Rosso, Mauritania

The border area of Mauritania and Senegal in westernmost Africa is an example of both expanding irrigation and desertification. The international border between Mauritania and Senegal is the Senegal River, flowing westward and interrupting the arid lands to the north and south. The regional capital of southwestern Mauritania is Rosso, which is on the north bank of the river, and the town of Richard Toll ("Richard's Field" in the Wolof language) is on the south bank. The effects of a highway, which connects the regional capital Rosso to the national capital Nouakchott, on the desert is seen in the close-up images.

Imagery

Every picture has a story to tell

Sept. 30, 1972, Landsat 1 (path/row 220/49) — Rosso, Mauritania

Oct. 15, 1989, Landsat 5 (path/row 205/49) — Rosso, Mauritania

Nov. 4, 1999, Landsat 7 (path/row 205/49) — Rosso, Mauritania

Nov. 13, 2011, Landsat 5 (path/row 205/49) — Rosso, Mauritania

Jan. 6, 2020, Landsat 8 (path/row 205/49) — Rosso, Mauritania

Jan. 22, 2023, Landsat 9 (path/row 205/49) — Rosso, Mauritania

Correlated

Additional story information

Downloads

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Mainguet, M., 1994, Desertification—natural background and human mismanagement: Berlin, Springer-Verlag, 314 p.

Toupet, Charles, 1977, Atlas de la Republique Islamique de Mauritainie: Paris, Editions Jeune Afrique, 64 p.

United Nations Environment Programme, 1997, World atlas of desertification (2d ed.): London, Edward Arnold, 182 p.

United Nations Environment Programme, 2008, Mauritania, in Africa—Atlas of our changing environment: Nairobi, Kenya, United Nations Environment Programme, p. 236–241.

Gorse, J. E., and Steeds, D. R., 1987, Desertification in the Sahelian and Sudanian zones of west Africa: Washington, D.C., The World Bank, 62 p.