Mauritania

Recommended Vaccinations For Mauritania

For Most Travellers

Hepatitis B Vaccine

There is a significant risk of infection with hepatitis B for this country, therefore, the vaccination is recommended.

Hepatitis A Vaccine

There is a significant risk of exposure to hepatitis A for this country, therefore, the vaccination is recommended.

For Some Travellers

Cholera Vaccine

The U.K. NaTHNaC recommends the oral cholera vaccine for some travellers whose activities or medical history put them at increased risk, travelling to areas of active cholera transmission. These risk factors include: aid workers; those going to areas of cholera outbreaks who have limited access to potable water and medical care; travellers for whom the vaccination would be considered potentially beneficial, such as chronic medical conditions.

Rabies Vaccine

Vaccination against rabies is recommended for travellers involved in outdoor activities (e.g., campers, hikers, adventure travellers, and cavers) who may have direct contact with rabid dogs, bats, and other mammals. Those with occupational risks (such as veterinarians, wildlife professionals, researchers) and long-term travellers and expatriates are at higher risk and should be vaccinated.

Meningitis Vaccine

Because this country is located in the sub-Saharan meningitis belt, vaccination against meningitis is recommended if travelling during the dry season (December to June).

Yellow Fever Vaccine

There is a risk of yellow fever transmission in this country. This country requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate for travellers 1 year of age and older arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. The vaccination is recommended for all travellers aged 9 months and older travelling to areas south of the Sahara Desert, but not for those whose itineraries are limited to areas in the Sahara Desert.

Typhoid Fever Vaccine

There is a risk of exposure to typhoid fever in this country through consumption of unsafe food and water. Since exposure to unsafe sources is variable within this country, the vaccination against typhoid fever is generally recommended, especially when visiting smaller cities or rural areas, where food and water sources may be contaminated.

Recommended Medications For Mauritania

For Some Travellers

Anti-malarial Drugs

**Anti-malaria medication is recommended for travellers going to Mauritania. Recommended medications are atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline, tafenoquine, or mefloquine. Anti-malaria drug resistance for chloroquine is present.**

Diseases To Be Aware of for Mauritania

For Most Travellers

Hepatitis A

There is a significant risk for hepatitis A virus exposure in Mauritania.

Hepatitis B

There is a significant risk for acquiring hepatitis B in Mauritania.

Cholera

Cholera may occur in this country.

Chikungunya Fever

Chikungunya fever may occur in this country.

Dengue Fever

Dengue fever may occur in this country.

For Some Travellers

Malaria

**There is a significant risk of malaria in Mauritania except in the regions of Dakhlet Nouadhibou and Tiris Zemmour where there is no transmission.**

Typhoid Fever

Unvaccinated people can become infected through contaminated food and water in Mauritania, especially when visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas where food and water sources may be contaminated.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis occurs in this country. Travellers to this country are at risk for tuberculosis if visiting sick friends or family, working in the health care field, or having close prolonged contact with the general population.

Meningitis

Meningitis outbreaks may occur in this country. Travellers who visit during the dry season (December to June) or expect to have prolonged contact with the local population are especially at risk.

African Tick Bite Fever

This disease may occur in this country.

Schistosomiasis

This disease is present in this country and is acquired through contact with fresh water, such as swimming, bathing, or rafting. Well-chlorinated swimming pools and contact with saltwater in oceans or seas will not put travellers at risk for schistosomiasis.

Yellow Fever

There is a risk of yellow fever transmission in this country. This country requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate for travellers 1 year of age and older arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. The vaccination is recommended for all travellers aged 9 months and older travelling to areas south of the Sahara Desert, but not for those whose itineraries are limited to areas in the Sahara Desert.

Rabies

Rabies occurs in this country. Travellers involved in outdoor activities (e.g., campers, hikers, adventure travellers, and cavers) may have direct contact with rabid dogs, bats, and other mammals. Those with occupational risks (such as veterinarians, wildlife professionals, researchers) and long-term travellers and expatriates are at higher risk.

Safety & Security in Mauritania

Personal Safety

Mauritania presents a mixed security picture. While violent crime occurs in specific areas, the security situation is more nuanced than some advisories suggest. Crime levels are moderate but increasing. Pickpocketing, bag snatching, and petty theft happen in marketplaces, busy streets, and public transportation. Outside the Tevragh Zeina neighborhoods in Nouakchott, violent crimes including mugging, armed robbery, and assault occur more frequently. Burglaries in areas where foreign nationals live and daylight robberies have been reported. Robberies at knifepoint take place on unlit and isolated beaches in Nouakchott and in the Le Cinquième, Dar Naim, and Citè Plage districts during both day and night. Armed thieves target people in cars and beach areas, and carjackings by people smugglers occur. However, many experienced travelers report feeling safe in most of Mauritania, particularly outside Nouakchott. The capital and Nouadhibou tend to have higher crime rates than inland areas. Numerous military checkpoints throughout the country provide a visible security presence. Local police lack resources to respond quickly to serious crimes, particularly outside Nouakchott. You will encounter many security checkpoints and should carry copies of your passport and visa at all times. Avoid unpatrolled beaches because of banditry and carjacking risks. The fifth district in Nouakchott should be avoided after dark.

