Nouakchott, with a population of 60, 000 people, is by far the largest city of Sahara. Visiting the city now, one will hardly say it was constructed for just 15, 000 people in 1958. This extreme growth is a result of the recurring droughts in Sahara the last 10-20 years that have forced young people, families and small communities into leaving their traditional ways of living. Life in Nouakchott is a mixture of the nomadic and the sedentary way of life of the people of Sahara. Despite its proximity to the sea, it still maintains its Saharan ambience.

The people of Nouakchott live in varying styles and the town faces the problems resulting from this divide. Some people are rich while others live in poor conditions making slum dwellers a large part of the population. Nouakchott is one of the Arabic cities having most of "Western" problems. Drug abuse and child prostitution are rampant and present sad proofs of Mauritania's problems that come with development.

But despite its problems, Nouakchott has a lot of charm, and is a relatively safe place. This city stretches northward and strikes one as having a laid back atmosphere. People are very friendly, and there are almost just as many women in the streets as there are men, and there are few signs of limitations to their freedom.