Western Africa · AfricaMauritania
Discover Mauritania - a vast Saharan nation where ancient caravan cities rise from the sand, the Eye of Africa stares into space, and desert meets ocean.
Where Is Mauritania?
Mauritania is a country in Western Africa. Its capital is Nouakchott.
- Capital Nouakchott
- Population 5.32M
- Area 1,030,700 km²
Mauritania is a country where the Sahara Desert walks straight into the Atlantic Ocean. Almost the entire nation is sand and stone - vast, empty, and starkly beautiful. Ancient caravan cities like Chinguetti and Ouadane sit half-buried in dunes, their stone libraries still holding manuscripts that are a thousand years old. The Richat Structure, a 40-kilometer geological formation known as the Eye of Africa, is so perfectly circular that it was once thought to be the lost city of Atlantis. From space, it looks like the desert is staring back at you.
Mauritania sits at the crossroads of Arab North Africa and Sub-Saharan West Africa, and its culture reflects that duality. Hassaniya Arabic is the dominant language, nomadic Moorish traditions are strong, and the southern river valley is home to Black African farming communities. The Banc d'Arguin, where the desert literally meets the sea, is one of the most important bird migration sites in the world, with millions of waders making the journey from Europe each winter. It is a country of extremes - scorching and sparse, but hauntingly beautiful.
At a glance
Largest cities in Mauritania
Nouakchott
Nouadhibou
Chinguetti
Atar
Famous people from Mauritania
Mokhtar Ould Daddah
PoliticsFather of Mauritanian independence and first president who forged a nation from diverse desert communities in 1960
Dimi Mint Abba
MusicThe greatest voice of Mauritanian music, whose powerful griot singing and tidinit playing made her an international ambassador of Moorish culture
Malouma Mint Meidah
MusicSinger-songwriter and senator who fused traditional Mauritanian music with blues and rock, known as the desert diva
Biram Dah Abeid
ActivismAnti-slavery activist repeatedly imprisoned for his campaign against the persistence of slavery in modern Mauritania
Traditional cuisine of Mauritania
- Thieboudienne
- Rice and fish dish cooked in a rich tomato sauce with vegetables, the most popular meal in Mauritania shared from a communal platter
- Mechoui
- Whole roasted lamb slow-cooked over coals until the meat falls off the bone, the centerpiece of celebrations and special occasions
- Mint Tea
- Three rounds of sweet mint tea prepared with great ceremony - the first bitter as life, the second strong as love, the third sweet as death
- Zrig
- Fermented camel or goat milk mixed with water and sugar, the essential drink of nomadic life and a daily staple for herders
Nature and landmarks in Mauritania
- Richat Structure (Eye of Africa)Landmark
- Mysterious 40-kilometer-wide circular geological formation in the Sahara, visible from space and once theorized to be the remnants of Atlantis
- Banc d'Arguin National ParkNational Park
- UNESCO World Heritage Site where the Sahara meets the Atlantic, hosting millions of migratory birds and Imraguen fishing communities
- Adrar PlateauDesert
- Sandstone plateau carved by ancient rivers into dramatic canyons, oases, and the setting for Mauritania's ancient library cities
- Terjit OasisOasis
- Hidden palm-lined oasis in a narrow canyon of the Adrar, where hot and cold springs meet in a surreal desert garden
Sports in Mauritania
- Football
- The Mourabitounes qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 2019, a historic breakthrough for desert football
- Camel Racing
- Traditional desert sport that remains deeply popular, with major races drawing communities from across the Saharan regions
Did you know?
The Eye of Africa (Richat Structure) is so large and so perfectly circular that early astronauts used it as a landmark from orbit
Mauritania was the last country on Earth to legally abolish slavery in 1981, and it was not criminalized until 2007
The iron ore train from Zouerat to Nouadhibou is one of the longest trains in the world, sometimes stretching over 2.5 kilometers
Chinguetti's medieval libraries hold Quranic manuscripts dating back over 1,000 years, some written on gazelle skin
Mauritania is one of the least densely populated countries in the world, with vast stretches of Sahara where no one lives at all
Read more about Mauritania
Can you find Mauritania on a map?
Drop a pin where you think it is and see how close you got. A few rounds and you will place Mauritania and its neighbours without a second thought.
