Geography of Mauritania
Area: 1,030,070 sq. km. (419,212 sq. mi.); slightly larger than Texas and New Mexico combined.
Cities (2001): Capital--Nouakchott (pop. 612,000). Other cities--Nouadhibou (76,000), Selibaby (107,000), Kaedi (91,000), Kiffa (77,000), Rosso (63,000), Zouerate (36,000).
Terrain: Northern four-fifths barren desert; southern 20% mainly Sahelian with smallscale irrigated and rain-fed agriculture in the Senegal River basin.
Climate: Predominantly hot and dry.
source: http://www.state.gov