Thelo DB Consortium And The Government Of The Republic Of Ghana Signed A 25 Year Rail Management Agreement To Develop And Operationalise The 299 Km Western Railway Line 02 September 2022 West Africa, Ghana During the 15-minute stop, there is a rush to load the wagons with cargo, because the train doesnt wait for the passengers to finish loading. Conditions for these passengers are incredibly harsh with daytime temperatures exceeding 40C and death from falls being common. All rights reserved. Best Time To Travel to Mauritania. Offer subject to change without notice. There is also no way to stock up on your food supplies. The tourist route is typically operated by a locomotive carrying two passenger carriages. On the way to Choum, we each bought one in Atar. The green, star and crescent are traditional Muslim symbols and the red signifies the bloodshed during the struggle for independence from France. Source: Britannica, 8. . Hademine mentioned this has been happening a lot in recent weeks/monthssomething to keep in mind! [8], In October 2010, SNIM ordered six EMD SD-70ACS locomotives, which featured a pulse filtration system, movable sand plows, EM2000 control system and FIRE display system together with similar modifications to allow for operations in high temperatures.[9]. If you leave early enough, you could technically just drive directly from Nouakchott to Choum. The road is paved. 2. It measures almost three kilometers long. One is located at the oasis, and the other (Chez Jamal) is just a quick walk away. Initially, our tour with Hademine was supposed to end there. The mining town of Zourat in northern Mauritania is one such isolated outpost. It just so happens that the 3 were discussing whether to take the train, so when I mentioned that I had just gotten off the train earlier this morning and that it was one of the most life affirming experiences I ever had on my travels, that sealed the deal for them: They were going to get on the train. Then think of it being overcrowded to the point of danger, luggage and goods stacked ceiling-high in the corridors, holes in most exterior walls, a smell of pure filth, and finally, remove any illusion of comfort or cleanliness, and there you have the passenger carriage of the Mauritanian iron ore train.. This is almost exactly what I saw (with more stars) through my naked eye whenever I looked up and took off my goggles: While we had expected the train would make its usual delays and arrive to Choum about either 13 or 18 hours after our departure at 3:30pm from Nouadhibou, we lucked out with very efficient train conductors who got us into Choum only 9 hours later at 12:30am! It is one of the largest cities in the Sahara. If that's not enough, click over to our collection of world maps and flags. Mauritania is located in North and WestAfrica bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Algeria, Western Sahara, Mali and Senegal. Source:Britannica, 2. Mauritania has a population of 4 million inhabitants (in 2019); about one-fourth of its people live in Nouakchott, the country's capital and largest city, situated between the dunes and the ocean. Mauritania formed part of the Dakar Rally, first held in 197879 and covering nearly 15,000km between Southern Europe and Senegal. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to the north and northwest, Algeria to the northeast, Mali to the east and southeast, and Senegal to the southwest. A 3 feet, 6 inch (1067mm) gauge railway between Port Hedland and Marble Bar was officially opened in 1911, although regular services did not commence until July 1912. Access 70 detailed Bills of lading with complete information of each shipment. This spectacular track has run continuously since 1882. Starting off is a painfully slow affair, with carriages slamming into one another and jolting everyone in or on them. Sometimes the train slows down enough for some breakdancing: Even after the sun had long disappeared, the sky above us just got more purple, especially in the haze of the desert sands blowing past the train: And while it gets really really cold here (subzero temperatures; I recommend putting on all your layers while its still warm around sunset), the true show comes out once it gets completely dark if the moon isnt full you can usually see the Milky Way stretching across the night sky. At the moment the train was still, we quickly inspected a few wagons to make sure they had good wheels, picked one to call home, climbed its ladders, half hanging on while being passed all our bags. Read More, The most interesting facts about Malawi, from one of the