Mauritania
Western Africa · Capital Nouakchott
Each opens that government's own advisory for Mauritania — the authoritative version, updated far faster than this page.
Atlas Risk Score · 181st safest of 220
Where the risk actually is
Each region is coloured by the advice that applies to most of it, drawn by hand from the wording of all five government advisories. Numbered markers flag localised warnings — usually a border strip or remote interior — that cover only a small part of an otherwise lower-risk region.
This map reads stronger than the world map's colour, and both are right. The world map shades Mauritania by its Atlas Risk Score — 54, Moderate — which blends government advice with crime, health, roads and natural hazards. This map shows the advice alone, and the strongest level anywhere in Mauritania is “essential travel only”.
What the warnings actually cover
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Guidimaka — Essential travel only. Essential travel only across the eastern and southern provinces — Tiris Zemmour, Assaba, Hodh el Gharbi, Gorgol and Guidimaka, plus parts of Adrar and Tagant.
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1
Eastern Mauritania — Do not travel. Do-not-travel east of a line between Kankossa, Akhreijit, Ghallaouia, Zouerat and Fderîck — empty Sahara with a kidnap risk.
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2
Malian border — Do not travel. Do-not-travel within 25km of the Malian border.
A numbered marker warns about the small area described in its note — the rest of that region carries the base advice. Mapped by hand from the official wording in July 2026; always check the current advisory before you book.
What drives the score
Each pillar is scored 0–100 against every other country. Longer bar = more risk.
Biggest factor here: road & transport. Road deaths per 100,000 people - the risk travellers most underestimate.
Practical facts
The things worth knowing before you land.
When to go
Average daytime high and nightly low for Nouakchott, over 2010-2019. Bars are rainfall; the colour band is how hot the days get.
Mildest and driest around All year.
Compare with neighbours
Sources for this page
Vaccinations, malaria and outbreaks. This atlas does not give medical advice — it is personal, it changes, and it is the one thing worth getting from a doctor. Both national services publish current advice for Mauritania:
- US State Department advice for Mauritania — current advisory
- Netherlands advice for Mauritania — current advisory
- UK FCDO advice for Mauritania — current advisory
- World Bank Open Data — governance, homicide, road deaths, health and economic indicators
- INFORM Risk Index 2026 (European Commission JRC) — natural hazard, epidemic and conflict exposure, coping capacity
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — travel advice and regional warnings
- Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs — colour-coded travel advice, including region-level zones
- US Department of State — travel advisory levels 1-4
Check the official advisory before you book. This page reflects data as of August 2026. Advisories change without warning, and only your own government's advice affects your travel insurance.