Mauritania Independence Day

People all across MAURITANIA recently celebrated their country's Independence Day on Saturday, November 28th. Mauritania achieved independence from France in 1960. Happy belated Independence Day!

Mauritania is Known for...

●    Camel trips in the desert
●    Ancient Saharan towns
●    Endless servings of tea in a Moorish tent
●    One of the world's longest trains: 2.5 kilometers long!
●    Sand dunes in the Adrar Plateau
●    The Banc d'Arguin National Park

Most items were listed in The Africa Book; the MLA citation is below. What are other "trademarks" of this African country? Feel free to share your thoughts with a comment!

Phillips et al. The Africa Book: A Journey through Every
          Country in the Continent. Lonely Planet, 2007.

— #AfricaWeek —

Mauritania Exports

According to MIT's Observatory of Economic Complexity (atlas.media.mit.edu), the following items are major exports of MAURITANIA: amber, animal meal and pellets, citrus fruit and melons, copper ore, electric batteries, fish oil, frozen fish, gold, industrial food-prep machines, iron ore, iron pipes, malt grain, mollusks, oilseeds, petroleum, scrap copper, suits and tee shirts, and tea. According to the International Monetary Fund (data.imf.org), countries and territories buying and importing most of those exports (February 2017 statistics) include China (top importer), Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Nigeria, Portugal, Côte d'Ivoire, Italy, Russia, the Netherlands, Vietnam, France, Turkey, Ghana, Mali, Japan, Cameroon, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Taiwan, and Greece.

Mauritania Endangered Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ for MAURITANIA in West Africa lists 1 regionally extinct species (Scimitar-horned Oryx*), 12 critically endangered species, and 18 endangered species. Some of Mauritania's critically endangered species include the Addra Gazelle, Angel Shark, Goliath Grouper, Monkfish, Northern Bald Ibis, Rueppell's Griffon bird, and White-backed Vulture. Endangered species include the Cape Hunting Dog, Dusky Grouper, Ladyfish, Pollack Whale, Saker Falcon, Senegalese Hake fish, Spikenose (African) Wedgefish, and Violinfish.

Species named after Mauritania include the Mauritanian Shortface Eel and Mauritanian Shrew. Both are categorized as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN. *You might've remembered that the Scimitar-horned Oryx was mentioned in the GeoFact of the Day Blog's Mali endangered species post. Therefore, there are no oryx species living in these two Sahara-straddling countries, although the species as a whole is labeled Extinct in the Wild — meaning there are oryxes living in breeding programs and captive preserves, so that their population can optimistically increase.

Oualata, Ancient Town and Trading Center

Located in the southern and western fringes of the Sahara Desert in southeastern MAURITANIA, the ancient oasis town and trading center of Oualâta (Oualata, or Walatah) is still considered a center of Islamic academic and intellectual enlightenment. Some stone buildings with red loam-covered walls feature ornate, symbolic designs and painted symbols. Oualata is part of the Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt and Oualata UNESCO World Heritage Site, designating the ksars (ksours) of the Chinguetti, Ouadane, Oualata, and Tichitt communities as important cultural sites. As mentioned in my Aït Ben Haddou (Morocco) post, ksars or ksours are fortified medieval towns featuring castle-like buildings. The current population of Oualata is about 12,700. Residents live about 200 kilometers northwest of Mali and southeast of the Dhar Oualâta (Oualâta Escarpment).

Capital of Mauritania

The capital of MAURITANIA, located in Western Africa and besides the Atlantic Ocean, is Nouakchott. Visit my Mauritania post to learn more about Mauritania!