Nouakchott, Mauritania

Nouakchott is the capital and by far the largest city of Mauritania. It is one of the largest cities in the Sahara. It is a charming city with a laid back atmosphere.

Inside Nouakchott, the city centre is active and with entertaining market activities going on, mainly in the early hours of the day. The Cinquième district is an even better market, where handicrafts can be seen or bought. Of buildings to be seen, Nouakchott is too young to offer anything of high age. The mosque donated by Saudi Arabia in the town centre, is impressive. So is the Moroccan one, further south.

Things to See & Do

* Fishing wharf Port de Peche
* Franco-Mauritanian Cultural Centre
* Shopping for traditional Mauritanian handicrafts
* Markets Marche Capitale and Marche Sixieme
* Nouakchott Museum

General Information

Cruise Season Jan - Dec
Currency Ouguiya (MRO)
Language Arabic
Population 600,000 approx
Land Area 1,000 km
Electricity 2 round pins European style
Time GMT plus zero hours
International Country Telephone Code + 222

Port Location The port is located 5 km west of central Nouakchott.

Transport Links - Flights connect Nouakchott with Dakar, Paris, Casablanca, Tunis and Las Palmas.