Nouadhibou
Encyclopedia
Nouadhibou is the second largest city in Mauritania
and serves as a major commercial centre. The city itself has about 75,000 inhabitants expanding to over 90,000 in the larger metropolitan area. It is situated on a 40-mile peninsula
or headland
called Ras Nouadhibou
, Cap Blanc, or Cabo Blanco, of which the western side, with the city of Lagouira
, is part of Western Sahara
. Nouadhibou is consequently located merely a couple of kilometers from the border between Mauritania and Western Sahara.
; Numerowatt to the north; Cansado
, the main residential area, to the south; and a dormitory town for Port Minéralier in the far south, from which iron ore mined in Zouerat
is exported.
Attractions in Nouadibou include the Table Remarquable, several market
s, a ships' graveyard and Mediterranean monk seal
s.
The port of Nouadhibou is the final resting place of over 300 ships and hence the world’s largest ship graveyard. 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.
The major economic activity is fishing; however, the largest industry is processing iron ore that has transported by train from the interior mining towns of Zouérat
and Fdérik. These freight trains can be as much as 3 km long, reputedly the longest in the world. The railway
also carries passengers and calls at Choum
.
On 30 June 1973, at the time of the second-longest solar eclipse in 20th century, an aerobee rocket
was launched at Nouadhibou for solar research.http://www.astronautix.com/sites/nouhibou.htm
From February 2006 onwards Nouadhibou has become the departure point for African migrants trying to reach the Canary Islands
. This extremely dangerous route to reach the European Union
has become popular as a result of increased emigration controls along the Moroccan coast and around the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta
and Melilla
in the second half of 2005.
The city is reputedly also a centre of trading of meteorite
s found in the Sahara
.
(a distance of 450km) and by highway to the Western Sahara
border in the north (a distance of 70km).
, 670km to the east.
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
and serves as a major commercial centre. The city itself has about 75,000 inhabitants expanding to over 90,000 in the larger metropolitan area. It is situated on a 40-mile peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
or headland
Headlands and bays
Headlands and bays are two related features of the coastal environment.- Geology and geography :Headlands and bays are often found on the same coastline. A bay is surrounded by land on three sides, whereas a headland is surrounded by water on three sides. Headlands are characterized by high,...
called Ras Nouadhibou
Ras Nouadhibou
Ras Nouadhibou is a 40-mile peninsula or headland in the African coast of the Atlantic Ocean by the Tropic of Cancer. It is internationally known as Cap Blanc in French or Cabo Blanco in Spanish .- History :...
, Cap Blanc, or Cabo Blanco, of which the western side, with the city of Lagouira
Lagouira
La Güera or La Gouera is a town on the Atlantic coast at the southern tip of Western Sahara, on the western side of the Ras Nouadhibou peninsula...
, is part of Western Sahara
Western Sahara
Western Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly...
. Nouadhibou is consequently located merely a couple of kilometers from the border between Mauritania and Western Sahara.
Overview
The city is divided into four major areas: the city centre, including the airportNouadhibou International Airport
Nouadhibou Airport is an airport serving Nouadhibou , a city in the Dakhlet Nouadhibou region of Mauritania.-Airlines and Destinations:...
; Numerowatt to the north; Cansado
Cansado
Cansado is a coastal town in north-western Mauritania on the Ras Nouadhibou peninsular. It is located in the Nouadhibou Department in the Dakhlet Nouadhibou region....
, the main residential area, to the south; and a dormitory town for Port Minéralier in the far south, from which iron ore mined in Zouerat
Zouérat
Zouérat is the largest town in northern Mauritania and is the capital of Tiris Zemmour with an approximate population of 38,000 . It lies at the eastern end of the Mauritania Railway to Nouadhibou.- Overview :...
is exported.
Attractions in Nouadibou include the Table Remarquable, several market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
s, a ships' graveyard and Mediterranean monk seal
Mediterranean Monk Seal
The Mediterranean monk seal is a pinniped belonging to the Phocidae family. At some 450-510 remaining individuals, it is believed to be the world's second-rarest pinniped , and one of the most endangered mammals in the world.It is present in parts of the Mediterranean Sea and the eastern Atlantic...
s.
The port of Nouadhibou is the final resting place of over 300 ships and hence the world’s largest ship graveyard. Unlike the arrival en masse of ships at Mallows Bay
Mallows Bay
Mallows Bay is a small bay on the Maryland side of the Potomac River in the United States located at . The bay is the location of what is regarded as the "largest shipwreck fleet in the Western Hemisphere" and is described as a "ship graveyard."...
, 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.
The major economic activity is fishing; however, the largest industry is processing iron ore that has transported by train from the interior mining towns of Zouérat
Zouérat
Zouérat is the largest town in northern Mauritania and is the capital of Tiris Zemmour with an approximate population of 38,000 . It lies at the eastern end of the Mauritania Railway to Nouadhibou.- Overview :...
and Fdérik. These freight trains can be as much as 3 km long, reputedly the longest in the world. The railway
Mauritania Railway
The Mauritania Railway is the national railway of Mauritania. Opened in 1963, it consists of a single, railway line linking the iron mining centre of Zouerate with the port of Nouadhibou, via Fderik and Choum...
also carries passengers and calls at Choum
Choum
Choum is a town in northern Mauritania, lying in the Adrar Region close to the border with the Western Sahara . Choum has a population of around 5,000.- History :The town grew from its position on trans-Saharan trading routes...
.
On 30 June 1973, at the time of the second-longest solar eclipse in 20th century, an aerobee rocket
Aerobee rocket
The Aerobee rocket was a small unguided suborbital sounding rocket used for high atmospheric and cosmic radiation research in the United States in the 1950s....
was launched at Nouadhibou for solar research.http://www.astronautix.com/sites/nouhibou.htm
From February 2006 onwards Nouadhibou has become the departure point for African migrants trying to reach the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
. This extremely dangerous route to reach the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
has become popular as a result of increased emigration controls along the Moroccan coast and around the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta
Ceuta
Ceuta is an autonomous city of Spain and an exclave located on the north coast of North Africa surrounded by Morocco. Separated from the Iberian peninsula by the Strait of Gibraltar, Ceuta lies on the border of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta along with the other Spanish...
and Melilla
Melilla
Melilla is a autonomous city of Spain and an exclave on the north coast of Morocco. Melilla, along with the Spanish exclave Ceuta, is one of the two Spanish territories located in mainland Africa...
in the second half of 2005.
The city is reputedly also a centre of trading of meteorite
Meteorite
A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
s found in the Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
.
Paved roads
Nouadhibou is linked with the Coastal Motorway RN2 to the capital NouakchottNouakchott
-Government:The town was first divided into districts in 1973. First it was divided into four. From 1986, the city has been split into nine districts.* Arafat* Dar Naim* El Mina* Ksar* Riad* Sebkha* Tevragh-Zeina* Teyarett* Toujounine...
(a distance of 450km) and by highway to the Western Sahara
Western Sahara
Western Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly...
border in the north (a distance of 70km).
Railway
Nouadhibou also is connected by railway to the iron mines in ZouératZouérat
Zouérat is the largest town in northern Mauritania and is the capital of Tiris Zemmour with an approximate population of 38,000 . It lies at the eastern end of the Mauritania Railway to Nouadhibou.- Overview :...
, 670km to the east.