Mauritania

Overview

Mauritania lies in West Africa on the Atlantic coast, bordered by Morocco, the disputed territory of Western Sahara, Algeria, Mali, and Senegal. About 90 percent of the country is covered by the Sahara Desert, with the population concentrated mainly in the less arid southern regions and the capital. France administered the territory as a colony until 1960, as part of French West Africa; the official language is Arabic, though numerous local languages, including Fula and Wolof, are also spoken. The population is ethnically divided between Moorish-Berber (Arab-Berber) and Black African communities, a duality that remains central to Mauritanian society today.

Chinguetti, once one of the most important trading and Islamic scholarly centers in the Sahara, with medieval libraries and manuscript collections preserving the region's intellectual heritage, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996. Ouadane, another ancient caravan town on the edge of the desert, with its ruined medieval quarter, is also on the UNESCO list. Nouakchott, the capital, a relatively young city developed into a significant capital after the French colonial period, is less touristic in character than the country's historic caravan towns. Banc d'Arguin National Park, on the Atlantic coast, is known for its rich birdlife and fishing traditions, where the Imraguen fishing community practices a traditional technique aided by dolphins.

The Mauritanian Sahara, including the Adrar Plateau, with its sand dunes and rock formations, offers excellent terrain for desert trekking and camel riding, though underdeveloped tourism infrastructure means visits require significant planning. Banc d'Arguin, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1989, is one of the most important wetlands in the world for migratory birds, hosting millions of wintering birds each year. The Mauritania Railway, which carries some of the longest freight trains in the world from the iron ore mines of Zouérate to the port of Nouadhibou, offers an unusual, adventurous travel experience for those riding in the open cars. Local cuisine is built around rice, fish, and camel meat, with thieboudienne, a fish and rice dish shared with Senegalese cuisine, as a signature item.