Study in Mauritania

Is studying abroad your dream? Do you plan to pursue a globally recognized qualification!? Welcome to RocApply Mauritania!! The country may not have the blossom that some countries has but certainly it cannot be disqualified as a study abroad destination. We have dedicated this guide to share why an option to study here may be great after all especially if you are a nature!

When you tell people that you are moving to Mauritania, their likely response will be, ‘Where?!’ or ‘I have always wanted to visit Mauritius.’ In fact, when mailing boxes to Mauritania it is important to include West Africa after the country to ensure that your box does not end up in the Indian Ocean! Little is known about this wonderful country in general setups. But what Mauritania holds can shock you.

The mysterious Mauritania is a country of desert and ocean. The capital city of Nouakchott is an interesting mix of traffic jams, unusual architecture and vibrant markets, not too far from a lively fishing harbour. Moving inland you’ll encounter tough desert terrain which is home to numerous semi-nomadic communities. Tourism is not prevalent in Mauritania so your experiences are guaranteed to be authentic and your destinations untouched especially if you are considering a semester abroad!

The hospitality remains an important element of daily life and you will be made to feel genuinely welcome by the people you meet. Mauritania truly has something for everyone to offer, apply today through RocApply Mauritania for an academic experience of a lifetime! Pictures of the world from space tend to highlight the stunning birds eye view of the country. Known to many as ‘The Eye of Africa’ the Richat structure is a series of circular imprints on the ground. There’s something new to learn about when you are here.

If you want to challenge yourself to the next levels take up Mauritania for a study abroad. The country has quiteseveral records to its name that you can find fascinating to discover while on vacation. Much of area in Mauritania is mainly covered by desert. With two-thirds of the country taken up by sand and increasing southwards every year. Mauritania is also the 29th largest country in the world. It also boasts one of the longest trains in the world at almost three kilometers long!

Students in North Cyprus

About Mauritania

If you are still wondering what and where Mauritania is, then you are on the right page. RocApply has dedicated this guide to introduce this uniquely blended country and remember to toggle through all our filters to learn more about Mauritania.

Let’s get started…

Mauritania is a country found in the West Africa and is the 11th largest country in whole of Africa. The country shares its borders with Mali in the South and South East, Senegal in the South, Morocco and Algeria in the North. Mauritania encompasses about 400,385 square miles, and more than three quarters of which is made up of the Sahara Desert. The remaining portion lies along the Senegal River Valley into the South and South East.

The country has a total population of about 3.5 million people consisting of 4 main ethnic groups: Moors (white and black from Arab origins), Pulaar, Wolof, and Soninke (black from African origins). Mauritania is a Muslim country. In Mauritania dress in both the traditional Muslim and western clothes. Foreigners here can typically wear their normal western clothing, yet it is good to keep in mind that it is a conservative society when choosing attire to wear.

The physical conditions of the country are extreme: the sun, the desert, the heat, the rain, the wind but they all come together to create an incredible landscape. The climate is hot during the summer, July-October, and mild November-June. The rainy season lies between July and October. Every year tourists flock from Europe and the USA to visit Mauritania for the beauty of its desert, the bird parks and ancient cities.

The capital city, Nouakchott, is on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The population here is a real melting pot. Many people have settled in Mauritania owing to civil unrest in their countries. The country is a perfect refugee destination due to security and peace that prevails in it. You will meet people from Sierra Leone, Mauritania, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Mali and Senegal to name a few. This has influence the culture also making it multi-dimensional in an amazing fashion.

In Mauritania, cars share the road with donkey carts and wandering goats and sheep. People spend their weekends playing on the endless beaches or exploring the never-ending dunes of golden sands. Inside Nouakchott, the city center is active with entertaining market activities going on, mainly in the early hours of weekends. The Cinquieme district in Mauritania is an even more original market, where everything from fresh produce, plastic shoes, yard goods, and cooking pots to porcupine quills, rock salt, and handicrafts can be seen or bought.

The waters of Mauritania are some of the most plentiful fishing grounds on the planet. The fish market is the place to go for the day’s catch here. The best time to visit, whether to buy fish or just to watch the activity, is an hour before sundown when the fishing pirogues are resurfacing. There are opportunities for travel out in and out of the cities, although the price of airfare is not always cheap. There are daily planes going and coming from Europe and other African countries in Mauritania.

