Mauritania requires visa-on-arrival for most nationalities at Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport. The standard tourist visa costs 60 euros or equivalent in USD. Travelers must present a passport valid for six months beyond entry date, proof of yellow fever vaccination, and evidence of onward travel. The official visa information site is www.immigration.gov.mr, though services are often unavailable online. Overland entry at Rosso from Senegal processes visas but expect delays of three to six hours. The Nouadhibou border with Morocco processes visas but requires negotiation with multiple officials. French citizens receive 90-day visa exemption under bilateral agreement established in 2018.
The ouguiya replaced the CFA franc in 1973. One ouguiya divides into five khoums, making Mauritania one of two countries whose currency does not use decimal subdivision. The new ouguiya replaced the old ouguiya at 10:1 in January 2018, and both circulated until December 2018. ATMs exist only in Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, dispensing maximum 20,000 ouguiya per transaction. The Banque Centrale de Mauritanie sets exchange rates daily. Credit cards function at fewer than fifteen establishments nationwide, all in Nouakchott. Western Union operates in major cities. Cash euros convert more favorably than dollars. Black market exchanges exist on Avenue Gamal Abdel Nasser in Nouakchott at rates 2-5% above official, though possession of large cash amounts invites police attention.
Air France, Turkish Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, and Mauritania Airlines International service Nouakchott. Mauritania Airlines operates the only domestic flights, connecting Nouakchott to Nouadhibou, Atar, and Zouérat three times weekly with ATR 72 aircraft. The iron ore train runs 704 kilometers from Zouérat to Nouadhibou daily, departing Zouérat at approximately 1400 hours. Passengers ride in a single passenger car or atop ore wagons. The journey takes 16-18 hours. No advance booking exists; purchase tickets at Zouérat station for 2,000 ouguiya first class. The Route de l'Espoir connects Nouakchott to Néma across 1,165 kilometers, paved except for a 180-kilometer section between Timbedra and Néma. Bush taxis operate on this route, taking four days with overnight stops. The N2 highway links Nouakchott to Nouadhibou via 470 kilometers of paved road. Four-wheel drive is mandatory for travel beyond paved roads. Fuel stations exist in cities only. Drivers carry minimum two spare tires, 50 liters reserve fuel, and GPS devices as mobile networks cover only urban zones.
Budget travelers spend 3,500-5,000 ouguiya daily, staying in basic auberges, eating street food, and using shared transport. Mid-range budgets run 12,000-18,000 ouguiya daily for modest hotels, restaurant meals, and hired 4x4 vehicles with drivers. A private 4x4 with driver costs 25,000-35,000 ouguiya per day including fuel. Meals in Nouakchott restaurants range 800-2,500 ouguiya. Street thiéboudienne costs 300-500 ouguiya. A bed in a Chinguetti auberge costs 2,000-3,000 ouguiya. Banc d'Arguin National Park entry requires 5,000 ouguiya plus 15,000 ouguiya mandatory guide fee. Hotels in Nouakchott range from 8,000 ouguiya for basic rooms to 45,000 ouguiya for international chains. Camping in the Adrar costs nothing if self-sufficient. Dates cost 200-400 ouguiya per kilogram in markets. Bottled water costs 50-100 ouguiya per 1.5 liters.
French is the administrative language though the 1991 constitution designates Arabic as the national language. Hassaniya Arabic, distinct from Modern Standard Arabic, is spoken by approximately 70% of the population. Pulaar, Soninke, and Wolof are spoken by communities along the Senegal River. English speakers exist only in international hotels and some Nouakchott government offices. The French-Arabic language divide correlates with the 1989 ethnic tensions that resulted in approximately 70,000 Afro-Mauritanians expelled to Senegal. Basic French phrases enable most urban interactions. In Chinguetti, Ouadane, and Tichit, older residents speak French from colonial education. Nouadhibou's fishing community includes Spanish speakers from Canary Islands trade connections.