Citizens of
Mauritania have various transportation methods. Railways and highways connect major cities in the country. Mauritania is a coastal country so there are many ports along its coast and there are a few big rivers that run through the country. Lastly, there are 26 airports spread out throughout the country.
Railways
*717 km total of
single track
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
(
standard gauge), owned and operated by a government mining company,
Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière (National Mining and Industrial Company, SNIM). The railway goes from the mines at
Zouerat and
El Rhein
EL, El or el may refer to:
Religion
* El (deity), a Semitic word for "God"
People
* EL (rapper) (born 1983), stage name of Elorm Adablah, a Ghanaian rapper and sound engineer
* El DeBarge, music artist
* El Franco Lee (1949–2016), American p ...
, passes another mine at
Fderik, and ends at the port of
Nouadhibou
Nouadhibou (; ar, نواذيبو, Nwādībū, Berber: Nwadibu, formerly in French: ) is the second largest city in Mauritania and serves as a major commercial centre. The city itself has about 118,000 inhabitants expanding to over 140,000 in the l ...
/
Cansado
Cansado ( ar, كانصادو) is a coastal town in north-western Mauritania on the Ras Nouadhibou peninsula. It is located in the Nouadhibou Department in the Dakhlet Nouadhibou region.
It was built from scratch in the early 1960s for the staf ...
.
*One of the world's longest trains (up to 2.5 km long) runs here, with more than 200
wagons
A wagon or waggon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals or on occasion by humans, used for transporting goods, commodities, agricultural materials, supplies and sometimes people.
Wagons are immediately distinguished from ...
mainly transporting
iron ore, and some
carriages for passengers; alternatively, people sit on top of the iron piles.
There are no rail links with adjacent countries.
In 2008, a railway was proposed that would link
Nouakchott
, image_skyline = Nouakchott.jpg
, image_caption = City view of Nouakchott
, pushpin_map = Mauritania#Arab world#Africa
, pushpin_relief = 1
, mapsize =
, map_caption ...
with
Tiguint
Tiguent is a small town and commune in south-western Mauritania, not far from the coast. In 2000 it had a population of 12,170.
Transport
It is proposed to be served by a new station on railway to serve the phosphate mines at Kaedi.
See al ...
,
Mederdra
Mederdra is a small town and commune in south-west Mauritania, near the border of Senegal. In 2000 it had a population of 6,858.
Transport
It lies on the route of a proposed railway line to connect phosphate mines at Kaédi with the capital ...
,
R'Kiz,
Leguatt
Legat is a small town in southern Mauritania near the Senegal River
,french: Fleuve Sénégal)
, name_etymology =
, image = Senegal River Saint Louis.jpg
, image_size =
, image_caption = Fishermen on the bank ...
,
Leeleibatt,
Menjem Boffal,
Kaedi, and
Bofal
Bofal is a small town in southern Mauritania. There are phosphate deposits in the vicinity. It lies near the southern border formed by the Senegal River
Transport
In 2007, it was proposed to build a railway from Bofal to the coast at Nouakch ...
.
Maps
*
*
Timeline
2007
* Sunday, August 5, 2007 - Sudan, China To Build $630 Mln Mauritania Railway.
Sudan's Danfodio Holding and China's Transtech Engineering have signed an agreement to build a 460 million euro ($634 million) railway linking Mauritania's capital
Nouakchott
, image_skyline = Nouakchott.jpg
, image_caption = City view of Nouakchott
, pushpin_map = Mauritania#Arab world#Africa
, pushpin_relief = 1
, mapsize =
, map_caption ...
with southern phosphate deposits at
Bofal
Bofal is a small town in southern Mauritania. There are phosphate deposits in the vicinity. It lies near the southern border formed by the Senegal River
Transport
In 2007, it was proposed to build a railway from Bofal to the coast at Nouakch ...
. The line would run close to the southern frontier with
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
. It is hoped that the new line would link with existing lines just across the border in
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
,
Mali
Mali (; ), officially the Republic of Mali,, , ff, 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞥆𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭, Renndaandi Maali, italics=no, ar, جمهورية مالي, Jumhūriyyāt Mālī is a landlocked country in West Africa. Mal ...
There is no through link to
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso (, ; , ff, 𞤄𞤵𞤪𞤳𞤭𞤲𞤢 𞤊𞤢𞤧𞤮, italic=no) is a landlocked country in West Africa with an area of , bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to ...
. There are problems of choice of gauge.
2008
* May - 8 new
EMD locomotives
2013
* Proposed line for phosphate traffic - 430 km long railway line,
Nouakchott
, image_skyline = Nouakchott.jpg
, image_caption = City view of Nouakchott
, pushpin_map = Mauritania#Arab world#Africa
, pushpin_relief = 1
, mapsize =
, map_caption ...
and
Kaedi, Mauritania's third city, through
Tiguint
Tiguent is a small town and commune in south-western Mauritania, not far from the coast. In 2000 it had a population of 12,170.
