Nouakchott - Nouakchott (English spelling)

The capital of Mauritania, West Africa. It is located on the Atlantic coast in the west of the country. It has a population of 611,883 (2000). After the decision to separate from Senegal in 1957, Mauritania was built on a small village in the desert. This location was chosen as the capital because it is on the border between the residential areas of Arab and African residents, and is relatively easy to live in because it is close to the sea. It is currently the political, economic, cultural, and transportation center of the country. The city is built on fixed sand dunes and consists of Bourguiba Avenue, which runs north and south near the airport, and Nasser Avenue, which intersects it at right angles. To the north of Nasser Avenue are the presidential palace, government offices, and luxury housing, and to the south are the market, medina (old town), wholesale district, general housing, and an industrial area near the port. During droughts, the city is surrounded by the tents of nomads who have come from inland and herds of camels.

[Hiroshi Fujii]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

西アフリカ、モーリタニアの首都。同国西部の大西洋岸に位置する。人口61万1883（2000）。1957年のセネガルとの分離独立決定以後、砂漠の中の小村落を基礎に建設された。この位置が首都に選ばれたのは、アラブ系住民とアフリカ系住民の居住分布境界にあり、海に近く比較的しのぎやすいからである。現在では同国の政治、経済、文化、交通の中心となっている。市街地は固定砂丘上にあり、空港に近く南北に走るブルギバ通りとこれと直交するナセル通りからなる。ナセル通りの北に大統領府、官庁、高級住宅、南に市場、メディナ（旧市街）、問屋街、一般住宅、港近くに工業地帯がある。干魃(かんばつ)時には内陸から出てきた遊牧民のテントとラクダの群れが町を取り囲む。

［藤井宏志］

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