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Overview
Arab and African influences mesh and collide in the
north-western African country of Mauritania. Northern Moors are the
majority while Tukulor Africans mostly populate the southern
regions. The tug of war between power centres results in unstable
politics including a recent coup unseating the country's first
freely elected leader. Yet the Islamic nation has some unusually
western friendly laws including religious freedom and female
representation in government. It also one of few Islamic countries
to have diplomatic ties with Israel.
The coup is yet another reason travellers are uncertain about
the region. A further deterrent was the murder of four French
tourists in 2007 which was attributed to terrorism. However,
tourists who are undeterred are privilege to the rare beauty of the
country's dramatic open landscapes.
The Sahara scenery in the north shifts slowly as sand dunes move
across the desert. The north's nomadic people follow suit
traversing the dunes. The central land is covered by two vast
plateaus only broken by occasional cliffs. Flat plains and desert
dunes stretch uninterrupted across most of the west. These are some
of the least populated regions in West Africa. Farther to the
south, scenery begets more permanent landscape and residents, as
the southern Senegal River allows for permanent agriculture.
Unspoilt coastline is the most alluring aspect for most
visitors. Mauritania's 468 miles (754km) of seashore is
characterised by sandy beaches with little development.
Tourists dry up in summer months when the heat can become
unbearable. Throughout the rest of the year travellers can arrive
over the sand dunes from Morocco or across the river from Senegal.
Larger cities such as Chinguetti, Nouakchott, Nouadhibou and Atar
have a small tourist infrastructure with small guesthouses and
hotels. Various forms of four wheeled transport from old cars to
sturdier jeeps can get travellers about. There is also a main train
line.
Yet little tourist infrastructure means most travel within the
country is for the adventurous. Visitors are recommended to travel
with guides or in convoys if far out of city centres.
Possibly a boon to future western tourists is the reversal of
female beauty: in Mauritania fat women are considered the height of
attractiveness.