
Banc d'Arguin National Park
Explore the geographic identity and protected landscape.
Banc d'Arguin National Park, in Mauritania. Landscapes: dunes, wetlands, and coasts.
- Area
- 12,000 km²
- Established
- 1976
- IUCN
- II
- Relief
- Lowland
Browse mapped natural landscapes and discover protected areas across Mauritania's diverse geography.
Explore maps and profiles of protected areas in Mauritania, including Banc d'Arguin and Diawling.
Related tags
Comparing conservation scale, desert and coastal habitats, and historical designations
Known protected area
Area data available for 3 of 3 parks.
Median park size
Median across 3 parks with known area.
Explore Mauritania's Mapped Park Geography and Coastal, Desert Protected Landscapes
Mauritania is a Northwest African country covering approximately 1,030,000 km², making it the 11th-largest in Africa and 28th-largest globally. About 90% of its territory lies in the Sahara desert, with most of its population of roughly 5.5 million living in the southern region. The country achieved independence from France in 1960 and is officially an Islamic republic with Arabic as the official language.
Mapped Protected Area Geography, Tracing Mauritania's Coastal Wetlands and Vast Sahara Desert Landscapes

Explore the geographic identity and protected landscape.
Banc d'Arguin National Park, in Mauritania. Landscapes: dunes, wetlands, and coasts.
Explore mapped boundaries and regional geographic context.
Diawling National Park represents a significant protected area within the vast geographic scope of Mauritania, a nation characterized by its extensive Sahara Desert territory. As a designated national park, it provides crucial context for understanding the distribution of conservation landscapes and their specific mapped boundaries in arid Northwest Africa. This entry supports detailed atlas exploration by highlighting the park's unique role and regional geographic setting.
A vital ecological wetland within the Saharan Sahelian transition
Located deep within the Tagant Region of Mauritania, Lake Gabou acts as a rare permanent wetland on the elevated sandstone Tagant Plateau. This protected landscape sustains indigenous vegetation like African baobabs and palms, serving as a critical refuge for wintering bird populations and West African crocodiles within a stark arid environment.
Understand how Mauritania is shaped by terrain, ecosystems, and seasonal conditions
Mauritania is located in Northwest Africa along the Atlantic Ocean coast to the west. It borders Western Sahara to the north and northwest, Algeria to the northeast, Mali to the east and southeast, and Senegal to the southwest. The landscape is predominantly desert, with the Sahara covering about 90% of the territory. The southern region is more temperate and supports most of the population.
Mauritania's terrain is predominantly Saharan desert with arid plains and some occasional oases. The southern region near the Senegal River border has more fertile land. The coastal zone along the Atlantic supports fishing and marine ecosystems. Wildlife includes desert-adapted species in the Sahara and more diverse fauna in the southern savanna areas.
Mauritania has an arid to semi-arid climate typical of the Sahel region. The north is extremely hot and dry with desert conditions, while the south receives more rainfall and has warmer temperatures. The country experiences a short rainy season from July to September in the south.
Related topics and popular queries
Trace the mapped geography of Mauritania's protected landscapes and their spatial spread across its vast desert and coastal regions.
Explore the geographic distribution of protected landscapes and key conservation efforts across Mauritania.
Explore the broader regional context of protected areas, comparing national park geography across Northwest Africa and its varied conservation landscapes.
Parks and protected areas in Morocco, including Souss-Massa and Talassemtane.
Parks and protected areas in Guinea, including Upper Niger NP and Haut-Niger.
Parks and protected areas in Burkina Faso, including Arly and Lake Tengrela.
Parks and protected areas in The Gambia, including Kiang West and Bijilo Forest Park.
Parks and protected areas in Guinea-Bissau, including Orango National Park and Cufada.
Parks and protected areas in Senegal, including Niokolo-Koba and Saloum Delta.
Parks and protected areas in Mali, including Bafing National Park and Baoulé.
Parks and protected areas in Western Sahara, including Khnifiss.
Protected area types
Deepen your understanding of Mauritania's protected natural geography by continuing to browse its represented park designations. This classification-driven approach helps reveal the diverse landscape contexts and conservation strategies employed across Mauritania, offering structured insights into the country's protected areas for focused geographic discovery.
Find a park and explore its geography, habitats, and monthly climate.