Editing Nouakchott (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Nouakchott, districts en.jpg|thumb|Satellite image of Nouakchott with district names]]
[[File:Nouakchott, Mauritania Population Density and Low Elevation Coastal Zones (5457913604).jpg|thumb|Population density and low elevation coastal zones. Nouakchott is especially vulnerable to [[sea level rise]].]]
Located on the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] coast of the Sahara Desert, it lies on the west coast of Africa. With the exception of [[Friendship Port of Nouakchott|Friendship Port]] and a small fishing [[port]], the coastal strip is mostly left empty and allowed to flood. The coastline includes shifting [[Shoal|sandbanks]] and sandy beaches. There are areas of [[quicksand]] close to the harbor.<ref name="chinaview">{{cite web|title=Harbor in Nouakchott Marks China-Mauritania Friendship|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-07/28/content_11787791.htm|website=news.xinhuanet.com|access-date=19 November 2016|date=28 July 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123950/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-07/28/content_11787791.htm|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Nouakchott is largely flat,{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} and some of the city lies below sea level.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2024/06/24/the-venice-of-africa-is-sinking-into-the-sea |title=The "Venice of Africa" is sinking into the sea |newspaper=The Economist |date=24 June 2024 |access-date=25 June 2024}}</ref> It is threatened by the sand dunes advancing from its eastern side which pose a daily problem.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nouakchott, Mauritania : Image of the Day|url=http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=6234|website=earthobservatory.nasa.gov|access-date=19 November 2016|language=en|date=9 January 2001|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305010145/http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=6234|archive-date=5 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> There have been efforts to save particular areas, including work by Jean Meunier.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Welland|first1=Michael|title=Sand: The Never-ending Story|date=2009|publisher=University of California Press|location=Berkeley|isbn=9780520254374|edition=1.|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780520254374}}</ref>{{rp|168}} Owing to the rapid build-up, the city is quite spread out, with few tall buildings. Most buildings are one-story.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spasevski |first=+Jugoslav |date=2013-09-29 |title=Nouakchott, Mauritania |url=https://www.tourist-destinations.com/2013/09/nouakchott-mauritania.html |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=Tourist Destinations |language=en-US}}</ref>

Nouakchott is built around a large tree-lined street, Avenue Gamal Abdel Nasser, which runs northeast through the city centre from the airport. It divides the city into two, with the residential areas in the north and the [[medina quarter]], along with the ''kebbe'', a shanty town formed due to the displacement of people from other areas by the desert.<ref name=valic>{{cite book|last1=de Valicourt|first1=Benedict|title=Mauritanie|date=2000|publisher=Editions Marcus|location=Paris|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9Z6asvXDSPcC&q=avenue+gamal+abdel+nasser+nouakchott&pg=PA52|isbn=9782713101533}}</ref>{{rp|50–57}} Other major streets are named (in [[French language|French]]) for notable Mauritanian or international figures of the 1960s: Avenue Gamal Abdel Nasser, Avenue Charles de Gaulle, Avenue Kennedy, and Avenue Lumumba, for example.<ref name="roughguide"/>

The ''kebbe'' consists of [[cement]] buildings that are built overnight and made to look permanent to avoid destruction by the authorities. In 1999, it was estimated that more than half of the city's inhabitants lived in tents and shacks, which were used for residential as well as business purposes.<ref name="lawrence">{{cite web |last1=Lawrence |first1=William |title=Symptom of Crisis or Engine of Development? The Mauritanian Informal Economic Sector |url=http://fletcher.tufts.edu/~/media/Fletcher/Microsites/praxis/xv/Lawrence.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904052819/http://fletcher.tufts.edu/~/media/Fletcher/Microsites/praxis/xv/Lawrence.pdf |archive-date=4 September 2015 |access-date=3 February 2015 |publisher=The Fletcher Journal of Development Studies}}</ref> The city is broken into nine ''arrondissements'', sub-divided into alphabetized ''Îlots''. These are Teyarett, Ksar, Tevragh-Zeïna, Toujounine, Sebkha, El Mina, Dar-Naïm, Arafat and Riad. The Sebkha (Cinquième) Arrondissement is home to a large shopping area.<ref name="roughguide">{{cite book|last1=Hudgens|first1=Jim|last2=Trillo|first2=Richard|title=Rough Guide to West Africa|date=2003|publisher=Rough Guides|location=London|isbn=1843531186|edition=4th|url=https://archive.org/details/roughguidetowest0000hudg}}</ref>{{rp|116−17}}

