Expatriates Forums in Mauritania

HOTELS DIRECTORY IN MAURITANIA / MAURITANIA HOTEL GUIDE

Mauritania Info — Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:40 am

Author: Mauritania Info

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:40 am

HOTELS DIRECTORY IN MAURITANIA

Hotel Mercure Marhaba
160b, Avenue Gamal Abdel Nasser,
Nouakchott
Phone: +222 529 5050
Website: www.mercure.com

Monotel Hotel
Darelbarka,
Nouakchott
Phone: +222 525 3526

Novotel Hotel
Rue Charles de Gaulle,
Nouakchott
Phone: +222 525 7400
Website: www.novotel.com

FOREIGN DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN MAURITANIA

Mauritania Info — Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:34 am

Author: Mauritania Info

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:34 am

FOREIGN DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN MAURITANIA

CANADA
Consulate of Canada
Abass Commercial Centre,
Avenue Charles de Gaulle,
Nouakchott
Phone: +222 529 2697 / 8
Fax: +222 525 6421
Email: j.taya@mr.refer.org

CHINA
Embassy of China
Nouakchott
Tel: +222 525 2070
Fax: +222 525 2462

FRANCE
Embassy of France
Rue Ahmed Ould M'Hamed,
Nouakchott
Tel: +222 525 1740 / 7
Fax: +222 525 6938 / 4157
Website: www.france-mauritanie.mr

GERMANY
Embassy of Germany
P.O. Box 372,
Nouakchott
Tel: +222 525 1729 / 1032
Fax: +222 525 1722
Email: amb-allemagne@toptechnology.mr

GREECE
Consulate of Greece
Quartier des Ambassades,
Nouakchott
Phone: +222 529 0127
Fax: +222 525 9899
Email: soe@mauritel.mr

ITALY
Consulate of Italy
23, Av. Bourguiba,
Tavragh Zeina,
P.O. Box 40031,
Nouakchott
Tel: +222 525 5656 / 7464
Fax: +222 525 5567
Email: a.baba@transac.mr

MOROCCO
Embassy of Morocco
Avenue Du General De Gaulle,
Tavragh Zeina,
P.O. Box 621,
Nouakchott
Tel: +222 525 1411 / 1327
Fax: +222 529 7280 / 8227
Email: sifmanktt@mauritel.mr

NETHERLANDS
Royal Consulate of the Netherlands
Avenue Gamal Abdel Nasser,
Nouakchott
Phone: +222 525 2482
Fax: +222 525 2482
Email: consuned@mauritel.mr

POLAND
Consulate of Poland
Lot V, N 33 Sud,
Nouakchott
Phone: +222 524 1109 / 1110
Fax: +222 524 1108

RUSSIA
Embassy of the Russian Federation
Rue Abou Bakr 224,
Nouakchott
Phone: +222 525 2272 / 1973 / 1745
Fax: +222 525 5296
Email: ambruss@opt.mr

SENEGAL
Embassy of Senegal
ZRB, Villa n°500,
Tavragh Zeina,
P.O. Box 2551,
Nouakchott
Tel: +222 525 7290
Fax: +222 525 7291

SWEDEN
Royal Consulate of Sweden
Avenue Charles de Gaulle,
Lot No 17,
Nouakchott
Tel: +222 529 1904 / 3440
Fax: +222 529 1904 / 525 8587
Email: cor@mauritel.mr

SWITZERLAND
Swiss Consulate
Lot C Extention, Lot No. 41,
P.O. Box 154,
Nouakchott
Tel: +222 524 2866
Fax: +222 5242822
Email: awaled@amami.mr

UK
British Consulate
SOGECO,
Route de l'Aeroport,
P.O. Box 351,
Nouakchott
Tel: +222 525 8331 / 630 1217
Fax: +222 525 3903
Email: sogeco@opt.mr , sab@opt.mr

USA
American Embassy
288, Rue 41-100,
Rue Abdallaye,
Nouakcott
Tel: +222 525 2660 / 2663
Fax: +222 525 1592
Website: www.mauritania.usembassy.gov

MAURITANIA TOURISM GUIDE / TOURISM IN MAURITANIA

Mauritania Info — Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:09 am

Author: Mauritania Info

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:09 am

MAURITANIA TOURISM GUIDE

Much of the land is dry and inhospitable and many locations are difficult to reach without long journeys in 4-wheel drive vehicles. Drawbacks aside, Mauritania is a fascinating country with a colourful, indigenous Moorish population.

NOUAKCHOTT

The capital of Mauritania is a new city created in 1960. It lies near the sea in a desert landscape of low dunes scattered with thorn bushes, on a site adjoining an old Moorish settlement, the Ksar. The modern buildings maintain the traditional Berber style of architecture. The following places are worth visiting: the Plage du Wharf, the mosque, the Ksar and its market, the African market and the camel market, the crafts centre, the Maison de la Culture and the carpet factory.

PARC NATIONAL DU BANC D’ARGUIN

Possibly Mauritania’s best attraction, this national park is a vast area of islands and coastline located on the Atlantic desert coast midway between Nouakchott and Nouâdhibou. The park, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is one of the world’s largest bird sanctuaries and provides a shelter for over two million migrant birds from northern Europe. There are also several archaeological sites on the islands.

