The Mauritanian City: A Conceptual Approach

Abstract

This study addresses a significant issue regarding the lack of a precise definition of the "city" within Mauritanian geographical studies, emphasizing that this concept is fundamental to understanding the rapid transformations the country's urban landscape has undergone in recent decades. Defining the Mauritanian city presents considerable difficulty due to the interplay of historical and administrative dimensions; previous studies have not dedicated independent research to examining the concept from a purely conceptual standpoint. Mauritanian authorities have employed shifting criteria, oscillating between statistical, administrative, and functional standards. Cities in Mauritania suffer from a phenomenon of ongoing "ruralization," as populations have migrated from rural areas to urban centers without abandoning their rural behaviors and nomadic customs. This has created a hybrid urban environment characterized by spontaneity and a lack of "urbanity" in its cultural and social sense. Furthermore, the absence of rigorous urban planning—combined with the prevalence of informal and semi-modern housing in most cities—has resulted in deep structural and morphological imbalances within the Mauritanian urban landscape, necessitating a comprehensive re-evaluation of urban management and planning.