Editing Transport in Mauritania (section)

== Highways ==
[[File:Road of Hope 02.jpg|The {{ill|Road of Hope|fr|Route de l'Espoir}} in Mauritania|right|thumb|250px]]
Mauritania has only about {{convert|3000|km|mi|abbr=on}} of surfaced roads, {{convert|710|km|mi|abbr=on}} of unsurfaced roads, and {{convert|5,140|km|mi|abbr=on}} of unimproved tracks.<ref name=us>{{citation-attribution|1=[https://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_966.html Mauritania country-specific information] {{Webarchive|url=http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_966.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023010148/http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_966.html |archive-date=2013-10-23  |date=2013-10-23 }}. U.S. Department of State. }}</ref> 

The country's size and harsh climate make road maintenance and repair especially problematic.<ref name="us" /> Overland travel is difficult and roadside assistance is almost nonexistent.<ref name="us" /> Public transportation is not safe and road conditions in Mauritania are poor, particularly in the interior.<ref name="us" /> Driving in Mauritania can be treacherous, and many Mauritanians drive without regard to traffic signs or rules.<ref name="us" /> Roadway obstructions and hazards caused by drifting sand, animals, and poor roads often plague motorists.<ref name="us" />

===International highways===

The [[Cairo–Dakar Highway|Cairo-Dakar Highway]] in the [[Trans-African Highway network]] passes through Mauritania, linking Nouakchott to Rabat, Tangiers, Algiers, and Tripoli.  The section between the capital [[Nouakchott]] and the port of [[Nouadhibou]] was paved by 2018; only a few kilometers remain unpaved at the [[Morocco|Moroccan]] border [[:fr:Transport en Mauritanie]]. From Dakar there are links throughout [[West Africa|western Africa]]. 

The north-western end of the [[Trans–West African Coastal Highway]] is considered by the [[ECOWAS|Economic Community of West African States]] (ECOWAS) to originate in Nouakchott.