===Climate===
Nouakchott features a [[hot desert climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: BWh) with hot temperatures throughout the year but cool winter night temperatures. Due to the city's oceanside location, Nouakchott is generally not quite as hot as other cities with the same climate. Still, the city can experience sweltering days. While average high temperatures are relatively constant at around {{convert|33|C|abbr=on|0}}, average low temperatures can range from {{convert|25|C|abbr=on|0}} during the fall months (in this city fall is hotter than summer, with September and October being the hottest months) to {{convert|13|C|abbr=on|0}} during the winter months. Minimum temperatures can be as low as {{convert|10|C|abbr=on|0}} during winter nights in Nouakchott. Average rainfall in the city is {{convert|95|mm|in|abbr=on}} a year.<ref name=DWD/>

{{Weather box
|location = Nouakchott (1981–2010, extremes 1934–2012)
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 39.9
|Feb record high C = 41.7
|Mar record high C = 44.0
|Apr record high C = 47.5
|May record high C = 47.0
|Jun record high C = 47.2
|Jul record high C = 47.5
|Aug record high C = 45.1
|Sep record high C = 45.5
|Oct record high C = 44.5
|Nov record high C = 42.3
|Dec record high C = 39.6
|year record high C = 47.5
|Jan high C = 29.1
|Feb high C = 30.8
|Mar high C = 33.5
|Apr high C = 34.8
|May high C = 34.3
|Jun high C = 34.7
|Jul high C = 32.4
|Aug high C = 33.0
|Sep high C = 36.1
|Oct high C = 36.7
|Nov high C = 34.0
|Dec high C = 31.0
|year high C = 33.4
|Jan mean C = 21.5
|Feb mean C = 23.0
|Mar mean C = 24.2
|Apr mean C = 24.3
|May mean C = 25.8
|Jun mean C = 26.7
|Jul mean C = 27.3
|Aug mean C = 28.4
|Sep mean C = 29.6
|Oct mean C = 28.8
|Nov mean C = 25.8
|Dec mean C = 22.8
|year mean C = 25.7
|Jan low C = 14.5
|Feb low C = 16.4
|Mar low C = 18.2
|Apr low C = 19.1
|May low C = 20.7
|Jun low C = 22.8
|Jul low C = 24.3
|Aug low C = 25.4
|Sep low C = 25.8
|Oct low C = 23.8
|Nov low C = 19.7
|Dec low C = 16.9
|year low C = 20.6
|Jan record low C = 3.9
|Feb record low C = 7.0
|Mar record low C = 5.0
|Apr record low C = 10.0
|May record low C = 13.0
|Jun record low C = 15.7
|Jul record low C = 15.0
|Aug record low C = 16.1
|Sep record low C = 17.0
|Oct record low C = 13.0
|Nov record low C = 9.3
|Dec record low C = 5.0
|year record low C = 3.9
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 0.7
|Feb precipitation mm = 1.5
|Mar precipitation mm = 0.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 0.1
|May precipitation mm = 0.3
|Jun precipitation mm = 1.9
|Jul precipitation mm = 6.3
|Aug precipitation mm = 36.8
|Sep precipitation mm = 36.3
|Oct precipitation mm = 6.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 2.0
|Dec precipitation mm = 2.8
|year precipitation mm = 95.2
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 0.2
|Feb precipitation days = 0.3
|Mar precipitation days = 0.0
|Apr precipitation days = 0.0
|May precipitation days = 0.0
|Jun precipitation days = 0.3
|Jul precipitation days = 0.8
|Aug precipitation days = 2.6
|Sep precipitation days = 3.0
|Oct precipitation days = 0.7
|Nov precipitation days = 0.2
|Dec precipitation days = 0.3
|year precipitation days = 8.3
|Jan humidity = 36
|Feb humidity = 39
|Mar humidity = 43
|Apr humidity = 49
|May humidity = 54
|Jun humidity = 60
|Jul humidity = 70
|Aug humidity = 72
|Sep humidity = 69
|Oct humidity = 55
|Nov humidity = 44
|Dec humidity = 35
|year humidity = 52
|Jan sun = 232.5
|Feb sun = 220.4
|Mar sun = 260.4
|Apr sun = 270.0
|May sun = 282.1
|Jun sun = 240.0
|Jul sun = 238.7
|Aug sun = 254.2
|Sep sun = 228.0
|Oct sun = 260.4
|Nov sun = 243.0
|Dec sun = 217.0
|year sun = 
|Jand sun = 7.5
|Febd sun = 7.8
|Mard sun = 8.4
|Aprd sun = 9.0
|Mayd sun = 9.1
|Jund sun = 8.0
|Juld sun = 7.7
|Augd sun = 8.2
|Sepd sun = 7.6
|Octd sun = 8.4
|Novd sun = 8.1
|Decd sun = 7.0
|yeard sun = 8.1
|source 1 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]]<ref name = DWD>{{cite web
| url = https://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_614420_kt.pdf
| title = Klimatafel von Nouakchott / Mauretanien
| work = Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world
| publisher = Deutscher Wetterdienst
| language = de
| access-date = 18 December 2018
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191009193845/https://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_614420_kt.pdf
| archive-date = 9 October 2019
| url-status = live
}}</ref>
}}

