Travel and Tourism

Travel and Tourism in Mauritania

Travel alerts, currency, climate, transit, health, and safety information for visitors to Mauritania.

Practical Information

Travel alert status, currency, climate, and transit details.

Travel Alert Status: Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Time Difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Currency: ouguiya (MRO)
Climate: Mauritania's climate is hot and arid, except in the far south, which has higher humidity. In Nouakchott, daytime temperatures reach 85°F in the winter, although at night sweaters and blankets are needed. Summer temperatures regularly reach over 100°F during the day. It is usually a dry heat that most find more bearable than the same temperatures with high humidity. Summer evenings can be considerably cooler. The area's fine sand makes beach going one of the highlights of a tour in Nouakchott. However, winds can stir this sand into sandstorms that last several hours. These infrequent sandstorms occur throughout the year, although they are less frequent during the summer and fall months.
Ethnic Groups: mixed Maur/black 40%, Maur 30%, black 30%
National Holiday: Independence Day, 28 November (1960)
Geographic Coordinates: 20 00 N, 12 00 W
Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara
Airports: 24

Health and Safety

Medical facilities, vaccinations, disease risk, and sanitation conditions.

Medical Facilities and Care

Medical Facilities and Health Information: Medical facilities in Mauritania are limited. There are few modern clinics or hospitals beyond the capital and a few major towns. At local pharmacies, some medicines are difficult to obtain or may be counterfeit; travelers are advised to carry their own medical supplies and medications (over-the-counter and prescription). There are no modern mortuary services available in Mauritania. Procurement of caskets and materials to ship the remains of deceased citizens internationally are not available in Mauritania. Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease. Chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum malaria is a severe form of the disease that is found in many parts of western Africa, including Mauritania. Because travelers to Mauritania are at high risk for contracting malaria, they should take one of the following anti-malarial drugs: mefloquine (Lariam™), doxycycline, or atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone™). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have determined that a traveler who is on an appropriate anti-malarial drug has a greatly reduced chance of contracting the disease. In addition, other personal protective measures, such as the use of insect repellents, may help to reduce malaria risk. Travelers, who become ill with a fever or flu-like illness while traveling in a malaria-risk area, and up to one year after returning home, should seek prompt medical attention and tell the physician their travel history and the names of the anti-malarial drugs they have been taking. For additional information on malaria, please visit the CDC travelers’ health website. The latest outbreak of Rift Valley Fever occurred in October 2012 in the Tagant region of Mauritania. The first outbreak was recorded in December 2010 and subsequently detected in the Adrar and Inchiri regions of Mauritania. According to the CDC, Rift Valley Fever is a viral disease that primarily affects animals, but also has the capacity to infect humans. Infection can cause severe disease and death in both animals and humans. Humans usually get Rift Valley Fever through bites from infected mosquitoes and other insects. Humans can also get the disease if they are exposed to the blood, body fluids, or tissues of infected animals.
Accessibility: While in Mauritania, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from what you find in the United States.

Disease Risk

Degree of Risk: very high
Animal-Contact Diseases: rabies
Food and Waterborne Diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Respiratory Diseases: meningococcal meningitis
Vectorborne Diseases: malaria and dengue fever

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