Home » Mauritania » Nouakchott

Nouakchott, Mauritania

Alan Parker

Displayed: times.

Created from a grassy fertile plain in 1960, Nouakchott is one of the newest capital cities in the world. When Senegal and Mauritania split at independence, Mauritania was left without a capital. The site chosen was many days walk from the desert, but is now entirely surrounded by the Sahara, with sand piling up against walls and fences like snow drifts. The city lost some of its energy (already in short supply) following the riots in 1989, but the two markets are lively and the beach good for swimming and jogging (and, some say, mugging). Although designed for 200,000 inhabitants, Nouakchott has about five times that population already; the outer areas are little more than slums of metal shacks and tents.

As a useful and interesting introduction to the lifestyle and culture of the nomads of Mauritania - to the complete exclusion of the Black population - visit the well-organised National Museum in the heart of Nouakchott. Just out of town at Port de Pęche visitors can watch the fishermen go about their business. It's a beautiful area, and the workers - mostly Wolof and Pulaar people - don't mind being photographed, and will talk about their work if asked. Women can be observed going about their work hand-knotting rugs at the National Carpet Office. Nouakchott has finally opened its arms to the cyber-age and the two Internet cafes in the city are the only places in Mauritania you can get online.