planets largest and deepest lakes We cut open three water bottles and used them to scoop out as much water as possible before we leveled off the mounds. Mauritania's terrain is generally a flat plain with occasional ridges and cliff-like outcroppings. Read More, The most interesting facts about Brunei, from the world's biggest palace to the monument built 1. There are at least 4 of these trains running on 2 tracks covering 437 miles (704 kilometers) on its journey across the Sahara Desert from Nouadhibou, on the coast, to Zourat, an iron mine in the center of Mauritania. At 3-kilometers in length, trains on this line are among the longest and heaviest in the world. Yet, Zourats only connection to the city of Nouadhibou, the countrys only major shipping port on the Atlantic coast, is via a railway. I sat down in a table across from them when the guide called out about how he liked my camera. We began inNouadhibou where we picked up some supplies for the epic train journey ahead. As the graph below shows, over the past 8 years this indicator reached a maximum value of 10,674 in 2004 and a minimum value of 7,536 in 2010. Mauritania's culture is a mixture of many influences, both indigenous and external from the ancient Berber people, the Moors and the French, especially visible in both music and cuisine. The UNESCO-listed Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt and Oualata are four ancient towns founded in the 11th and 12th centuries to serve the trade routes that began crossing the Sahara. Source: UNESCO, 19. As of 1 January 2017, the population of Mauritania was estimated to be 4,220,883 people. The line was a success and provided a major portion of Mauritania's GDP; as a result the line was nationalised in 1974. We then turned away the taxi drivers by the tracks and instead waited for our pre-arranged jeeps to take us to our campsites 5 minutes away. 10. (Having once been a French colony, Mauritannia's education system has been heavily influenced by the francophone system which is still prevalent today even after its independence.) Mauritania quartz Mauritania quick facts Mauritania quotes Mauritania quran Mauritania quran mp3 Mauritania quran radio Mauritania quran recitation Mauritania quran school: Mauritania railway Mauritian recipes Mauritania region Mauritania religion Mauritania resources Mauritania restaurante Mauritania results Mauritania rivers Mauretania rms . A mining center was constructed at Zouerate together with port facilities at Nouadhibou on the Atlantic coast, and both centers were linked by a railway line 700 km long. Come prepared! Life expectancy 57 years (men), 61 . However, he offered to join us on the journey to Nouadhibou last minute. After gaining self-governance in 1958, Mauritania gained full independence in 1960. There are two types of blankets for sale (they are identical from town to town)one cheaper in quality, and the other better in quality. Read More, The most interesting facts about Palau, from millions of harmless jellyfish to stone monoliths known No tickets, no bookings, no cash, no reservations youre supposed to just hitchhike and hop on top when it arrives! Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Edit here: Anias account of their experience all are big reasons why our group chose to go in the other direction from Nouadhibou: With no iron ore we could use the empty wagons as a cover from the sun and wind if needed, we dont have to scoop out floods of water off the iron ore when boarding, and that the train would be guaranteed to stop for our group at the terminal station in Nouadhibou. Normally, the journey from Choum to Nouadhibou is overnight (but, since we did not leave Choum until 04:45, we spent almost the entire ride under the sun). The railway link between Kaedi and Mauritania is an example of the creative financing of Chinese infrastructure investments in Mauritania. Humidity: 47% | Wind Speed: 13km/hr | Cloud Cover: clear, MAURITANIA JANUARY 2020 SOMETHING TO NOTE ABOUT RIDING THE IRON ORE TRAIN, Four other EPSers and I used Hademine from Time For Mauritania (, Day 1: Nouakchott to Terjit (approximately 5 hours) with a night in Terjit a. lovely desert oasis (much better than spending the night in Atar). [Note: There are two camps. