Capital: Nouakchott
Time zone: GMT
Telephone services: Country Code: 222
Outgoing Code: International calls go through the operator.
Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.
Tourist information: Société Mauritanienne de Tourisme et d’Hôtellerie (SMTH), BP 552, Nouakchott, Mauritania Tel: 251 353 Fax: 253 351.
Passport information: Required by all except nationals of Burkina Faso, Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Congo Côte d’Ivoire Gabon Gambia Guinea Republic Italy Madagascar Mali Niger Senegal and Sierra Leone who may enter on a national identity card or passport which has expired for no longer than 5 years. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.
Visa information: Required by all except nationals of France and Italy (all other EU member states do need a visa) Members of the league of Arab states (except nationals of Morocco who do need a visa) Burkina Faso Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Congo Côte d’Ivoire Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea-Bissau Liberia Mali Niger Nigeria Romania Senegal Sierra Leone Togo and Tunisia.
Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Risk exists throughout the year in the falciparum variety.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for all travellers above one year of age, except travellers arriving from non-infected areas and staying less than two weeks in the country. Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera, Rabies.
Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.
Currency: Mauritanian Ougiya (U) = 5 Khoums NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited
Credit cards and travellers cheques (in French francs) have limited acceptance.
ATM availability: Unavailable.
Cost of living: Very inexpensive.
Languages: Arabic and French. English is rarely spoken
Weather: Most of the country is dry and hot with little rain. South – Raining season is July to Sept. The deserts are cool and windy in March and April.
Electricity: 127/220 Volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs = round 2 pin usually used.
Post: 2 weeks to Europe. Postal facilities limited to main cities
Transport: RAIL: 1 line operates between Nouadhibou and Nouakchott which serves passengers for free, however this is not recommended as journeys are often long and arduous. ROADS: Adequate but require 4 wheel drives. Sand storms may obscure vision in the dry season and may be impassable in the wet season.
Special information: Respect should be paid to the Islamic traditions.