Editing Transport in Mauritania

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
[[File:Coastal TransSaharan Highway in Mauritania.jpg|thumb|Photograph of the [[Trans-Sahara Highway|Trans-Saharan highway]] taken near [[Nouadhibou]]]]
Citizens of [[Mauritania]] have limited access to transportation. The single-line railroad serves mining interests with very occasional ad hoc passenger services. Apart from two infrastructural road developments there are few paved roads.{{CIA}}

== Railways ==
[[File:Railways in Mauritania.svg|thumb|Railways in Mauritania.]]
{{Main|Mauritania Railway}}
*717 km total of [[Single-track railway|single track]] {{RailGauge|1435mm}} ([[Standard-gauge railway|standard gauge]]), owned and operated by a government mining company, [[Mauritania Railway|Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière]] (National Mining and Industrial Company, SNIM). The railway goes from the mines at [[Zouérat]] and [[El Rhein]], passes another mine at [[Fderîck|Fderik]], and ends at the port of [[Nouadhibou]]/[[Cansado]].
*One of the world's longest trains (up to 2.5 km long) runs here, with more than 200 [[Railroad car#Freight cars|wagons]] mainly transporting [[iron ore]], and some [[Railroad car#Passenger cars|carriages for passengers]]; alternatively, people sit on top of the iron piles.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.snim.com/mine-port2.html |title=SNIM - Societe Nationale Industrielle et Miniere - from the mining center to the harbor |access-date=2004-04-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040405034716/http://www.snim.com/mine-port2.html |archive-date=2004-04-05 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://lexicorient.com/mauritania/matrain.htm |title=Adventures of Mauritania: World's longest train |access-date=2004-04-28 |archive-date=2005-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051104054941/http://lexicorient.com/mauritania/matrain.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://lexicorient.com/mauritania/zouerat.htm |title=Adventures of Mauritania: Zouerate |access-date=2004-05-25 |archive-date=2004-06-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040604042914/http://lexicorient.com/mauritania/zouerat.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> 

There are no rail links with adjacent countries.

In 2008, a railway was proposed that would link [[Nouakchott]] with [[Tiguent|Tiguint]], [[Mederdra]], [[R' Kiz|R'Kiz]], [[Legat|Leguatt]], [[Leeleibatt]], [[Bofal|Menjem Boffal]], [[Kaédi|Kaedi]], and [[Bofal]].

=== Maps ===
*{{cite web |url=http://www.sahara-occidental.com/images/cartes/cartesop.gif |title=Map of Sahara Occidental |website=sahara-occidental.com |language=fr}}
*{{cite web |url=https://reliefweb.int/map/mauritania/general-map-mauritania |title=General Map of Mauritania |date=1 Jan 1995 |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency }}

=== Timeline ===

==== 2007 ====
* Sunday, August 5, 2007 - Sudan, China to Build $630 Mln Mauritania Railway.
Sudan's Danfodio Holding and China's Transtech Engineering have signed an agreement to build a 460-million-euro ($634 million) railway linking Mauritania's capital [[Nouakchott]] with southern phosphate deposits at [[Bofal]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://al-hakawati.net/english/Cities/city26.asp |title=Nouakchott |work=Al-Hakawati |access-date=2008-08-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205055045/http://www.al-hakawati.net/english/Cities/city26.asp |archive-date=2008-12-05 }}</ref>  The {{convert|430|km|mi|abbr=on}} line would run close to the southern frontier with [[Senegal]].  It is hoped that the new line would link with existing lines just across the border in [[Senegal]], [[Mali]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://africa.reuters.com/business/news/usnBAN529925.html |title=Investing {{!}} Africa - Reuters.com<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2007-08-05 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070621081243/http://africa.reuters.com/business/news/usnBAN529925.html |archive-date=2007-06-21 |url-status=dead }}</ref> There is no through link to [[Transport in Burkina Faso|Burkina Faso]]. There are problems of choice of gauge.