Extreme Violence

Mauritania has not experienced a major terrorist attack on its soil since 2011, though the threat cannot be ruled out. The last significant incident was the kidnapping of a gendarme in December 2011 near the Mali border. No terrorist incidents have been reported since then, though in March 2023, four prisoners reportedly affiliated with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb killed two prison guards before breaking out. Terrorism remains a potential risk, particularly in areas near the Mali border where armed groups are fighting an active insurgency. This violence may spill over the border. Extremist groups and armed smugglers are active in northern and eastern areas. Terrorist groups including Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen and Islamic State Greater Sahara may travel across the porous borders. Kidnapping risk exists across the Sahel region, with Westerners as preferred targets. The kidnap threat is most significant near the Mali-Mauritania border and considerably lower in western Mauritania and Nouakchott. Hostages have been detained for several months before being released. The government has taken strong counterterrorism measures, including numerous roadblocks and security checkpoints, increased military presence, and deradicalization programs. The Mauritanian government designates certain No Movement Zones near Mali as off-limits to foreigners. Police cannot respond to most incidents in these areas, and cell phone coverage and paved roads are nonexistent. Terrorist attacks could be indiscriminate and may target places frequented by Westerners including hotels, restaurants, and transport hubs.

Political Unrest

Demonstrations can happen at any time in Nouakchott, though political unrest has been relatively contained in recent years. The 2019 presidential election marked the first democratic transition of power between two elected presidents since independence in 1960. However, protests following the 2019 election resulted in around 100 arrests and internet shutdowns. At least 13 protesters received prison terms. The 2024 presidential election saw post-election protests that resulted in three deaths when security forces clashed with demonstrators in cities including Kaédi, Bogué, Nouadhibou, and some Nouakchott neighborhoods. Mobile internet access was blocked following the clashes. Government-sponsored protests typically occur without incident while opposition and civil society demonstrations are often met with police repression. Registered political parties do not require permission to hold demonstrations, but NGO organizers must apply for permission for large meetings, which is sometimes denied for politically motivated reasons. Security forces have been violent in dispersing protesters on several occasions. In 2022, police violently dispersed a protest over educational reforms, injuring several people including a journalist. In 2023, deaths of individuals in police custody led to protests that were met with violent force. Protests over census policies, student movements, and discrimination issues have occurred periodically. While protests have become less violent in recent years compared to the 2011-2012 period, you should avoid political gatherings and demonstrations and follow local authority advice.

Areas To Avoid

Several areas in Mauritania should be avoided due to security concerns. The government designates certain No Movement Zones off-limits to foreigners and most Mauritanians. These areas are near Mali where armed groups fight an active insurgency that may spill across the border. The boundaries of these zones change frequently. Areas east of a line drawn between Kankossa, Akhreijit, Ghallaouia, Zouerat, and Fderîck extending west to the Western Sahara border present serious organized crime risks. Areas within 25 kilometers of the Malian border in the south, including Khabou, face increased terrorist and organized crime activity from across the border in Mali’s Kayes Region. The Defense Ministry established a military zone in the northeast between Cheggat, Ain Bentili, Dhar Tichitt, and Lemreyye where civilian access is forbidden. Armed rebels are active in the northern area beyond the Oualata-Tichit-Ouadane-Zouérat line. Areas within 25 kilometers of the Western Sahara border face risks from unexploded landmines in a 20 to 30 kilometer wide area. Landmines shift with sand and dune movement. The provinces of Tiris Zemmour, Assaba, Hodh el Gharbi, Gorgol, and Guidimaka, plus areas of Adrar and Tagant provinces west of the line between Ghallaouia, Akhreijit, and Kankossa face elevated risks from banditry and kidnapping. Within Nouakchott, avoid the Le Cinquième district, Dar Naim, and Citè Plage districts after dark. Unlit and isolated beaches in Nouakchott should be avoided at all times. Note that popular tourist sites like Chinguetti, Ouadane, and areas along the Nouakchott-Nouadhibou road are generally accessible, though some advisory bodies classify parts of Adrar region with caution.