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. It is now one of the country's main exports. One of the longest trains in the world is found in Mauritania. With a population close to fifty thousand, Zourat is not a small town either. Blog. The train then continues on to the harbor to dump the 22,000 tons of ore. Three hours later, the train is back at Nouadhibous station for the return trip. I suggest bringing empty water bottles in case you need to do the same. During this journey, it connects more than 7,172 stations across India. If you leave early enough, you could technically just drive directly from Nouakchott to Choum. The Japanese bullet train system is equipped with a network of sensitive seismometers. The blankets are relatively expensive. Nouadhibou railway station. by Calvin Sun | Jan 23, 2020 | How Did You Do That?, January 2020: The Saharan Odyssey, Mauritania, Public Transportation, Rules Are Meant To Be Broken, Way Way Off the Beaten Path, What Dreams May Come | 0 comments. . Mauritania has a generally flat territory with vast plains . Mauritania became an independent nation on Nov. 28, 1960, and was admitted to the United Nations in 1961 over the strenuous opposition of Morocco, which claimed the territory. On the way to Choum, we each bought one in Atar. The train runs from Zouerate to the coast of Nouadhibou. This railway not only helps drive half the economy of Mauritania, it is also the sole connection to the outside world for the people who live along its route. 700 km. With an area of 1,030,000 square kilometers (400,000 square miles), Mauritania is the 28th largest country in the world, and the 11th largest in Africa. Once it gets dark, you can usually see the Milky Way stretching across the night sky. Per Hademine, for whatever reason, they have been adding water to the wagons in recent weekssomething else to keep in mind! So after a 2 hour nap by midnight and 15km away from our destination, we packed up everything in our wagon and tried to leave no trace behind. At one million square kilometers, Mauritania is not a small country, but a very small percentage of it is habitable. Boarding the train, we were hit with another curveball. They consist of 3 or 4 diesel-electric EMD locomotives, 200 to 210 cars each carrying up to 84 tons of iron ore, and 2-3 service cars. The Mauritania Railway: Backbone of the Sahara 2018 12 m IMDb RATING 8.8 /10 51 YOUR RATING Rate Documentary Short Journey of a 700 km. Additional passenger carriages can be attached to the train, but most often, passengers sit on top of the ore. The total U.S. exports to Mauritania in 2019 were USD 127 million, and imports from Mauritania were USD 61 million, resulting in a U.S. trade surplus with Mauritania of USD 66 million. HOLY SHIT. Depending on the time of year, it can get quite cold at night (todays low was 6C or 43F, plus windchill from the moving train). British nationals in Mauritania requiring consular assistance . But at least the passengers have a working toilet. More information about the video content bellow: 1. This time the wagons are empty, which makes the outbound journey slightly more bearable. The Mauritania Railway is the national railway of Mauritania. with 200 carriages, 3-4 locomotives, weighing up to 84 tons, capable of carrying 17,000 tons of iron ore, and operating all 365 days of the year since 1963. It provides some of the most isolat. Mauritania passed a law to abolish slavery only in 1981. 22.1% of Mauritanias population live in poverty. It is also the world's second-largest railway network operated under single management. how do I clean up? Read onwards! Mauritania is one of the poorest countries in the world, with 40% of its population below poverty line. First, a few facts: Operating since 1963, the iron ore train covers 437 miles (704 kilometers) on its journey across the Sahara Desert from Nouadhibou, on the coast, to Zourat, an iron mine in the center of Mauritania. And if theres ore, you can simply chuck your bags on top before jumping on yourself. The train crawls through the desert, travelling at no more than 50 kilometers per hour. Low rainfall this year left more than a million people . The Mauritania Railway: Backbone of the Sahara is earning early praise, including the top prize for cinematography at the XVI International Film Festival of Almeria, and the jury prize for stylistic achievement and best cinematography at the Social Impact Media Awards 2018. America has more guns than people. Founded in the 3rd century, the UNESCO-listed Archaeological Site of Volubilis in modern-day Morocco was the capital of Mauritania and showcases extensive remains of the Roman city that was built there. Source: UNESCO, 5. It is one of the last countries to do so. Some statistics: The train is 3km in length (way over a mile!) SNIM iron ore train at Nouadhibou station, Mauritania, Five ancient libraries, little changed for centuries, preserve a medieval archive