==== 2008 ====
* May - 8 new [[Electro-Motive Diesel|EMD]] locomotives.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://railwaysafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2671&Itemid=35 |title=New Locos For Mauritania |work=Railways Africa |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522020220/http://railwaysafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2671&Itemid=35 |archive-date=2008-05-22}}</ref> 

==== 2013 ====
* Proposed line for phosphate traffic - 430&nbsp;km long railway line, [[Nouakchott]] and [[Kaédi|Kaedi]], Mauritania's third city, through [[Tiguent|Tiguint]], [[Mederdra]], [[R' Kiz|R'Kiz]], [[Legat|Leguatt]], [[Leeleibatt]] and [[Menjem Boffal]], is to be constructed in three years' time.

==== 2014 ====
* Glencore Xstrata proposes branch lines to new mines at [[Askaf]] and [[Guelb El Aouj]] sharing infrastructure of [[Mauritania Railway|SNIM]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11332401.htm| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070919232526/http://www.railpage.com.au/f-t11332401.htm| archive-date = 2007-09-19| title = Mauritania - Railpage Australia Forums (Africa)}}</ref>

== Motorway ==
There are 450&nbsp;km of Motorway in Mauritania (in 2010), connecting [[Nouakchott]] to [[Nouadhibou]] along a coastal route. A motorway linking Nouakchott to [[Rosso]] is under construction (due for completion in 2012).

== 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.

== Waterways ==
*Mostly [[ferry]] traffic on the [[Senegal River]].

== Ports and harbors ==

=== Atlantic Ocean ===
(from north to south)
*[[Nouadhibou]] 
*[[Friendship Port of Nouakchott|Nouakchott]] 

=== Senegal River ===
*[[Rosso]] 
*[[Kaédi|Kaedi]] 
*[[Bogue, Mauritania|Bogue]] 

== Merchant marine ==
*None as of 2002.

== Airports (paved) ==
See [[List of airports in Mauritania|Airports in Mauritania]] 

*9 in total (2002)
*3 are of length 2,438 to 3,047 m
*6 are of length 1,524 to 2,437 m

By city: 
* [[Aioun el Atrouss Airport|Aioun el Atrouss]] 
* [[Akjoujt Airport|Akjoujt]] 
* [[Atar International Airport|Atar International]] 
* [[Bir Moghrein Airport|Bir Moghrein]] 
* [[Abbaye Airport|Abbaye]] 
* [[Boutilimit Airport|Boutilimit]] 
* [[Dahara Airport]] 
* [[Fderik Airport|Fderik]] 
* [[Kaédi Airport|Kaédi]] 
* [[Kiffa Airport|Kiffa]] 
* [[Letfotar Airport|Letfotar]] 
* [[Néma Airport|Néma]] 
* [[Nouadhibou International Airport|Nouadhibou International]] 
* [[Nouakchott International Airport|Nouakchott (former airport) ]]  
* [[Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport|Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International]] 
* [[Sélibaby Airport|Sélibaby]] 
* [[Tamchakett Airport|Tamchakett]] 
* [[Tichitt Airport|Tichitt]] 
* [[Tidjikja Airport|Tidjikja]] 
* [[Timbedra Airport|Timbedra]] 
* [[Tazadit Airport|Tazadit]]. 

== Airports (unpaved) ==
See [[List of airports in Mauritania|Airports in Mauritania]]

*17 in total (2002)
*2 are of length 2,438 to 3,047 m
*5 are of length 1,524 to 2,437 m
*7 are of length 915 to 1,523 m
*3 are of length under 914 m

== See also ==
*[[Mauritania]] 
*[[Longest trains]] 
*[[Enclave and exclave#National railway passing through another state's territory|National railway passing through foreign territory]] 
*[[Mauritania Airlines]] 

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Economy of Mauritania}}
{{Africa in topic|Transport in}}

[[Category:Transport in Mauritania| ]]