Transport
It is proposed to be served by a new station on railway to serve the phosphate mines at Kaedi.
See al ...
,
Mederdra
Mederdra is a small town and commune in south-west Mauritania, near the border of Senegal. In 2000 it had a population of 6,858.
Transport
It lies on the route of a proposed railway line to connect phosphate mines at Kaédi with the capital ...
,
R'Kiz,
Leguatt
Legat is a small town in southern Mauritania near the Senegal River
,french: Fleuve Sénégal)
, name_etymology =
, image = Senegal River Saint Louis.jpg
, image_size =
, image_caption = Fishermen on the bank ...
,
Leeleibatt and
Menjem Boffal, is to be constructed in three years time.
2014
* Glencore Xstrata proposes branch lines to new mines at
Askaf
Askaf is an iron ore prospect in Mauritania.
Railway
The deposit straddles the SNIM railway 598 km from its port of export.
In 2014, Glencore Xstrata paid $1 billion to SNIM for access to that company's rail and port infrastructure, how ...
and
Guelb El Aouj sharing infrastructure of
SNIM
The Mauritania Railway is the national railway of Mauritania. Construction of the line began in 1960, with it opening in 1963. It consists of a single, railway line linking the iron mining centre of Zouérat with the port of Nouadhibou, via F ...
.
Motorway
There are 450 km of Motorway in Mauritania (in 2010), connecting
Nouakchott
, image_skyline = Nouakchott.jpg
, image_caption = City view of Nouakchott
, pushpin_map = Mauritania#Arab world#Africa
, pushpin_relief = 1
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to
Nouadhibou
Nouadhibou (; ar, نواذيبو, Nwādībū, Berber: Nwadibu, formerly in French: ) is the second largest city in Mauritania and serves as a major commercial centre. The city itself has about 118,000 inhabitants expanding to over 140,000 in the l ...
along a coastal route. A motorway linking Nouakchott to
Rosso
Rosso is the major city of south-western Mauritania and capital of Trarza region. It is situated on the Senegal River at the head of the river zone allowing year-round navigation. The town is 204 km south of the capital Nouakchott. The Ar ...
is under construction (due for completion in 2012).
Highways
Mauritania has only about of surfaced roads, of unsurfaced roads, and of unimproved tracks.
The country's size and harsh climate make road maintenance and repair especially problematic.
[ Overland travel is difficult and roadside assistance is almost nonexistent.][ Public transportation is not safe and road conditions in Mauritania are poor, particularly in the interior.][ Driving in Mauritania can be treacherous, and many Mauritanians drive without regard to traffic signs or rules.][ Roadway obstructions and hazards caused by drifting sand, animals, and poor roads often plague motorists.][
]
International highways
The Cairo-Dakar Highway in the Trans-African Highway network
The Trans-African Highway network comprises transcontinental road projects in Africa being developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Development Bank (ADB), and the African Union in conjunction with re ...
passes through Mauritania, linking Nouakchott to Rabat, Tangiers, Algiers, and Tripoli. The section between the capital Nouakchott
, image_skyline = Nouakchott.jpg
, image_caption = City view of Nouakchott
, pushpin_map = Mauritania#Arab world#Africa
, pushpin_relief = 1
, mapsize =
, map_caption ...
and the port of Nouadhibou
Nouadhibou (; ar, نواذيبو, Nwādībū, Berber: Nwadibu, formerly in French: ) is the second largest city in Mauritania and serves as a major commercial centre. The city itself has about 118,000 inhabitants expanding to over 140,000 in the l ...
was paved by 2018; only a few kilometres remain unpaved at the Moroccan border :fr:Transport en Mauritanie. From Dakar there are links throughout western Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurita ...
.
The north-western end of the Trans–West African Coastal Highway is considered by the Economic Community of West African States
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS; also known as in French and Portuguese) is a regional political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa. Collectively, these countries comprise an area of , and in ...
(ECOWAS) to originate in Nouakchott.
Waterways
*Mostly ferry traffic on the Senegal River
Ports and harbours
Atlantic Ocean
(from north to south)
*Nouadhibou
Nouadhibou (; ar, نواذيبو, Nwādībū, Berber: Nwadibu, formerly in French: ) is the second largest city in Mauritania and serves as a major commercial centre. The city itself has about 118,000 inhabitants expanding to over 140,000 in the l ...
*Nouakchott
, image_skyline = Nouakchott.jpg
, image_caption = City view of Nouakchott
, pushpin_map = Mauritania#Arab world#Africa
, pushpin_relief = 1
, mapsize =
, map_caption ...
