What is the capital of Mauritania?

The capital of Mauritania is Nouakchott.

What is the population of Mauritania?

Mauritania has a population of about 5.32 million, the #126 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.

How big is Mauritania?

Mauritania covers 1.03M km², ranking #30 by area, with about 5 people per square kilometre.

Which countries border Mauritania?

Mauritania shares a land or maritime border with Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Western Sahara.

What is the largest city in Mauritania?

Nouakchott is the largest city in Mauritania, with a metropolitan population of about 742,144.

What is the highest mountain in Mauritania?

The highest summit recorded for Mauritania in YearMaps is Kdeyyat ej Joul at 915 m (3,002 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.

Country · Africa · MR

Map of Mauritania

Mauritania is a country in Africa with its capital at Nouakchott, home to about 5.32 million people across 1.03M km². The interactive map below plots 20 cities and towns, 1 rivers, 2 mountain summits and 3 ports recorded for Mauritania in YearMaps.

Population: 5.32 million
Area: 1.03M km²
Capital: Nouakchott
Continent: Africa

About Mauritania

Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a country in the Maghreb region of West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to the north and northwest, Algeria to the northeast, Mali to the east and southeast, and Senegal to the southwest. By land area Mauritania is the 11th-largest country in Africa and the 28th-largest in the world; 90% of its territory is in the Sahara desert. Most of its population of 5.4 million live in the temperate south of the country; roughly a third of the population is concentrated in the capital and largest city, Nouakchott, on the Atlantic coast.

The country's name derives from Mauretania, the Latin name for a region, to the north, in the ancient Mediterranean Maghreb. Mauretania extended from central present-day northern Algeria to the Atlantic, in Morocco. Berbers occupied what is now Mauritania by the beginning of the 3rd century CE. Groups of Arab tribes migrated to this area in the late 7th century, bringing with them Islam, Arab culture, and the Arabic language. In the early 20th century, Mauritania was colonized by France as part of French West Africa. It achieved independence in 1960. The country has since experienced recurrent coups and periods of military dictatorship. The 2008 Mauritanian coup d'état was led by General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, who won subsequent presidential elections in 2009 and 2014. He was succeeded by General Mohamed Ould Ghazouani following the 2019 elections, in what was considered the country's first peaceful transition of power since independence. Mauritania has a poor human rights record, particularly because of its perpetuation of slavery; the 2023 Global Slavery Index estimates there are about 149,000 slaves in the country (or 32 per 1,000 people).

Despite an abundance of natural resources, Mauritania remains poor; its economy is based primarily on agriculture and fishing. Mauritania is culturally and politically part of the Arab world as a member of the Arab League. Arabic is the official language, while Pulaar, Soninke and Wolof are recognized as national languages. The state religion is Islam, and almost all inhabitants are Sunni Muslims. Despite its prevailing Arab identity, Mauritanian society is multiethnic. The Haratin comprise 40% of the population, while the Bidhan make up 30% of the population. The remaining 30% of Mauritania’s population comprises of various sub-Saharan ethnic groups.

Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Mauritania (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Geography and Climate of Mauritania

The Amazigh and Bafour people were among the earliest settlers in what is now Mauritania and among the first in recorded history to convert from a nomadic to agricultural lifestyle. These groups account for roughly one third of Mauritania’s ethnic makeup. The remainder of Mauritania’s ethnic groups derive from Sub-Saharan ethnic groups originating mainly from the Senegal River Valley, including descendants of former enslaved peoples. These three groups are organized according to a strict caste system with deep ethnic divides that impact access to resources and power dynamics. A former French colony, Mauritania achieved independence from France in 1960. Mauritania initially began as a single-party, authoritarian regime and experienced 49 years of dictatorships, flawed elections, failed attempts at democracy, and military coups. Ould Abdel AZIZ led the last coup in 2008, was elected president in 2009, and was reelected in 2014. Mohamed Ould Cheikh GHAZOUANI was elected president in 2019, and his inauguration marked the first peaceful transition of power from one democratically elected president to another, solidifying the country's status as an emerging democracy. International observers recognized the elections as relatively free and fair. GHAZOUANI is seeking re-election in June 2024 for a second, and final, five-year term. The country is working to address vestigial practices of slavery and its hereditary impacts. Mauritania officially abolished slavery in 1981, but the practice was not criminalized until 2007. Between 2005 and 2011, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) launched a series of attacks killing western tourists and aid workers, attacking diplomatic and government facilities, and ambushing Mauritanian soldiers and gendarmes. Although Mauritania has not seen an attack since 2011, AQIM and similar groups remain active in the Sahel region.

