Largest Cities and Localities by Population in Mauritania
99 cities and localities in Mauritania with 3,500 or more inhabitants, ranked by population at the census of December 25, 2023 (by National Agency for Statistics and Demographic and Economic Analysis, Mauritania).
| Rank | City or Locality | Also Known As | Native Name | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nouakchott | - | انواكشوط | 1,446,761 |
| 2 | Nouadhibou | - | انواذيبو | 173,525 |
| 3 | Kiffa | - | كيفة | 71,680 |
| 4 | Zouérat | Zouerate | ازويرات | 62,380 |
| 5 | Kaédi | - | كيهيدي | 57,672 |
| 6 | Rosso | - | روصو | 42,670 |
| 7 | Mbera Refugee Camp | Camp de Réfugiés de Mbera | - | 41,256 |
| 8 | Sélibaby | Sélibabi | سيلبابي | 40,975 |
| 9 | Guerouincl. Beghdad, Wedan | - | كرو | 35,153 |
| 10 | Aïoun El Atrouss | Aïoun | العيون | 34,838 |
| 11 | Néma | - | النعمه | 34,738 |
| 12 | Atar | - | اطار | 34,025 |
| 13 | Tintaneincl. Elbouniya | - | الطينطان | 32,319 |
| 14 | Timbédra | - | تمبدغه | 29,920 |
| 15 | Boutilimit | - | بوتليميت | 21,353 |
| 16 | Magta-Lahjar | - | مكطع لحجار | 20,396 |
| 17 | Bassiknou | Bassikounou | باسكنو | 19,447 |
| 18 | Boghéincl. Tould | Bogué | بوكي | 19,151 |
| 19 | Adel Bagrou | - | عدل بكرو | 18,334 |
| 20 | Akjoujt | - | أكجوجت | 17,220 |
| 21 | Tidjikja | Tidjikdja | تجكجة | 17,086 |
| 22 | Aleg | - | ألاك | 17,019 |
| 23 | Lexeiba | - | لكصيبه | 16,741 |
| 24 | Maghama | - | مقامه | 15,303 |
| 25 | El Ghayra | - | الغايره | 12,719 |
| 26 | Kobenni | - | كوبني | 12,316 |
| 27 | Djiguenni | - | جكني | 11,772 |
| 28 | Fassale | - | فصاله | 11,293 |
| 29 | Bouhdida | - | بوحديده | 10,944 |
| 30 | R'Kiz | - | اركيز | 10,382 |
| 31 | Tiguentincl. Leboirid | - | تكنت | 10,205 |
| 32 | Kankossa | - | كنكوصة | 9,699 |
| 33 | M'Bout | - | امبود | 9,128 |
| 34 | Bousteilleincl. Tweikit | - | بوسطيله | 8,995 |
| 35 | Wali Djantang | - | والي جنتك | 8,406 |
| 36 | Sagné | - | صانيي | 8,315 |
| 37 | Nbeika | - | انبيكة | 8,066 |
| 38 | Bababé | - | بابابي | 7,521 |
| 39 | Ould Yengé | - | ولد ينج | 7,202 |
| 40 | Ghabouincl. Ghabou Esseif, Ghabou Eljedida | - | قابو | 7,173 |
| 41 | Amourj | - | آمرج | 7,123 |
| 42 | Lembeidi Assagha | - | لمبيد ع أساقھ | 7,092 |
| 43 | Hassi Cheggar | - | حاس شكار | 7,079 |
| 44 | Cheggar | - | شكار | 7,040 |
| 45 | Dafor | Dafort | الدافوع | 7,001 |
| 46 | Aoueinat Ezbel | - | اعوينات ازبل | 6,970 |
| 47 | Ouad Naga | - | واد الناقة | 6,928 |
| 48 | Sangravé | - | صنكرافه | 6,904 |
| 49 | Tachott Botokholo | - | التاشوط | 6,371 |
| 50 | Diaguily | - | جاڭيلي | 6,356 |
| 51 | Djéol | Djewol | جول | 6,335 |
| 52 | Kamour | - | كامور | 6,272 |
| 53 | Aghorattincl. Bellewar | - | أغورط | 6,218 |
| 54 | Boully | - | لعبلي | 5,697 |
| 55 | Agouanitt | - | آﯖوانيت | 5,614 |
| 56 | Diogountourou | - | جوڭونتورو | 5,511 |
| 57 | Mederdra | - | المذرذره | 5,462 |
| 58 | Maata Moulana | - | معط موالنه | 5,407 |
| 59 | Acheram | - | أشرم | 5,100 |
| 60 | Doueirare | - | ادويراره | 5,059 |
| 61 | Fam Lekhedheiratt | - | افام لخذيرات | 5,052 |
| 62 | Modibougou | Mobidougou | مدبوكو | 5,037 |
| 63 | Aghor | - | أقور | 5,033 |
| 64 | Bouanzé | - | بوعنز | 4,884 |
| 65 | Foum Gleita | - | فم لكليته | 4,828 |
| 66 | Tamchekett | - | تامشكط | 4,589 |
| 67 | Debay M'Bout | - | أدباي امبود | 4,542 |
