Atar, Mauritania
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Atar
|native_name = {{lang|ar|أطار}}
|settlement_type =Commune and town
|image_skyline = Atar,market street1.jpg
|imagesize =
|image_caption = Atar Market Street
|image_flag =
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|pushpin_map = Mauritania
|pushpin_relief= 1
|pushpin_label_position =bottom
|pushpin_mapsize = 300
|pushpin_map_caption =Location in Mauritania
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_type1 = Region
|subdivision_name = {{MRT}}
|subdivision_name1 = Adrar Region
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|area_total_sq_mi =
|area_total_km2 = 200.8
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|population_as_of=2023 census
|population_footnotes =
|population_total = 35,170
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|population_density_km2 = auto
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|coordinates = {{coord|20|31|N|13|03|W|region:MR|display=inline}}
|elevation_footnotes=
|elevation_m = 270
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Atar ({{langx|ar|أطار}}, Berber for mountain) is a town in northwestern Mauritania, the capital of the Adrar Region and the main settlement on the Adrar Plateau. Situated on the Oued Seguellil, it is home to an airport, a museum and a historic mosque, constructed in 1674.
In 2023, it had a population of 35,170.{{Cite web |title=Atar (Agricultural Urban Commune, Mauritania) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/mauritania/mun/admin/atar/07201__atar/ |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}
Geology and geography
The Adrar's mountains are from the primary era against the precambrian Tiris Zemmour. Near Atar, you can find stromatolites. In the North, you can find Choum with the train that comes from Nouadhibou and goes to Zouerate. East of Atar, through Amojjar Pass, is the difficult way to Chinguetti, Ouadane and the astonishing Richat Structure.{{Cite book|title=Natural Wonders of the World|publisher=Reader's Digest Association, Inc|year=1980|isbn=0-89577-087-3|editor-last=Scheffel|editor-first=Richard L.|location=United States of America|pages=42|editor-last2=Wernet|editor-first2=Susan J.}}
Climate
Atar has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) typical of the Sahara Desert, south of the tropic of Cancer. The weather is usually very hot, very sunny and very dry but it can be overcast sometimes. The annual average temperature is close to 30 °C (86 °F), meaning that excessive heat persists year-round. The annual mean rainfall amount is very low, averaging no more than 35 mm and it mainly falls in August and in September while the sunshine duration is high, at over 3,540 h of bright sunshine yearly.{{cn|date=February 2025}} In 2019, Khadijetou Lekweiry reported the first appearance of the Plasmodium vivax parasite in the town.{{Cite web |date=2019-01-08 |title=Paludisme : P. vivax détecté dans l’oasis Atar {{!}} IRD le Mag' |url=https://lemag.ird.fr/es/node/1082 |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=lemag.ird.fr |language=es}}
{{Weather box
|width = auto
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|location=Atar
|Jan high C=28.0
|Feb high C=31.0
|Mar high C=33.0
|Apr high C=36.0
|May high C=40.0
|Jun high C=43.0
|Jul high C=44.0
|Aug high C=44.0
|Sep high C=42.0
|Oct high C=38.0
|Nov high C=33.0
|Dec high C=29.0
|Jan mean C = 21.0
|Feb mean C = 24.0
|Mar mean C = 26.5
|Apr mean C = 29.5
|May mean C = 33.0
|Jun mean C = 35.5
|Jul mean C = 36.5
|Aug mean C = 36.5
|Sep mean C = 35.0
|Oct mean C = 32.0
|Nov mean C = 27.0
|Dec mean C = 22.5
|Jan low C=14.0
|Feb low C=17.0
|Mar low C=20.0
|Apr low C=23.0
|May low C=26.0
|Jun low C=28.0
|Jul low C=29.0
|Aug low C=29.0
|Sep low C=28.0
|Oct low C=26.0
|Nov low C=21.0
|Dec low C=16.0
|Jan precipitation mm=1
|Feb precipitation mm=1
|Mar precipitation mm=1
|Apr precipitation mm=0
|May precipitation mm=1
|Jun precipitation mm=1
|Jul precipitation mm=2
|Aug precipitation mm=11
|Sep precipitation mm=11
|Oct precipitation mm=3
|Nov precipitation mm=0
|Dec precipitation mm=1
|Jan rain days=0.3
|Feb rain days=0.2
|Mar rain days=0.1
|Apr rain days=0.1
|May rain days=0.2
|Jun rain days=0.4
|Jul rain days=1.1
|Aug rain days=2.3
|Sep rain days=2.0
|Oct rain days=0.6
|Nov rain days=0.3
|Dec rain days=0.2
|Jan sun=276.0
|Feb sun=264.0
|Mar sun=322.0
|Apr sun=325.0
|May sun=341.0
|Jun sun=325.0
|Jul sun=317.0
|Aug sun=303.0
|Sep sun=264.0
|Oct sun=265.0
|Nov sun=273.0
|Dec sun=267.0
|source 1= Climate Atar - meteoblue{{Cite web |url=https://www.meteoblue.com/en/weather/forecast/modelclimate/atar_mauritania_2381334 |title=Climate Atar |access-date=2014-01-15 }}
|source 2= Étude méthodologique pour l'utilisation des données climatologiques de l'Afrique tropicale (French document for sunshine hours only) {{cite web|title=Étude méthodologique pour l'utilisation des données climatologiques de l'Afrique tropicale|url=http://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers12-12/20178.pdf|website=horizon.documentation.ird.fr/|publisher=Comité interafricain d'études hydrauliques|access-date=3 December 2015}}
}}
Tourism
Today, the Atar is best known to outsiders as an entryway for tourists to visit the ruins of the ancient Moorish cities of Ouadane and Chinguetti. It was a key stop in the world's longest off-road race, the Paris Dakar Rally, held every January.
Small business sector
The "samaras" (from Arab smela : sole) are made in Atar and well known in Mauritania. It's a leather sole with straps.
Military
In 2012, an air force school was founded in Atar to train pilots and crew for the Military of Mauritania.{{Cite web |url=http://www.armee.mr/en/index.php/2012-06-02-13-34-01/2-non-categorise/791-direction-de-l-aire |title=The Directorate of Air |access-date=2014-07-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206011502/http://www.armee.mr/en/index.php/2012-06-02-13-34-01/2-non-categorise/791-direction-de-l-aire |archive-date=2017-12-06 |url-status=dead }}
Notable people
- Med Hondo - film director (1936–2019)
- Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya - 5th President of Mauritania (born 1941)
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Coord|20|31|N|13|03|W|region:MR-07_type:city(31000)|display=title}}
External links
{{Commons category|Atar}}
- {{Wikivoyage inline|Atar}}
{{Communes of Mauritania}}
{{Authority control}}