Sites | Province, regiona | Location | Number of inhabitantsb | Key geographic and climatic features |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sahelian zone | ||||
Keurmassen | Keurmassen, Trarza | 16°33′ N, 16°14′ W | 5324 | Situated at 45 km from the Diama dam constructed on the Senegal River (low valley); commercial and agricultural centre; irrigated rice fields in the periphery; annual rainfall, 180–300 mm; mean annual temperature 28 °C (range, 24 °C [December–January] to 38 °C [May–July]); relative humidity, 42 % (June-July) to 88 % (August–September) |
Boghé | Boghé, Brakna | 16°35′ N, 14°16′ W | 37,139 | Located along the Senegalese-Mauritanian border and along the Senegal River (middle valley); commercial and agricultural centre; irrigated rice fields in the periphery; annual rainfall, 300–380 mm; mean annual temperature 35 °C (range, 28 °C [December–January] to 42 °C [April–June]); relative humidity, 26 % (May–June) to 72 % (August–September) |
Gouraye | Selibabi, Guidimakha | 14°54′ N, 12°27′ W | 2009 | Commercial and agricultural centre situated along the Senegalese-Mauritanian border (high valley); flood recession agriculture; annual rainfall, 300–480 mm; mean annual temperature 36 °C (range, 29 °C [December–February] to 43 °C [April–May]); relative humidity, 28 % (May–June) to 74 % (August–September) |
Ghabou | Selibabi, Guidimakha | 18°18′ N, 14°98′ W | 4120 | Located at the upstream sector of the Senegal River (intersection of 3 countries, i.e., Mauritania, Senegal, and Mali); water retention structure (called Kara Koro) for flood recession cropping; annual rainfall, 300–500 mm; mean annual temperature 36 °C (range, 29 °C [December–February] to 43 °C [April–May]); relative humidity, 28 % (May–June) to 76 % (August–September) |
Sahelo-Saharan transition zone | ||||
Kobeni | Kobeni, Hodh Elgharbi | 15°49′ N, 09°24′ W | 2336 | Administrative, commercial, and agricultural-pastoral centre along Aioun-Nioro route that links Nouakchott (980 km northwest of Kobeni) and Mali; lies about 20 km from the border with Mali; city surrounded by several artificial lakes, ponds, and backwater; annual rainfall, 200–320 mm; mean annual temperature 35 °C (range, 28 °C [January–February] to 44 °C [April–May]); relative humidity, 19 % (May–June) to 76 % (August–September) |
Tamcheket | Tamcheket, Hodh Elgarbi | 17°14′ N, 10°40 W | 1915 | Large town on a sand dune near a semi-permanent artificial lake that divides the town into northern (Tamcheket) and southern sector (Loued); a commercial and cultural centre at the crossroads of ancient tracks that led to the Tagant plateau; annual rainfall, 100–220 mm; mean annual temperature 30 °C (range, 27 °C [December–January] to 42 °C [April–June]); relative humidity, 20 % (May–June) to 66 % (August–September) |
Kankossa | Kankossa, Assaba | 15°56′ N, 11°31′ W | 10,470 | Situated about 80 km southeast of the regional capital, Kiffa; a 30-km long permanent lake in the city allows flood-recession crop production, palm production, and market gardening; annual rainfall, 300–400 mm; mean annual temperature 33 °C (range, 31 °C [January–February] to 42 °C [May–June]); relative humidity, 32 % (May–June) to 78 % (August–September) |
Nbeika | Moudjeria, Tagant | 17°59′ N, 12°15′ W | 1956 | A small oasis village situated 15 km from Moudjeria city and 480 km to the east of Nouakchott; surrounded by rocky cliffs and mountains overlain by sand dunes; permanent artificial lakes allow market gardening in the village; although situated in the Saharan desert, its mountainous geography, location on the Tagant plateau (altitude, 225 m), and rainfall are characteristics of the sahelo-Saharan zone; annual rainfall, 100–140 mm; mean annual temperature 36 °C (range, 28 °C [December–February] to 42 °C [May–July]); relative humidity, 25 % (May–June) to 63 % (August–September) |
Saharan zone | ||||
Aoujeft | Aoujeft, Adrar | 19°58’ N, 13°04’ W | 3241 | 450 km from Nouakchott; despite its scarce vegetation, arid climate, and low annual rainfall (rainy season from August–October), the Adrar mountain ranges create a unique microclimate; oasis; annual rainfall, 50–80 mm; mean annual temperature 37 °C (range, 25 °C [December–January] to 44 °C [May–June]); relative humidity, 22 % (May–June) to 55 % (September–October) |
Akjoujt | Akjoujt, Inchiri | 19°45′ N, 14°23′ W | 5870 | A mining town located 265 km to the northwest of Nouakchott; very short rainy season (September); oasis; main livelihood, camel herding; annual rainfall, 20–80 mm; mean annual temperature 37 °C (range, 26 °C [December–February] to 45 °C [May–July]); relative humidity, 18 % (May–June) to 55 % (September–October) |
Nouakchottc | Capital city | 18°06′ N, 15°57′ W | 800,000 | A coastal city that occupies a surface area of 1,000 km2 and extends 25 km from north to south; almost one-third of the Mauritanian population resides in Nouakchott; market gardens in Darnaim and Teyarett districts; annual rainfall, 50–100 mm; mean annual temperature, 30 °C (range, 22 °C in December to 40 °C in June); relative humidity, 30 % (May–June) to 80 % (August–September) |