of Quranic lore and civic documents. Mauritania is currently the United States' 172nd largest goods trading partner with USD 189 million in total (two-way) goods trade. Join Macmillan Dictionary on Twitter and Facebook for daily word facts, quizzes and language news. Thesaurus. There are some train rides that youll never forget. Nope. 3. Initially, our tour with Hademine was supposed to end there. Up to 3km in length, the trains are among the longest and heaviest in the world. Boarding the train, we were hit with another curveball. [citation needed]. With barely more than 4.6 million people living here, the country is very sparsely populated! It's part of the Trans-Australian Railway, and crosses the Nullarbor Plain for 478 km (297 . We arrived in Choum just before noon and spent the day hanging out by the tracks. [citation needed], In January 2019, the railway resumed tourism after a ten-year hiatus; part of the track ran through a forbidden tourist area. Yaya asked who those friends were, and before I could answer, Yaya also mentioned that I reminded him of someone that he had met 2 weeks prior in Dakar, Senegal named David Yang. The ore dust gets into every orifice in the body, and penetrates the clothing until everything is stained a rusty red hue. At 3-kilometers in length, trains on this line are among the longest and heaviest in the world. The open-air top provides no respite from the scorching heat of the day and the frigid air of the night. Walking around along the train is allowed in the sense that no-one is checking, but it can be dangerous as there are no barriers, emergency brakes, or, in fact, safety measures of any kind. Mauritania's economic freedom score is 55.3, making its economy the 119th freest in the 2022 Index. 3. This remarkably well-preserved mosque stands amid an 11th-century caravansary. Although he could not make any guarantees, he agreed to make some calls. So either pack ahead or buy some disposable secondhand clothing beforehand! Day 2: Terjit to Choum with a stop in Atar (approximately 2 hours). Oh hey David. The train runs through one of the harshest environments on earth. . Each wagon carries up to 84 tons of iron ore, making the train one of the heaviest and longest in the world. How to say Mauritania with audio by Macmillan Dictionary. Built to transport iron ore reserves from Mauritania across the Sahara Desert, the 704-kilometer Mauritania Railway connects the mining center of Zouerat to the port city of Nouadhibou on Africa's Atlantic coast. 11. It is covered by rows of long dunes, which extend to the sandy and inaccessible coast. . The Mauritania Railway is a 704-kilometer lifeline linking the iron-mining centre of Zouerat with the port of Nouadhibou. This railway, the only one in the country, serves as the lifeline for one of the worlds poorest nations, hauling iron ore from the mines at Zourat to the port city of Nouadhibou to be shipped to China and Japan, as well as to Switzerland, Spain, France, Italy and Germany. here is Davids formal message about his experience, written by his fellow travelers from the Facebook group Every Passport Stamp,namely Ania Budzinski of Travel Bred (who traveled with David as well as Jenna, whom I met in Iraq 2 Mays ago), of their experience heading from Choum to Nouadhibou: Four other EPSers and I used Hademine from Time For Mauritania (http://timeformauritania.com) for a quick 3-day tour in Mauritania, which included riding the iron ore train from Choum to Nouadhibou. BuzzWord. Cartons of apples and oranges, bottles of water are stacked meters high. You can buy blankets in some of the towns along the way (and in Choum for twice the price). Official name: Islamic Republic of MauritaniaCapital city: NouakchottPopulation: 4,005,475Area: 1,030,700 sq kmMajor languages: Arabic, Pular, Soninke, Wolof, FrenchTime zone: UTC 0 (Greenwich Mean Time) Source: CIA World Fact Book, 1. Q802901. In 1989, race riots erupted in Mauritania and Senegal after a border dispute. The Mauritania Railway was opened in 1963, ten years after iron ore was discovered near Kediet ej Jill, Mauritanias highest mountain. {{posts[0].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, {{posts[1].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, {{posts[2].