According to petwithsupplies, the largest cities in Mauritania are Nouakchott, the capital, and Nouadhibou. Nouakchott is the political and economic center of the country, as well as its largest city. It is located on the Atlantic coast and has a population of 1.2 million people. The city was founded in 1958 by Moktar Ould Daddah and serves as the home to many government offices, embassies, businesses, and universities. It also contains several mosques, churches, and other religious sites. Nouadhibou is located in the north-western part of Mauritania on the Atlantic coast near the border with Western Sahara. It is a major fishing hub for the country and has a population of around 114 thousand people. The city’s economy revolves around its fishing industry but also includes some light industry such as garment manufacturing. The third largest city in Mauritania is Kiffa which has a population of about 55 thousand people. It is located near the border with Mali and serves as an important trading hub for goods coming from West Africa into Mauritania. The city’s economy revolves around agriculture, livestock production, light industry such as pottery production, and tourism related activities such as camel rides through nearby desert oases. Other major cities in Mauritania include Atar (population 50 thousand), Rosso (population 47 thousand), Kaédi (population 41 thousand), Zouerate (population 28 thousand), Aleg (population 22 thousand), Tidjikja (population 21 thousand), Selibaby (population 20 thousand), Kaedi (population 18 thousand). All these cities have experienced varying levels of economic growth over recent years due to increased foreign investment in infrastructure projects across Mauritania which have helped spur economic activity throughout the country. Mauritania is a West African country that borders the North Atlantic Ocean, Algeria, Mali, and Western Sahara. In 2008, it was in a period of political transition. The previous president Maaouya Ould Sid’Ahmed Taya had been ousted in a coup in 2005 by Colonel Ely Ould Mohamed Vall, and the country was waiting for the results of its first democratic election since independence. The geopolitics of Mauritania in 2008 were heavily influenced by its relationship with Algeria and Mali. Mauritania had strong ties to both countries but had recently broken off diplomatic relations with Algeria due to border disputes over Western Sahara. This led to increased tensions between Mauritania and Algeria as well as increased military presence along their shared borders. Mauritania also had close ties with Mali which was undergoing its own political transition at the time. In 2007, a coup d’état overthrew the democratically elected president Amadou Toumani Touré and installed a military junta led by Captain Amadou Sanogo as head of state. This caused instability in the region as well as increased tensions between Mauritania and Mali which were exacerbated by their shared border disputes over Western Sahara. In addition to this regional tension, Mauritania also faced internal unrest due to an ongoing conflict between government forces and Tuareg rebels who were fighting for independence from Mauritanian control in the northern regions of the country. This conflict caused much disruption within Mauritania throughout 2008 but eventually subsided after negotiations between government officials and rebel leaders led to an agreement that granted autonomy to the northern regions in 2010. Check payhelpcenter for Mauritania in 2008.