| 68 | Aoujeft | - | أوجفت | 4,444 |
| 69 | Chinguetti | - | شنقيط | 4,353 |
| 70 | Niabina | - | انيابين | 4,348 |
| 71 | Touil | - | اطويل | 4,319 |
| 72 | Arr | - | عر | 4,158 |
| 73 | Toulel | - | تولل | 4,147 |
| 74 | Belgherbane | - | بلغربان | 4,064 |
| 75 | Malé | Mal | مال | 4,051 |
| 76 | Sinthiane Padalal | - | سينتيان باداالل | 4,046 |
| 77 | Barkéol | Barkewol | باركيول | 3,889 |
| 78 | Bagodine | - | باكودين | 3,869 |
| 79 | Chami | - | الشامي | 3,753 |
| 80 | Woumpou | Wompou | وابو | 3,746 |
| 81 | Tachott Brana | - | تاشوط ابرانا | 3,735 |
| 82 | M'Bagne | - | امباني | 3,644 |
| 83 | Elmelga | - | الملـﯖـه | 3,634 |
| 84 | Koumba Ndaw | - | كونبا انضاو | 3,573 |
| 85 | Baidiyam | Baydam | باديام | 3,508 |
| 86 | Saboussiré | - | سابوسرى | 3,480 |
| 87 | Arafatt | - | عرفات | 3,465 |
| 88 | Fondou | - | فوندو | 3,367 |
| 89 | F'Dérick | - | إفديرك | 3,317 |
| 90 | MberaMbera 2 | - | امبره | 3,158 |
| 91 | Bir Moghreïn | Birmoguren | بير أم إكرين | 2,779 |
| 92 | Moudjeria | - | المجرية | 2,558 |
| 93 | Boumdeidincl. Zira | - | بومديد | 2,418 |
| 94 | Keur Macène | Keurmacen | كرمسين | 2,275 |
| 95 | Monguel | - | مونكل | 2,266 |
| 96 | Oualata | - | ولاته | 2,125 |
| 97 | Tichitt | - | تيشيت | 1,891 |
| 98 | Ouadane | - | وادان | 1,814 |
| 99 | N'Beikett Lehouach | - | انبيكت لحواش | 1,599 |
Source: National Agency for Statistics and Demographic and Economic Analysis, Mauritania (2023 census), via City Population by Thomas Brinkhoff.
Why don't these match official city populations?Official figures typically count only the population within administrative boundaries. UN urban area figures cover the entire built-up area, which can include multiple cities and towns.Show moreShow less
Tokyo
33,338,852
Urban area
9,953,160
23 wards
Essen
2,709,375
Urban area
573,618
City of Essen
Ankara
3,630,865
Urban area
5,186,002
Metropolitan municipality
What counts as an urban area? The UN uses satellite imagery to map built-up land, and treats each continuous stretch of built-up land as an urban area. This means that urban areas can extend beyond official city boundaries, and may include multiple cities and towns within a single urban area.
Can an urban area be smaller than its city? Yes. While most cities have urban areas larger than their administrative boundaries, some cities have extensive administrative limits that include sparsely populated areas.
6 urban areas in Mauritania with 50,000 or more inhabitants, ranked by the UN's population estimates for 2026.
| Rank | Urban Area | Population Estimate (2026) | Yearly Change | Land Area (km²) | Density (P/km²) | World Rank | Projections (2030) | Projections (2050) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nouakchott | 1,604,131 | +2.65% | 190 | 8,434 | 313 | 1,774,185 | 2,633,046 |
| 2 | Nouadhibou | 184,821 | +2.95% | 47 | 3,916 | 3,303 | 206,656 | 328,505 |
| 3 | Fassala | 108,127 | +2.54% | 7.00 | 15,447 | 5,778 | 119,109 | 191,779 |
| 4 | Kiffa | 82,034 | +1.37% | 20 | 4,102 | 7,696 | 86,516 | 119,258 |
| 5 | Kaédi | 60,302 | +1.79% | 11 | 5,384 | 10,385 | 64,627 | 82,722 |
| 6 | Zouérat | 57,179 | +4.04% | 11 | 5,394 | 10,913 | 66,419 | 113,724 |
Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025). World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision, Online Edition.