mauritania

area
population
capital
head of state
official language
currency
exchange rate

(source: lonely planet)

1,030,700 sq km
2.6 million
nouakchott
maaouya ould sid'ahmed taya
arabic
ouguiya
check out oanda.com
for current exchange rates

this information comes from a visit to the country in september 2001 things might have changed since then. these are my personal impressions and it's well possible that other travellers will not share my views.

you can get a visa at the border, but it·s much more expensive than getting it before.

getting in and out

from morocco: the whole area between the border and nouadhibou is mined. don·t leave the piste! there are several checkpoints on that route. didn·t ask us for any cadau and were friendly enough. you don·t need a carnet de passage, they·ll issue a ·laissez passer·

to senegal through rosso:

rosso is one of the places you should avoid when going to senegal. officials on both sides are corrupt and threre are a lot of inofficial guide. you can avoid rosso by taking the piste towards the west, crossing the dam just north of st. luis. if you go through rosso, you should ask for commander of the border post, general soumarre. he·ll ask you for a cadau (ougia 1000 - 2000) but arrange everything for you. he·ll also tell you which ·guide· is allright to take you through customs and immigration on the senegalese side.

places to stay

in atar try camping bab sahara, run by just, crazy dutch guy.

other

there is a moneychanger in nouadhibou who·ll has a lot of connections and can help with just about any kind of problem (he does like/expect cadau, of course, but it·s not outrageous). he can help with private apartments, airline tickets, legal problems· you name it. his name is louleid, mobile phone: 641 4615

it·s cheapter to get an car/bike insurance for west africa in nouakchott than at the border to senegal.