Néma
Encyclopedia
Néma is a town in southeastern Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...

, close to the border with Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...

. It is located at around 16°37′0"N 7°15′0"W. It is the capital of Hodh Ech Chargui Region and of the Néma Department.

While the urban population of Nema is approximately 50-60,000, the surrounding rural sites served by the city make it closer to 200,000. Mauritanians value brousse, or country living, as a throwback to their nomadic roots. "The Road of Hope", which stretches from the capital, Nouakchott, ends in Nema near the market quartier. There are ten quartiers, sections, of the city, the oldest being Edelibu Quartier, northeast of the road. Shovia Quartier, dating from the 1950s, is the only section south of the road.

Facilities

There is a hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....

 with less than ten doctors but the women's services section is well-staffed and efficient. It is overseen by the DRAS, or regional medical director.

As it is the capital of the Hodh-el-Shargi Region, Nema has a wali (regional governor), Maire (mayor for municipal affairs), and Hakim (deals with civil matters), in descending order of influence. There are eleven madrasas (primary schools), two colleges (middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...

s), and a lycee (high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

). These are overseen by the DREN, or regional education director. There is a Condition Feminine, or Women's Ministry, overseeen by a woman appointed by the national government.

In addition, there are numerous NGOs (non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...

s) present including Sante Sud, a French health organization. The Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...

 (American) was present 2007-2008.

Demographics

The cultural demographic is predominantly Moor
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...

, but there are Pulaar
Pulaar
Pulaar is a Fula language spoken primarily as a first language by Fula people and Tukolor in the Senegal River valley area traditionally known as Futa Tooro, and further south and east...

 and Bambara present.

Transport

Nema is close to the Malian border and there is constant traffic, either heading south to Mali via Adel Bagrou
Adel Bagrou
Adel Bagrou is a town and commune in the Hodh Ech Chargui Region of south-eastern Mauritania. It is located near the border with Mali.As of 2000 it had a population of 36,007.-References:...

, East to Bassikounou and Léré
Léré, Mali
Léré is a village and commune of the Cercle of Niafunké in the Tombouctou Region of Mali. As of 1998 the commune had a population of 8,781.-References:...

 (Mali) or north to the ancient town of Oualata
Oualata
Oualata or Walata is a small oasis town in south east Mauritania that was important in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries as the southern terminus of a trans-Saharan trade route...

 .

Tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...

 from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 picks up in November and December when the temperatures become bearable.

The carrier Mauritania Airways
Mauritania Airways
Mauritania Airways S.A. was an airline based in Nouakchott, Mauritania, operating out of Nouakchott International Airport.-History:The company was established in December 2006, but made its first flight only on 7 November 2007...

 will start flights from Néma to Nouakchott
Nouakchott
-Government:The town was first divided into districts in 1973. First it was divided into four. From 1986, the city has been split into nine districts.* Arafat* Dar Naim* El Mina* Ksar* Riad* Sebkha* Tevragh-Zeina* Teyarett* Toujounine...

, Abidjan
Abidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...

 and Las Palmas. These destinations will begin in October 2009 and March 2010. The most common form of transport into and out of Nema is car, though donkey cart, camel, and foot is always available. There is one hotel, Hotel Deraha, on the west side of the city right off the road. Mauritanians are always hospitable, though, and it is entirely possible to find short-term lodging with complete strangers.

Nema is bounded on the north and east sides by small mountain plateaus and provides many opportunities for hiking.

Recent History

Al Qaeda in the Maghreb (AQIM) became active in the desert regions of Mauritania, including Hodh el Chargui, in the summer of 2008. The area is considered dangerous to western foreigners.
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