Nouadhibou (/ˈnwædiːbuː, ˈnwɑː-/; Arabic: نواذيبو, Hassaniyya: [nwaðiːbu] ⓘ;formerly in French: Port-Étienne) is the second largest city in Mauritania and serves as a major commercial center.

[1] It is situated on a 65-kilometre peninsula or headland called Ras Nouadhibou, Cap Blanc, or Cabo Blanco, of which the western side has the city of La Güera.

Attractions in Nouadhibou include the Table Remarquable[clarification needed], several markets, a ships' graveyard and Mediterranean monk seals.

Unlike the arrival en masse of ships at Mallows Bay, here the number of craft has built up over time, as corrupt officials accepted bribes from boat owners to allow them to dump their vessels in the area.

Near the harbor is the terminus of Mauritania's only railway line, which mainly brings iron ore from the mining areas near Fdérik and Zouérat, which are located up to 704 kilometres (437 mi) inland.

This extremely dangerous route to reach the European Union gained popularity due to heightened emigration controls along Morocco's coast and near the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in late 2005.

[citation needed] As of 2024, the city remains a significant departure hub for irregular migrants to Europe, with over 80% of arrivals in the Canary Islands originating from Mauritania, many of whom are from Mali.