Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport lies in the tropics at 18.31° N, 15.97° W, on Africa/Nouakchott time (UTC+0). Tropical airports contend with heat and humidity, both of which thin the air and lengthen takeoff runs, and with convective storms that build fast in the afternoon.
Nouakchott–Oumtounsy International Airport has 2 runways. The longest, 16/34, measures 11,155 ft by 197 ft, which puts the field in the long-haul capable category: widebodies operate comfortably, though the very longest sectors may need a payload trade. The surface is concrete. Both are lit for night operations.
Runway 16/34 is aligned roughly south-east/north-west, which is the clearest hint you get about the prevailing wind here: runways are built to face the wind that blows most often, because aircraft take off and land into it. With 2 runways across 2 different headings, crews can pick whichever best suits the wind.
The runways are not interchangeable. 06/24 is 7,875 ft against 16/34's 11,155 ft, a difference of 3,280 ft, so the shorter one generally takes regional traffic while the longer handles anything heavy.
At 9 ft the field is effectively at sea level, which is the friendliest case for aircraft performance: maximum lift, maximum thrust and the shortest takeoff runs an aircraft is capable of.