main battle tank: 35
Battleships: 4
Warplanes: 10
Defense Spending: $ 21,500,000
GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
Mauritania does not currently have a national airline.
Air France (AF) (Internet: www.airfrance.com/de) flies direct from Paris to Nouakchott several times a week. Mauritania is also served by the airlines Air Algerie (AH), Royal Air Maroc (AT) and Tunis Air (TU).
Departure fee
No.
Arrival by car
Entry and exit by land through the Western Sahara must only take place on the coast near Nouadhibou. The tarred road from Dakar (Senegal) to Nouakchott is 575 km long (travel time: approx. 8 hours). The Senegal River must be crossed by ferry at Rosso (ferry connections from 7.30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.). There is also a tarred road from Mali to Mauritania.
If you want to travel to Mauritania from the north (Western Sahara), you should find out about the current political situation in Western Sahara at the Mauritanian embassy. In addition, entry should only take place via the marked roads. Because of the unmarked minefields, leaving the roads is life-threatening. The Route du Mauritaniethrough Algeria is no longer passable. For security reasons, people are urgently warned against entering via Algeria and the north of Mali.
Arrival by ship
The main port is Nouâdhibou, Nouakchott has a small port. The port of St. Louis in Senegal is also responsible for Mauritania.
ON THE GO
Traveling by plane
The national airline Mauritania Airlines International (L6) is the only airline to offer domestic flights between Nouakchott and other major cities.
On the way by car / bus
Roads connect Nouakchott with Rosso in the south (paved road), Néma in the southeast and Akjoujt in the north of the country. The paved La Route de l’Espoir leads from Nouakchott in the east of the country to Mali. All other streets, e.g. B. the connection from Atar in the west with Ain Ben Tilli in the north, are sandy slopes that are only accessible with vehicles with four-wheel drive. In some regions the roads are impassable during the rainy season. In the dry season, quicksand sometimes obscures the sandy slopes; You shouldn’t venture into this inhospitable area without a local driver.
The 500 km long route from Nouadhibou through the Banc d’Arguin National Parkto Nouakchott has no supply points and should only be accessed with a local guide, off-road vehicles and in convoy. Supplies of water, food and fuel should be sufficient for several days. In the office of the National Park Banc d´Arguin in Nouadhibou (Antenna Banc d´Anguin) a fee of 1,200 UM per person per day has to be paid for the transit. Reliable guides can also be found there.
Rental cars are available in Nouakchott, Nouâdhibou and Atar. All-wheel drive vehicles and drivers are very expensive. It is advisable to rent a rental car with a driver.
Note: Driving in the desert on your own should never be undertaken without spare parts and extensive safety precautions.
Documentation: International driver’s license is recommended.
Traveling in the city
Taxis in Nouakchott and Nouâdhibou are very expensive. Unit prices. A small tip is expected. Taxis can also be hired for a full day.
Buses are cheap, but in poor technical condition.
On the go by train
The SNIM line (Internet: www.snim.com) between Nouâdhibou and Zouérate was built for the iron ore mines. People and cars are transported from Nouâdhibou to Atar. The journey is long and exhausting, advance booking necessary.