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara.
Climate: Desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty.
Terrain: Mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills.
Highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m.
Lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m.
Coastline: 754 km.
Land borders: Total: 5,002 km; border countries: Algeria 460 km; Mali 2,236 km; Morocco 1,564 km; Senegal 742 km.
Major rivers: Senegal river mouth (shared with Guinea [s], Senegal and Mali) - 1,641 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth.
Natural resources: Iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish.
Land use: Agricultural land: 38.5% (2023 est.); arable land: 0.4% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 0% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 38.1% (2023 est.); forest: 1% (2023 est.); other: 60.5% (2023 est.)
Natural hazards: Hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind primarily in March and April; periodic droughts.
Geographic note: Mauritania is considered part of both North Africa's Maghreb region and West Africa's Sahel region; most of the population is concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the country.
Languages: Arabic (official and national), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French.
Religions: Muslim (official) 100%.
Ethnic groups: Black Moors (Haratines - Arabic-speaking descendants of African origin who are or were enslaved by White Moors) 40%, White Moors (of Arab-Amazigh descent, known as Beydane) 30%, Sub-Saharan Mauritanians (non-Arabic speaking, largely resident in or originating from the Senegal River Valley, including Halpulaar, Fulani, Soninke, Wolof, and Bambara ethnic groups) 30%.
Economy: Lower middle-income West African economy; primarily agrarian; rising urbanization; poor property rights; systemic corruption; endemic social and workforce tensions; wide-scale terrorism; foreign over-fishing; environmentally fragile.

From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.

Mauritania in Numbers

Population: 5.32 million
GDP: US$11.7 billion
GDP per person: US$2,198
Life expectancy: 68.7 years
Population growth: 2.78% a year
Population density: 5 per km²
Urban population: 61.5%
Surface area: 1,030,700 km²
Forest cover: 1.0%
Arable land: 0.4%
Access to electricity: 52.2%
Internet users: 45.8%

Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.

Mauritania in Depth

History

The ancient tribes of Mauritania were the Niger-Congo, and Bafour peoples. The Bafour were among the first Saharan peoples to abandon their previously nomadic lifestyle and adopt a primarily agricultural one. In response to the gradual desertification of the Sahara, they eventually migrated southward. The Bafour peoples were displaced by the Berber people when that group arrived in the 3rd to 7th centuries. Many of the Berber tribes have claimed to have Yemeni (and sometimes other Arab) origins. Little evidence supports those claims; however, a 2000 DNA study of the Yemeni people suggested that some ancient connection might exist between the peoples.

The Umayyads were the first Arab Muslims to enter Mauritania.

Geography

Mauritania lies in the western region of the continent of Africa, and is generally flat, its 1,030,000 km2 (400,000 sq mi) forming vast, arid plains broken by occasional ridges and clifflike outcroppings. It borders the North Atlantic Ocean to the west, Senegal to the southwest, Mali to the east and southeast, Algeria to the northeast, and Western Sahara to the north and northwest. It is considered part of both the Sahel and the Maghreb. Approximately three-quarters of Mauritania is desert or semidesert. As a result of extended, severe drought, the desert has been expanding since the mid-1960s.

A series of scarps face southwest, longitudinally bisecting these plains in the center of the country.

Economy

Despite being rich in natural resources, Mauritania has a low GDP. A majority of the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for a livelihood, even though most of the nomads and many subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account for almost 50% of total exports. Gold and copper mining companies are opening mines in the interior such as Firawa mine. The country's gold production in 2015 was 9 metric tons.

In recent years, drought and economic mismanagement have resulted in a buildup of foreign debt.

Demographics

As of 2021, Mauritania had a population of about 4.6 million, with roughly a third concentrated in the capital and largest city, Nouakchott, on the Atlantic coast. The local population is composed of three main ethnicities: Bidhan or white Moors, Haratin or black Moors, and Sub-Saharans. The population is 40% Haratin, 30% Bidhan, and 30% others (mostly Black Sub-Saharans). Local statistics bureau estimations indicate that the Bidhan represent around 30% of citizens. The majority of the country speaks Hassaniya Arabic. The Bidhan are of mixed Arab-Berber descent while the Haratin are a distinct ethnic group believed to be descended from ancient Saharans.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Mauritania (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Mauritania: Key Facts

Key facts about Mauritania
Currency	Mauritanian ouguiya
Official languages	Arabic, French
Head of state	Mohamed Ould Ghazouani
Head of government	Moctar Ould Djay
Form of government	presidential system
Calling code	+222
Internet domain	.mr
Highest point	Kediet ej Jill
Lowest point	Sebkha de Ndrhamcha
Established	28 November 1960

Facts from Wikidata Q1025 (CC0).

History of Mauritania: Empires and States

The atlas records 13 polities whose mapped territory included part of Mauritania, from Ghana Empire in 793 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.

Polities that held Mauritania, in chronological order
Polity	Period here	Extent
Ghana Empire	793–1201 CE	A small part
Takrur	1040–1235 CE	A small part
Almoravid Dynasty	1056–1138 CE	A large part
Sosso Empire	1202–1235 CE	A small part
The Mali Empire	1236–1474 CE	A large part
Songhai Empire	1475–1594 CE	A small part
Second French Empire	1859–1870 CE	A small part
French Africa	1859–1957 CE	Nearly all
The French Colonial Empire	1859–1957 CE	Nearly all
French Third Republic	1871–1939 CE	Nearly all
French Fourth Republic	1945–1957 CE	Nearly all
Mauritania	1961–2024 CE	Most
Republic of Senegal	1961–2024 CE	A small part

Historical Maps of Mauritania

Mauritania on the world map in each year one of these states held it:

Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.

