Mauritania is the 11 th largest country in Africa by area, and the 29 th largest in the world. It covers 1.03 million square kilometers, and approximately 90% of the country is in the Sahara. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mali to the east and southeast, and Senegal to the southwest. It is considered both a part of the Mahgreb and the Sahel.
Population Density
Mauritania has a population of 4.863 million, with most people living near the southern border with Senegal and Mali, and one third of the population living in and around Nouakchott. The northern desert area is largely uninhabited, except for some nomadic families and occasional small villages and towns.
Provinces of Mauritania
Mauritania is divided into 15 provinces, or wilayat , with the capital area of Nouakchott being divided into three small separate regions. Outside of the capital, the wilayat on the east of the country are large and sparsely populated, with regions decreasing in size as you move west.
Map from Space
One of the most notable points of Mauritania’s geography is the Richat Structure, or the Eye of Africa. At about 40km in diameter, the circular structure of concentric rings is visible from space and is used as a landmark for space stations. Here on the ground, a popular fringe theory about the Richat Structure is that it is the site of Atlantis, as the rings match Plato’s description of the ancient mythological city. The initial geographical explanation for the site was that it was caused by a meteor impact. However, most geologists today agree that it is a domed anticline that has been flattened due to erosion, revealing the varying rings over time.
