Zouérat

Zouérat, ازويرات, is the capital of Tiris Zemmour administrative unit in the north of the West African state of Mauritania.

History

The history of the city Zouérat is closely coupled to the iron ore mining in the region. To promote the iron ore deposits at Kediet Ijill a Limited Company was founded in 1952. 1958 received the MIFERMA, the Société des mines de fer de Mauritanie, the concession to harvest minerals. 1960 marked the beginning of degradation. 1974 Mifema was nationalized by the government of Mauritania.

In 1981, a second iron ore vein at Guelb El Rhein, 35 kilometers north of Zouérat, 1990 and a third mine in Mhadaouat, 65 km from Zouérat discovered.

The city's population increased steadily. It was 1977 and 17,947 in 1988 already at 25,892 people, and 2000, it increased to 33 929. 2005 the city's population was estimated at 37 977, thereby making it the largest city of the administrative unit Tiris Zemmour become the sixth largest city of Mauritania.

Economy

The city is economically dominated by the iron ore mining, which takes place in the area of the mountain Kediet Ijill. It is the center of the iron ore production and logistics of the mines in F'dérik, Tazadit and Rouessa and represents the eastern end of the single line of Mauritania, the railway Nouadhibou - M'Haoudat represents that connects the mines with the port city of Nouadhibou on the Atlantic. The iron stores in Zouérat are estimated at about 200 million tonnes of hematite, together with the environment is estimated as twice the amount.

In addition to mining the regional administration and the military play a role as an employer in the city.