THE COAST

Mauritania’s coast is essentially an 800km-(500 mile-) long sandy beach, all but devoid of vegetation but supporting an astonishingly large and varied population of birds. The waters are equally rich in fish and, consequently, despite the shortage of fresh water, some coastal stretches are inhabited by people. A growing port and centre of the fishing industry, Nouâdhibou is situated on a peninsula at the northern end of the Bay of Levrier. Inland, the landscape is empty desert.

One tribe, halfway between Nouakchott and Nouâdhibou, survives through a symbiotic relationship with wild dolphins: the marine mammals drive fish towards the shore, the tribesmen swim out with nets, and both get their share. Foreign trawlers, however, are rapidly depleting offshore fish stocks.

ADRAR REGION

It is important to check on conditions for travel before setting out for this region as government permission may be necessary. The Adrar is a spectacular massif of pink and brown plateau gilded with dunes and intersected by deep canyons sheltering palm groves. It lies in the north central part of the country, and begins about 320km (200 miles) northeast of Nouakchott. Atâr, capital of the region, is an oasis lying on the route of salt caravans. It is the market centre for the nomads of northern Mauritania and has an old quarter, the Ksar, with flat-roofed houses and a fine palm grove. The oasis of Azoughui was the Almoravid capital in the 11th and 12th centuries, and remains of fortified buildings from this period can still be seen. A whole-day excursion from Atar leads over the breathtaking mountain pass of Homogjar to Chinguetti, a holy city of Islam, founded in the 13th century, and now listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage site. The city has a medieval mosque and a library housing ancient manuscripts, but much of the old town is disappearing under the encroaching drifts of sand.

AFFOLE & ASSABA REGIONS

It is worth making a tour of the Affolé and Assaba regions, south and southeast of the Tagant, via Kiffa, Tamchakett and Ayoun el Atrous, to the wild plateau of El Agher. The interesting archaeological sites include Koumbi Saleh, once capital of the Ghana Empire, 70km (45 miles) from Timbedra along a good track. Near Tamchakett is Tagdawst, which has been identified as ‘Aoudaghost’, an ancient capital of a Berber empire. Oualata lies 100km (60 miles) from Néma at the end of a desert track. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Oualata was at one time among the greatest caravan entrepôts of the Sahara. A fortified medieval town built in terraces up a rocky peak, it has for centuries been a place of refuge for scholars and has a fine library. The Muslim cemetery of Tirzet is nearby.

GETTING AROUND IN MAURITANIA / MAURITANIA TRANSPORT GUIDE

Mauritania Info — Mon Mar 05, 2007 3:51 am

Author: Mauritania Info

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 3:51 am

GETTING AROUND IN MAURITANIA

BY AIR

Air Mauritanie (MR) operates internal flights between Nouakchott and Atâr, Nouâdhibou (daily), Ayoûn el Atroûs, Tidjikja, Kaédi, Néma and Zouérat. It is possible to charter light aircraft.

Departure tax: UM270.

BY RAIL

The only line runs between Nouâdhibou and Zouérat and is provided by the national mining company, SNIM, to serve the ore mines. Services are free but booking in advance is advisable; journeys are long and arduous and not recommended.

BY ROAD

Traffic drives on the right. There are adequate roads linking Nouakchott with Rosso in the south of the country, Néma in the southeast and Akjoujt in the north. A paved highway, namely La Route de l’Espoir, runs east from Nouakchott to Mali. All other routes are sand tracks necessitating the use of 4-wheel drive vehicles. In some regions during and after the rainy season roads may become impassable. Similarly, in the dry season tracks can be obscured by drifting sand; a guide is highly recommended, if not essential. Public transport exist between main cities, as well as bush taxis. Regular cars are most expensive followed by peugeot 504s and pick up trucks/minibuses are cheapest.

Car rental

Available in Nouakchott, Nouâdhibou and Atâr. 4-wheel drive vehicles with a driver can be hired and are recommended, but they are expensive.

Documentation: An International Driving Permit is recommended, although it is not legally required.

Note

Travellers should never attempt any desert journey without a full set of spare parts and essential safety equipment. The Direction du Tourisme in Nouakchott, part of the Ministère du Commerce de l’Artisanat et du Tourisme, can give further information and advice on road travel

MAURITANIA TRAVEL INFORMATION / MAURITANIA TRAVEL GUIDE

Mauritania Info — Mon Mar 05, 2007 3:18 am

Author: Mauritania Info

Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2007 3:18 am

MAURITANIA TRAVEL INFORMATION

Full Name

Islamic Republic of Mauritania

Capital City

Nouakchott (pop 600,000)

Area

1,030,400 sq km
397,837 sq miles

Population

2,500,000

Time Zone

GMT/UTC +0 ()

Languages

Arabic (official)

Hassaniya Arabic.

French (other)

Wolof (other)

Religion

Islam

Currency

Ouguiya (UM)

Electricity

220V 50HzHz

Electric Plug Details

European plug with two circular metal pins

Country Dialing Code

222