About Mauritania's Economy

Mauritania is essentially a desert country, with vast expanses of pastoral land and only 0.5% of arable land. According to the National Statistics Office, Mauritania has a population of about 4 million (2018), and a population density of 3.9 inhabitants per square kilometer, making it the fourth least densely populated country in Africa. By 2020, the country will have more urban than rural inhabitants, with 52.8% of the population living in urban areas, against 48.3% in 2013.

Economic Overview

The economy continued its gradual recovery in 2018. GDP growth has been on an upward trajectory since 2015, rising from 3.1% in 2017 to 3.6% in 2018. This increase was driven by robust activity in the telecommunications, transport, electricity, and primary sectors.

By contrast, the extractive sector continues to curb growth. In addition, strong population growth (roughly 2.8%) is outstripping the pace of economic recovery, which remains slow, with real GDP per capita income having risen a mere 0.6%. This situation jeopardizes the gains made in poverty reduction between 2008 and 2014.

The fiscal position continued to improve in 2018. Efforts to achieve fiscal rebalancing helped transform the deficit of 0.3% of GDP in 2017 into a surplus of 1.5% in 2018, the first surplus since 2013. However, unfavorable terms of trade, combined with persistent production challenges in the extractive industries, exacerbated the current account deficit, which rose from 13.9% of GDP in 2018 to 18.7% of GDP in 2019. Despite the deepening deficit, financing was ensured by an increase of foreign direct investment linked to offshore gas exploration and financial flows from the extractive sectors.

Medium-Term Outlook

The medium-term economic outlook is favorable. Growth is projected to increase to an average of 6.2% for the 2019-2021 period. Continued expansion of the primary sector, strengthening of the services sector through the implementation of structural reforms, and an increase in mining production are expected to keep the country on this sound path.

This robust macroeconomic framework is expected to strengthen, provided the government maintains fiscal prudence, by ensuring that public debt remains viable. An improvement in the terms of trade owing to an increase in international iron prices is expected to mitigate external pressures and allow the central bank to respond to financing needs.

Why Study in Mauritania

Affordable Tuition Fees in Mauritania
Refreshing
Mauritania will bless you with old Berber settlements of the desert, topped with ancient sandstone mosques and adobe villages now turned ghost towns. Because there are cities like Nouakchott and the throbbing fish markets within to discover and enjoy your stay.
Affordable Accomodation in Mauritania
Geography
Because there are some of the continent’s most impressive arrays of birdlife just waiting to be seen along the salty edges of the Banc d’Arguin. Because there are wild desert plateaux to explore, and earthy camel trading towns of centuries gone by. That is why! And the sweeping Saharan dunes and the fringes of the Sahel will once more will definitely be on your travel map.
International Environment in Mauritania
Improve your French
The majority of university courses here are accessible to international students! More so, Mauritania ’s official language ia French making it a viable option to students coming from abroad especially those aspiring to practice their French. Students from over many countries are pursuing higher education in Mauritania, a testament to the country’s incredible attractions.
Great Weather in Mauritania
Cultural Diversity
This country is an excellent way to start your academic career on a high! Like many countries Mauritania is a perfect destination to those seeking to widen their horizon of understanding different life and ethnicity especially given its uniqueness and location in the Western Africa costal region.

Scholarships in Mauritania

Students prospecting to study in Mauritania looking for PhD scholarship, Masters Scholarships, or Undergraduate scholarships to fund their education abroad can now check with RocApply Scholarship page for updates form the universities and the Mauritanian aids. The list of scholarship range from fully funded to limited support or tuition fee waiver and we are committed to helping students acquire them!!

Mauritania scholarships and grants are available for Mauritanians and foreign students from developing countries to study abroad alike. International and national colleges and universities offer financial aids in the form of scholarships to the students here. This page keeps you aware of much about what’s available. Mauritania scholarships and awards are offered for both the natives and foreigners at different course levels i.e. undergraduate, graduate, postgraduate and postdoctoral or research programme.

Mauritania Student Visa

It is never easy to understand how to get a student visa abroad, in Mauritania the procedures don’t take long. RocApply has decided to write a functional guide to help you understand the essential procedures and actions step by step. There are many excellent universities in Mauritania. The universities, colleges, and schools are well-known in the academic community. A vast number of international students are willing to get an education in the best universities here.

To study in one of these universities, international students must get a Mauritanian student visa depending on their country of origin. RocApply has made it easy for you to follow what documentation may be needed upon visa application on this guide! It is, however, advised to always check with the consulate/embassy for more details on visa requirements.