Mauritania has Nouakchott as its capital and is largely covered by the Sahara Desert.
Mauritania occupies a large area of northwestern Africa between the Atlantic Ocean and the Sahara. Much of its territory is arid desert or semidesert, while the southwest includes the Senegal River valley, where agriculture is more concentrated. Nouakchott lies on the Atlantic coast and became the national capital after independence in 1960.
The country’s name refers to ancient Mauretania, a historical region of North Africa that was associated with Berber kingdoms and later Roman provinces. Modern Mauritania is geographically distinct from those ancient territories.
Mauritania is also home to the Banc d’Arguin National Park, a coastal reserve famous for migratory birds and extensive sandbanks. The Iron Ore Train, which runs from inland mines toward the port of Nouadhibou, is one of the world’s longest trains and a notable feature of modern Mauritanian transport.