Visiting Mauritania

Mauritania (Arabic: موريتانيا, Mūrītānyā; French: Mauritanie) is a land of desert and ocean. It is of course no wonder that the main attractions for most tourists are the desert in Adrar and Tagant areas (around Atar), and the ocean in Banc d'Arguin (a natural reserve with dunes ending in the sea, full of millions of birds and protected by UNESCO).

The Mauritanian Adrar is probably exactly how you've always imagined the Sahara: endless ergs (dunes) and regs (rocky desert) with tabular small mountains, but most tourists stay along the west coast of Mauritania. There are a few beautiful sights far into the interior (rock formations in Aioun, for example). If you decide to travel off the beaten path, leave plenty of time to get around.

Mauritania is the least developed and poorest country in northwest Africa, and extremist groups pose a danger to visitors.

Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Mauritania (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Largest Cities in Mauritania

20 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.

Largest Cities in Mauritania
#	Name	Population	Region	Role
1	Nouakchott	742,144	Nouakchott	National capital
2	Saint-Louis	220,792	Trarza	Populated place
3	Nema	200,000	Hodh ech Chargui	Admin-1 capital
4	Nouadhibou	86,738	Dakhlet Nouadhibou	Populated place
5	Kiffa	73,930	Assaba	Admin-1 capital
6	Zouirat	56,345	Tiris Zemmour	Populated place
7	Rosso	47,203	Trarza	Admin-1 capital
8	Atar	44,265	Adrar	Admin-1 capital
9	Tidjikdja	19,981	Tagant	Admin-1 capital
10	Boutilimit	14,142	Trarza	Populated place
11	Bogue	10,415	Brakna	Populated place
12	Aleg	8,388	Brakna	Admin-1 capital
13	Fderik	5,760	Tiris Zemmour	Admin-1 capital
14	Ayoun el Atrous	1,423	Hodh el Gharbi	Admin-1 capital
15	Sélibaby	460	Guidimaka	Admin-1 capital
16	Akjoujt	370	Inchiri	Admin-1 capital
17	Timbedra	245	Hodh ech Chargui	Populated place
18	Chegga	10	Tiris Zemmour	Populated place
19	Magta Lajar	10	Brakna	Populated place
20	Bir Mogrein	10	Tiris Zemmour	Populated place

Highest Mountains in Mauritania

2 mountains recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.

Highest Mountains in Mauritania
#	Name	Elevation	Feet	Region
1	Kdeyyat ej Joul	915 m	3,002 ft	Africa
2	Er Richat Depression	485 m	1,591 ft	Africa

Rivers in Mauritania

1 river recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.

Rivers in Mauritania
Name	Type	Also Flows Through
Sénégal	River	Senegal, Mali

Ports in Mauritania

3 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.

Ports in Mauritania
#	Name	Channel Depth	Class	Sea	Max Vessel
1	St Louis	56.7 m	Small	Atlantic Coast of Africa	medium vessels
2	Nouadhibou	42.1 m	Minor	Atlantic Coast of Africa	medium vessels
3	Nouakchott	34.7 m	Small	Atlantic Coast of Africa	medium vessels

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mauritania

2 World Heritage Sites recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mauritania
#	Name	Inscribed	Type	Criteria
1	Banc d'Arguin National Park	1989	Natural	(ix) (x)
2	Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt and Oualata	1996	Cultural	(iii) (iv) (v)

Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Mauritania

8 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.

More on these mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms →

Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Mauritania
#	Name	Area	Type	Region
1	Africa	29.41M km²	Continent	Africa
2	Sahara	4.73M km²	Desert	Africa
3	Sahel	1.02M km²	Plain	Africa
4	El Djouf	269,752 km²	Desert	Africa
5	Tagant	68,549 km²	Plateau	Africa
6	Akchâr	27,188 km²	Desert	Africa
7	Aoukâr	4,811 km²	Depression	Africa
8	Trarza	7 km²	Desert	Africa

States and Provinces of Mauritania

1 first-level divisions with their own map.

Tiris Zemmour map4 cities

Countries Bordering Mauritania

Land and maritime neighbours.

More Maps in Africa

Mauritania: Quick Answers

What is the capital of Mauritania?: The capital of Mauritania is Nouakchott.
What is the population of Mauritania?: Mauritania has a population of about 5.32 million, the #126 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
How big is Mauritania?: Mauritania covers 1.03M km², ranking #30 by area, with about 5 people per square kilometre.
Which continent is Mauritania in?: Mauritania is in Africa.
Which countries border Mauritania?: Mauritania shares a land or maritime border with Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Western Sahara.
What is the largest city in Mauritania?: Nouakchott is the largest city in Mauritania, with a metropolitan population of about 742,144.
What is the highest mountain in Mauritania?: The highest summit recorded for Mauritania in YearMaps is Kdeyyat ej Joul at 915 m (3,002 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.

Interactive Map of Mauritania