Qibla direction in Nouadhibou

How to face the Qibla in Nouadhibou

Stand where you will pray and find north first. Then turn towards east and move a further 11.5° towards north: the result is the bearing of 78.5°. A small error of a few degrees is forgiven by most scholars, but aiming simply at east would leave you about 12° off.

The scholars distinguish two cases: the one who sees the Kaaba aims at the building itself, while the one who cannot see it, as anywhere in Nouadhibou, aims at its direction as well as he reasonably can. Comparing with the mihrab of a local mosque is a quick way to confirm the result. If you travel or move house, check the angle again, since it changes from place to place.

Why a flat map shows a different direction

A straight line drawn on a flat (Mercator) map from Nouadhibou to Mecca points to 89.5° (east), 11.0° away from the correct 78.5°. That map line is a rhumb line: it keeps the same compass heading all the way, but it is 34 km longer than the true shortest route. The Qibla follows the great circle, the shortest path on the curved Earth, which is why the bearing differs.

The value of 78.5° is the direction in which the shortest route from 20.9419° N, 17.0384° W sets off towards the Kaaba at 21.4225° N, 39.8262° E. Every accurate Qibla calculator, and the plans of well-oriented mosques, arrive at the same angle for this point.

Distance from Nouadhibou to Mecca and Medina

Mecca is 5,862 km from Nouadhibou as the crow flies, and Medina, the city of the Prophet ﷺ, is 5,785 km away. A direct flight would take roughly 7 h 24 min, although most pilgrims from Nouadhibou connect through Jeddah or Medina airport.

Clocks in Nouadhibou run 3 hours behind Mecca all year. Prayer times, however, depend on the sun at your own location, so always use the prayer times of Nouadhibou rather than those of Mecca.

Finding the Qibla with the sun in Nouadhibou

On 120 days of 2027, the sun passes exactly through the Qibla direction of Nouadhibou while it is well above the horizon. At that moment, facing the sun means facing Mecca. The effect is most frequent in May (31 days); for example, on 1 May 2027 it happens at 07:37 local time.

On 179 days the sun stands exactly opposite the Qibla: then the shadow of any vertical object, a pole, a door frame or a plumb line, points straight towards Mecca. This is most frequent in March (31 days), for instance on 1 March 2027 at 18:31.

Twice a year the sun passes directly over the Kaaba, on 28 May 2027 and 16 July 2027. Both moments are in daylight in Nouadhibou: at 09:18 and 09:27 local time, face the sun and you face the Qibla exactly, anywhere in the city.

Nouadhibou compared with other cities

Compared with Nouakchott, 336 km away, the Qibla in Nouadhibou is turned 1.9° further clockwise (78.5° against 76.5°), and Mecca is 40 km farther away. The nearest city with its own Qibla page, Nouakchott (336 km), prays towards 76.5°, a difference of 1.9°.

See all cities on the Qibla page for Mauritania.

Qibla in cities near Nouadhibou

• Nouakchott76.5° · 336 km