==== Climate change ====
A 2019 paper published in [[PLOS One]] estimated that under [[Representative Concentration Pathway#4.5|Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5]], a "moderate" scenario of [[climate change]] where global warming reaches ~{{convert|2.5-3|C-change|F-change}} by 2100, the climate of Nouakchott in the year 2050 would most closely resemble the current climate of [[Khartoum]]. The annual temperature would increase by {{convert|2.3|C-change|F-change}}, and the temperature of the warmest month by {{convert|2.8|C-change|F-change}}, while the temperature of the coldest month would decrease by {{convert|0.3|C-change|F-change}}.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Bastin |first1=Jean-Francois |last2=Clark |first2=Emily |last3=Elliott |first3=Thomas |last4=Hart |first4=Simon |last5=van den Hoogen |first5=Johan |last6=Hordijk |first6=Iris |last7=Ma |first7=Haozhi |last8=Majumder |first8=Sabiha |last9=Manoli |first9=Gabriele |last10=Maschler |first10=Julia |last11=Mo |first11=Lidong |last12=Routh |first12=Devin |last13=Yu |first13=Kailiang |last14=Zohner |first14=Constantin M. |last15=Thomas W. |first15=Crowther |title=Understanding climate change from a global analysis of city analogues |journal=PLOS ONE |date=10 July 2019 |volume=14 |issue=7 |at=S2 Table. Summary statistics of the global analysis of city analogues. |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0217592 |pmid=31291249 |pmc=6619606 |bibcode=2019PLoSO..1417592B |doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://crowtherlab.pageflow.io/cities-of-the-future-visualizing-climate-change-to-inspire-action |title=Cities of the future: visualizing climate change to inspire action |at=Current vs. future cities |access-date=8 January 2023 |archive-date=8 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108082440/https://crowtherlab.pageflow.io/cities-of-the-future-visualizing-climate-change-to-inspire-action |url-status=dead }}</ref> According to [[Climate Action Tracker]], the current warming trajectory appears consistent with {{convert|2.7|C-change|F-change}}, which closely matches RCP 4.5.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://climateactiontracker.org/global/cat-thermometer/ |title=The CAT Thermometer |access-date=8 January 2023}}</ref>

==== Sustainability ====
Responding to a 450% projected increase in electricity demand between 2010 and 2030, Nouakchott's [[List of power stations in Mauritania#Solar|Sheikh Zayed solar power plant]] was completed in 2012 and is considered the largest solar power plant in Africa.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=El Hacen Jed |first1=Mohamed |last2=Ihaddadene |first2=Razika |last3=Ihaddadene |first3=Nabila |last4=Elhadji Sidi |first4=Cheikh ELBanany |last5=EL Bah |first5=Menny |date=2020-03-01 |title=Performance analysis of 954,809 kWp PV array of Sheikh Zayed solar power plant (Nouakchott, Mauritania) |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1755008419302157 |journal=Renewable Energy Focus |language=en |volume=32 |pages=45–54 |doi=10.1016/j.ref.2019.11.002 |bibcode=2020REneF..32...45E |s2cid=213995904 |issn=1755-0084}}</ref> The desert climate causes dust accumulation, which negatively impacts the performance of photovoltaic solar panels.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Lasfar |first1=Sara |last2=Haidara |first2=Fanta |last3=Mayouf |first3=Chiva |last4=Abdellahi |first4=Fatimatou Med |last5=Elghorba |first5=Mohamed |last6=Wahid |first6=Achraf |last7=Kane |first7=Cheikh Sid Ethmane |date=2021-08-01 |title=Study of the influence of dust deposits on photovoltaic solar panels: Case of Nouakchott |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0973082621000569 |journal=Energy for Sustainable Development |language=en |volume=63 |pages=7–15 |doi=10.1016/j.esd.2021.05.002 |bibcode=2021ESusD..63....7L |s2cid=236250729 |issn=0973-0826}}</ref>