Hodh Ech Chargui region

Hodh Ech Chargui

(Arabic: ولاية الحوض الشرقي, romanized: Wilāyat al-Ḥawḍ al-Sharqī, lit. 'Eastern Basin Region') is a large region in eastern Mauritania. It covers an area of 182,700 km². The capital is the town of Néma. The biggest town is Fassala, located in the Bassiknou Department.

The region shares borders with Adrar, Tagant, and Hodh El Gharbi to the west, and with Mali to the east and south. In the western part of Hodh Ech Chargui lies the Aoukar basin.

In 2013, Hodh Ech Chargui had 430,668 people. Leaders are chosen by voting, with elections every five years. The most recent elections were in 2023.

Geography

Mauritania is mostly a desert, with only its western areas near the Atlantic Ocean having some plants. There are a few places with water in the desert called oases. The land has big sand hills that move around. The land is usually about 460 meters (1,510 feet) above sea level. The north gets very little rain, about 100 millimeters (3.9 inches) a year, while the south gets more, around 660 millimeters (26 inches). Temperatures are often very hot, around 37.8°C (100°F), but can get cold at night in winter, even down to 0°C (32°F).

Because of the harsh desert environment, many people used to move around a lot. In the 1970s and 1980s, when there was very little rain, many moved to cities. Only a few people farm, and they live in the southern parts of the country. Changes in the Sahara Desert have led to less rain since the 1960s.

In early September 2020, heavy rains of over 100 millimeters fell near the border with Mali, causing damage, especially in the Bassiknou area.

Demographics

The Hodh Ech Chargui region had 430,668 people in 2013, up from 363,071 in 2011. About half of the people were female, and the other half were male.

In 2008, most homes did not have phones, electricity, health centers, or clean water. Most families lived close to other families or relatives.

Economy, health and education

The Hodh Ech Chargui region has many people with different jobs. Some work for the government, and others work in homes or businesses.

For health, many children in the region get important vaccines to stay well. Schools have some students, but not many go to secondary school.

Local Administration

The local administration in Hodh Ech Chargui is based on a system that started from French rules. There used to be leaders called Governors for each area, but after elections in 1994, power was shared more locally. Mauritania is split into 13 big areas called wilayas, with the smallest parts being communes. There are 216 communes in total, with 53 in cities and 163 in the countryside.

Hodh Ech Chargui has seven departments. Each department has its own size and number of people, based on information from the 2013 Census.