Mauritania Selection

Mauritania is one of the largest countries in West Africa. Located between the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa, it is largely covered by the Sahara Desert, whose vast mineral landscapes have shaped both the environment and the nomadic way of life for centuries. This land of sand dunes, rocky plateaus and oases once stood at the crossroads of the great trans-Saharan caravan routes linking West Africa with the Mediterranean world. The ancient caravan towns of Chinguetti, Ouadane, Tichitt and Oualata, now listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, are enduring reminders of this golden age, when caravans carried salt, gold and precious manuscripts across the desert, making Mauritania a major centre of trade, culture and knowledge.

The photographs in this category were mainly taken in the Adrar region, particularly around the spectacular Amatlich Erg, one of Mauritania’s most remarkable dune fields. Wind-shaped dunes, sandstone massifs, secluded oases and centuries-old caravan towns reveal the remarkable diversity of the Mauritanian Sahara, where changing light continually reshapes the landscape throughout the day.