Senegal River
*Rosso
Rosso is the major city of south-western Mauritania and capital of Trarza region. It is situated on the Senegal River at the head of the river zone allowing year-round navigation. The town is 204 km south of the capital Nouakchott. The Ar ...
* Kaedi
* Bogue
Merchant marine
*None as of 2002
Airports (paved)
See Airports in Mauritania
This is a list of airports in Mauritania, sorted by location.
__TOC__ Airports
Airport names shown in bold indicate the airport has scheduled service on commercial airlines.
See also
* Transport in Mauritania
* List of airports by ICAO co ...
*9 in total (2002)
*3 are of length 2,438 to 3,047 m
*6 are of length 1,524 to 2,437 m
By city:
* Aioun el Atrouss
Ayoun al Atrous (also known as Aioun el Atrouss) ( ar, عيون العتروس) is a town in southern Mauritania. It is located at around . It is the capital of Hodh El Gharbi region. The city is served by the Aioun el Atrouss Airport, north-wes ...
* Akjoujt
Akjoujt (Arabic: أكجوجت) is a small city in western Mauritania. It is the capital of Inchiri region. "Akjoujt" (ɑk'ʤuʤt) means 'wells'. The city's main industry is gold and copper mining.
History
Archeologists have discovered that as e ...
* Atar International
* Bir Moghrein
Bir Moghrein () is a city with 2,761 residents (Census 2000)Anthony G. PazzanitaHistorical Dictionary of Mauritania 2. Edition. The Scarecrow Press, Lanham (Maryland)/Toronto/Plymouth 2008, Page 100. in Tiris Zemmour region of northern Mauritania ...
* Abbaye
An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christians, Christian monks and nuns ...
* Boutilimit
Boutilimit ( ar, بوتلميت) lies 164 km south east of Mauritania's capital of Nouakchott.
The estimated population in 2005 was 27,170.
The town is also well known in the region for its production of handicraft items, particularly rug ...
* Dahara Airport
* Fderik
* Kaédi
Kaédi ( ar, كيهيدي) is the largest city and administrative center of the Gorgol Region of Southern Mauritania, located on the border with Senegal. It is approximately 435 km from Mauritania's capital, Nouakchott.
Overview
The city ...
* Kiffa
Kiffa () is a large town in the far south region of Mauritania, and the name of an administrative area within the local Assaba Region. Kiffa is located at , some from the coast and at the western end of the Aoukar sand sea of southern Mauritani ...
* Letfotar
* Néma
Néma is a town in southeastern Mauritania, close to the border with Mali. It is located at around at the eastern end of the Aoukar. It is the capital of Hodh Ech Chargui Region and of the Néma Department.
While the urban population of Nema ...
* Nouadhibou International
* Nouakchott (former airport)
* Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International
* Sélibaby
* Tamchakett
Tamchakett ( ar, تامشكط) is a town and commune in the Hodh El Gharbi
Hodh El Gharbi ( ar, ولاية الحوض الغربي, "Western Basin Region") is a region in southern Mauritania, with an area of 53,400 square km. The population at ...
* Tichitt
Tichit or Tichitt ( ber, Ticit, ar, تيشيت) is a partly abandoned village at the foot of the Tagant Plateau in central southern Mauritania that is known for its vernacular architecture. The main agriculture in Tichit is date farming, and the ...
* Tidjikja
Tidjikja () is the capital of the Tagant region of central Mauritania, lying on the Tagant plateau. Founded in 1680, it has a population of around 11,000 people.
The town is known for its palm trees and its vernacular architecture. The town ...
* Timbedra
* Tazadit
Airports (unpaved)
See Airports in Mauritania
This is a list of airports in Mauritania, sorted by location.
__TOC__ Airports
Airport names shown in bold indicate the airport has scheduled service on commercial airlines.
See also
* Transport in Mauritania
* List of airports by ICAO co ...
*17 in total (2002)
*2 are of length 2,438 to 3,047 m
*5 are of length 1,524 to 2,437 m
*7 are of length 914 to 1,523 m
*3 are of length under 914 m
See also
* Mauritania
*Longest trains
The length of a train may be measured in number of wagons (for bulk loads such as coal and iron ore) or in metres for general freight. Train lengths and loads on electrified railways, especially lower voltage 3000 V DC and 1500 V DC, are l ...
* National railway passing through foreign territory
*Mauritania Airlines
Mauritania Airlines previously Mauritania Airlines International, is an airline based in Nouakchott, Mauritania, serving as flag carrier of the country. The company was set up in December 2010 in response to the demise of Mauritania Airways. ...
References
{{Africa in topic, Transport in