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, {{posts[3].commentsNum}} {{messages_comments}}, Hotel Belvdre: The Iconic Swiss Hotel on The Edge of The Rhone Glacier, Claude Ambroise Seurat: The Living Skeleton, Francis Greenway: The Only Forger to Be Featured on a Banknote, The Mystery of Puma Punkus Precise Stonework, Why Soviet Cosmonauts Carried a Gun to Space, Bummer And Lazarus: San Franciscos Beloved Dogs, 3 Most Impressive Water Bridges Around the World. Once your vehicle is on the train, you can decide to travel inside it, on top of the ore, or a combination of the two. Built to transport Mauritania's vast iron ore reserves, the Mauritania Railway is a 704-kilometer line that cuts through the Sahara Desert on its way from the mining center of Zouerat to the port city of Nouadhibou on Africa's Atlantic coast. Blankets are a must. In 1904, Mauritania was established as a French colonial territory. Source: BBC News, 7. Our turnover thus rose from $ 880 million in 2019 to $ 1 billion 220 million in 2020, an increase of 39%. Mauritania is also one of Africas newest oil producers after the Chinguetti oil field was discovered in 2001 with potential reserves of approximately 120 million barrels of oil. Source: BBC News, 22. If you look at Mauritania from. To date, this remains the case, although slavery is not as severe as it used to be in ancient times. Do not wait until Choum to go shoppingnot much there. Shortly after, we learned that no trains were expected to stop in Choum that evening. It is one of only two non-decimal currencies (not divisible by units of 10 or 100) the other being the Malagasy ariary currency of Madagascar. Source: Investopedia, 25. See. Only passengers with their own vehicle usually go all the way to Zourat, as apart from the iron ore, there is little else there. For a more complete treatment of the country in its regional context, see western Africa, history of. 2. I then consciously convinced myself to go even a step further, walk off alone, and give myself some much needed me-time. [3] Following Mauritania's annexation of southern Western Sahara in 1976, the line came under constant attack by Polisario militia, effectively putting the line out of use and thereby crippling Mauritania's economy. Nouakchott, capital of Mauritannia. Other than that, bring the obvious: some type of goggles, a face mask or two, and something to cover your hair with (you can buy turbans in Atar for cheap). And those of you who are lighter sleepers, good luck as carriages slam into one another constantly and unexpectedly throughout the journey in a way where we called it the sonic boom. (And yet through all of it I was still able to sneak in 2 hours of sleep). Mauritania has one of the longest trains in the world. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Mauritania Mauritania country facts Islamic Republic of Mauritania Africa Nouakchott 3,516,806 inhabitants 1,030,700 sq km 3.41 inhabitants/sq km ouguiyas (MRO) population evolution Introduction Geography People and Society Government Economy Energy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues Largest cities Tourist attractions We were told that it does not usually arrive before 19:00, but that it can really come whenever. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Said to be the same as. Apparently, if no passenger car is attached in Zouerat, the train will not stop. Images, top tourist attractions and famous people of Mauritania. Major religion Islam. Per Hademine, for whatever reason, they have been adding water to the wagons in recent weekssomething else to keep in mind! [4] This played a major role in prompting the army to overthrow Mauritanian president Moktar Ould Daddah in 1978, followed by a withdrawal from Western Sahara the following year. Search . Goats, donkeys and camels are hoisted onto the empty wagons. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Operating since 1963, the Iron Ore Train - Train du Desert in Mauritania - is a train that connects the iron ore mines in the town of Zourat, located deep into the Sahara, with the port of Nouadhibou, located on the Atlantic coast. Those who do not work fast enough are left behind. And if you love stars, youre going to love them here. 10. Source: World Bank, 17. Understand Death from falls is common. After spending the day waiting, we were gutted when the iron ore train just passed us by and did not stop. During the 1850s and 1860s, France gained control of southern Mauritania. Mauritania is surprisingly massive. But, do plan to arrive in Choum early. Roads often have to make detours hundreds of kilometers long just to avoid the drifting sands. The capital of Mauritania is Nouakchott, which means "place of the winds.". https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mauritania_Railway&oldid=1110690691, This page was last edited on 16 September 2022, at 22:55.
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