History of rail transport in Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the western part of Africa. Rail transport in Mauritania refers to the methods of transportation of goods and people using a train system.
The history of rail transport in Mauritania dates back to the early 1900s when the French colonial administration in the country saw the need for a reliable transportation system to move iron ore extracted from the Fderîck iron ore mine in northern Mauritania to the sea for export.
A railway line of about 700 km was constructed between the iron ore mine at Zouerate and the coastal town of Nouadhibou in the late 1960s. This railway line was built by the iron ore mining company Fderîck and the construction was completed in 1963. The railway line, also known as the Mauritania Railway, was initially built to transport around 6 million tonnes of iron ore annually.
The railway line is one of the longest and heaviest trains in the world. It consists of 200 wagons and two to three locomotives at the front, as well as another two to three locomotives at the rear, which ensures that the train can handle the weight of the iron ore it transports.
Over the years, the railway line has undergone various upgrades and expansions, including the addition of a second track in 2012 to increase the capacity to transport over 40 million tonnes of iron ore.
Today, the railway line is a crucial part of the Mauritanian economy, transporting iron ore from the mines to the port of Nouadhibou for export. It also serves as a main form of transportation for the people in the areas close to the railway line, with passenger trains running twice a week between Nouadhibou and Zouerate.
Thus, rail transport in Mauritania is an important aspect of the country's economy and history, playing a vital role in the transportation of goods and people.
The history of rail transport in Mauritania dates back to the early 1900s when the French colonial administration in the country saw the need for a reliable transportation system to move iron ore extracted from the Fderîck iron ore mine in northern Mauritania to the sea for export.
A railway line of about 700 km was constructed between the iron ore mine at Zouerate and the coastal town of Nouadhibou in the late 1960s. This railway line was built by the iron ore mining company Fderîck and the construction was completed in 1963. The railway line, also known as the Mauritania Railway, was initially built to transport around 6 million tonnes of iron ore annually.
The railway line is one of the longest and heaviest trains in the world. It consists of 200 wagons and two to three locomotives at the front, as well as another two to three locomotives at the rear, which ensures that the train can handle the weight of the iron ore it transports.
Over the years, the railway line has undergone various upgrades and expansions, including the addition of a second track in 2012 to increase the capacity to transport over 40 million tonnes of iron ore.
Today, the railway line is a crucial part of the Mauritanian economy, transporting iron ore from the mines to the port of Nouadhibou for export. It also serves as a main form of transportation for the people in the areas close to the railway line, with passenger trains running twice a week between Nouadhibou and Zouerate.
Thus, rail transport in Mauritania is an important aspect of the country's economy and history, playing a vital role in the transportation of goods and people.