By Maria Nadolu.
We are looking forward to having you with us at the 4FAA, making steps together towards a brighter Africa 2050! We are excited to share some information about our host country, and its beauty!
MAURITANIA
As you might know, Mauritania is where North Africa (Maghreb) meets West Africa. Logically, this positioning provides a natural predisposition to become a strategic hub for economic exchanges, but also drives cultural diversity. It is the eleventh biggest state on the continent. The 1,031,000 square kilometres are divided into 4 geographical sections: the Saharan, the Sahelian, the Senegal River Valley, and the coastal zones. Here, the vastness of the desert meets the deep Atlantic blue. 752 km of coastline and its 200 miles of Economic Exclusive Economic Zones offer potentialities yet to be reached. It has aprox. 4.7 million inhabitants (Worldmeter) out of which approx. 1/3 live in the capital, Nouakchott.
Known as the “Land of million poets”, the country has a rich repertoire of oral literature including epics, riddles, legends, Islamic poetry and storytelling. The Moorish epic T’heydinn, a perl of Hassaniya language, is listed in the UNESCO-List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
This is where you will find the “Eye of Sahara”
The prominent 50 km bull’s eyes circular feature in the desert has attracted attention since the earliest space missions, as noted by NASA. It has become a landmark for shuttle crews. Initially interpreted as a meteorite impact structure because of its high degree of circularity, it is now thought to be a symmetrical uplift that has been laid bare by erosion. Regardless of nature, its geometry is mesmerizing even when watching it from the Earth.
NOUAKCHOTT with a name derived from Berber (Nawākšūṭ, “place of the winds”), this is the capital, and most dynamic city of Mauritania.
Hub of the national economy, it is home to a deep-water port and Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport, one of the country’s two international airports. It also hosts the University of Nouakchott and several other more specialized institutions of higher learning. Attractions in Nouakchott include the National Museum of Mauritania, the National Library, and the National Archives. For those that want to explore more of the city, there are several markets, including the Marocaine market and the beaches. One beach is devoted to fishing boats and the Fish market. For the astronomy aficionados, Nouakchott is a principal selling place of “Saharan meteorites”.
SOME INSIGHTS INTO THE MAURITANIAN CULTURE
Life of the desert, and nomadic beauty
Today, many from the last nomadic generation are still alive, so their tribal system and traditional life are still visible, not only in remote Sahara towns such as Tidjikja, but even the most cosmopolitan people of Nouakchott. They will wear traditional clothes and have a haima (tent) deep into the desert as their second residence.
A cup of hospitality
Making the tea is a ritual, an essential part of Mauritanian life, and a symbol of hospitality.
We can also recommend you try the bissap – hibiscus juice – for a punch of color and some health benefits.
Linguistic diversity
The land of the poets uses different languages: Hassaniya, a variety of Maghrebi Arabic, is the local language. Nevertheless, languages such Pulaar, Soninke and Wolof are also recognized as national languages, and they are spoken by some Mauritanians, depending on their ethnicity.
A touch of stylish tradition
Typically, men wear a wide blue dress named daraa, and cover their head with a turban – shesh.
Women dress in a traditional colorful dress, melhafa.
Practical information
EXCHANGE RATE
In Mauritania, they use the Mauritanian Ouguiya (MRU) and, approximately:
1€ = 43MRU
1 USD = 36.34 MRU
TELECOMS
Cards Mauritel SIM card and you can buy extra data and calls in any regular stores.
TAXIS
Transfer to / from airport …?…
Fix / variable rates ; Uber – if any ?
WEATHER
Expect warm days, and chilled evenings.
Average temperatures reach 30-32°C / day ; 20°C – 15°C /night
