Nouakchott
Nouakchott
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From the top to bottom-right, View of the City, Saudi Mosque, Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière Tower, Presidential Palace, Avenue Général de Gaulle City view of Nouakchott | |
| Coordinates: 18°05′07″N 15°58′21″W / 18.08528°N 15.97250°W | |
| Country | Mauritania |
| Wilaya | |
| Subdivision | |
| Government | |
| • Body | Regional Council of Nouakchott |
| • Council president | Fatimatou Abdel Malick (El Insaf) |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,000 km2 (400 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Population (2023 census) | |
• Total | 1,446,761 |
| • Density | 1,400/km2 (3,600/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+00:00 (GMT) |
| Website | crn |
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Nouakchott (/nwækˈʃɒt, nwɑː-/ nwa(h)k-SHOT) is the capital and largest city of Mauritania. Located in the southwestern part of the country, it is one of the largest cities in the Sahara. The city also serves as the administrative and economic center of Mauritania.
Once a mid-sized coastal village, Nouakchott was selected as the capital for the nascent nation of Mauritania, with construction beginning in 1958. It was originally designed to accommodate a population of 15,000, but experienced significant population growth in the 1970s when many Mauritanians fled their home villages due to drought and increasing desertification. Many of the newcomers settled in slum areas of the city that were poorly maintained and extremely overcrowded. By the mid-1980s, Nouakchott's population was estimated to be between 400,000 and 500,000.
As of 2023, the city had a population of nearly 1.5 million people and serves as the hub of the Mauritanian economy. It is home to a deepwater port and Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport, one of the country's two international airports. It also hosts the University of Nouakchott and several other more specialized institutions of higher learning.