Nouadhibou, formerly known as Port-Étienne, is the second largest city in Mauritania. It serves as a primary commercial center for the country and currently has a population of approximately 173,000 inhabitants.
The city is situated on Ras Nouadhibou (also known as Cap Blanc or Cabo Blanco), a peninsula measuring 65 kilometres in length. Due to its geographical position on this headland, Nouadhibou is located only a few kilometres from the border between Mauritania and Western Sahara. The western side of the same peninsula is home to the city of La Güera.
The current mayor of Nouadhibou is Elghassem Ould Bellali, who assumed office on October 15, 2018.