Mauritania Travel Advice

General travel information for Mauritania

Continent: Africa

Geographical location: West Africa, Sahel zone

Highest elevation: Kediet Ijill (915 m above sea level)

Longest river: Senegal (813 km)

Form of government: Islamic Republic System of

Government: Presidential system

Languages: Arabic

Neighboring countries: Morocco, Algeria, Mali, Senegal

Capital: Nouakchott

Area: Approx. 1,030,700 km²

Residents: Approx. 4,300,000 people (2016)

Population density: 3.6 residents per km²

Religions: Approx. 100% Muslims

Currency: Ouguiya (MRU); 1 euro is about 40 MRU. Travel

Climate: arrides desert climate

Time zone: UTC ± 0

Area code: +222

Country code: MR, MRT, 478

Electricity: In Mauritania, type C sockets are used. The mains voltage is 220 V with a 50 Hz change interval.

Check a2zdirectory for old history of Mauritania and agooddir for modern history of Mauritania.

Travel climate in Mauritania

Mauritania is located on the Atlantic west coast of northern Africa, southeast of Morocco. The country is bordered by

Mali to the west and south and Senegal to the southwest. In the northwest, in the border area with Morocco, is the disputed territory of

Western Sahara.

The surface shape of Mauritania offers a fairly uniform picture. To the one in the west between the Senegal estuary and Cap Timiris

The Atlantic coast, which in the north is formed as a steep coast with many coves and islands, connects inland with an extensive lowland, which with its sand dune fields forms the western edge of the Sahara. A short steep ascent leads to the largely flat highlands (300–500 m above sea level) in the central part of the country. Here are the sandstone plateaus of Adrar, Tagant and Affollé as well as individual island mountains, including the Kediet Ijill, which at 915 m is the highest point in Mauritania. Centrally in the Sahara, on the border between the administrative regions Tiris Zemmour and Adrar, lies the approx. 45 km diameter crater structure of Guelb er Richat. Towards the east, the plateaus, which are predominantly covered by scree fields, descend to form the drainless, sand-filled basin El Djouf. Only one

Flora and fauna in Mauritania

Grass and bush areas can be found in the transition between the desert and the Sahel zone. In the oases there are mainly date palms and bamboo.

The animals of the savannah are antelopes, hyenas, gazelles, ostriches, scorpions and snakes. Larger wild animals are mainly found in national parks, such as elephants and lions. Nile crocodiles have now been discovered that can survive the dry season in crevices.

National parks and nature conservation in Mauritania

There are only 2 national parks in Mauritania. The Banc d’Arguin and the Diawling National Park. Both are home to mainly European migratory birds, but also a large variety of African birds and mammals. While the Banc d’Arguin lies in the north in the desert, the Diawling National Park is located in the green delta of the Senegal River.

Medical information for Mauritania

For legal reasons, we as a tour operator are not allowed to communicate any binding medical information for Mauritania and therefore refer to the information provided by the Federal Foreign Office, the Robert Koch Institute and the German Society for Tropical Medicine and International Health.

Travel advice for Mauritania

You can obtain current travel and safety information, information on entering and leaving the country, as well as special criminal information and recommendations for your stay in Mauritania from the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany.