Nouakchott

Nouakchott is the capital and by far the largest city of Mauritania. It is one of the largest cities in the Sahara. The city is the administrative and economic centre of Mauritania.

The city is quite spread out -no high buildings- and does not have a lot of monuments. There is a good beach nearby, with high waves and a somewhat dangerous undertow. There is a market that is good fun but not good value for money and there are a few mosques you might want to have a look at, but that's about it. When you're here, you'll end up walking in the streets, and go down to the endless beach. Inside Nouakchott, the city centre is active and with entertaining market activities going on, mainly in the early hours of the day.

Attractions in Nouakchott include Nouakchott Museum, several markets including Nouakchott Silver Market, and the beaches. One beach is devoted to fishing boats where various species of fish can be bought fresh. The city also hosts the National Library and National Archives. Nouakchott is the principal location in Africa for world distribution of native Saharan meteorites.