Nouakchott

Nouakchott

Nouakchott is the capital of Mauritania, on a plateau close to the Atlantic coast of West Africa. It was originally a seaside village on the desert road north from Dakar, but after the independence it was developed into the capital of the new nation. Today it is one of the largest cities in the Sahara, and the administrative and economic center of Mauritania. The city has a deep-water port and Nouakchott-Oumtounsy International Airport, which is one of the country's two international airports. The city's coastline consists of shifting sandbanks and sandy beaches, with quicksand areas near the harbor. Nouakchott is mostly flat and only a few meters above sea level. It is under threat from sand dunes advancing from the east, which are a daily problem. The city is built around a large tree-lined street, the Avenue Gamal Abdel Nasser, that runs northeast from the airport through the city center. This divides the city in two, in the north with the residential areas and the medina district, and the kebbe, the slums created by people displaced by the desert from other areas. The city is home to the University of Nouakchott and a number of other more specialized higher education institutions. Nouakchott's attractions include the National Museum of Mauritania, the National Library and the National Archives. There are also several markets in the city, including the Marocaine Market and the beaches. Nouakchott is one of the main trading places for native Saharan meteorites.