Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

West Africa

  • Reference work entry
The World’s Coasts: Online

  • 318 Accesses

13.1 13.1 Mauritania

Compiled by: Geostudies, as an edited version of a chapter by D.E. Vermeer in The World’s Coastline (1985: 549–553). A new version is in preparation.

Last revised: April 2002

13.1.1 Introduction

The Mauritanian coast of West Africa is one of the chief desert coasts of the world. It stretches about 850 km between 16° N and 21° N. Atmospheric subsidence associated with the subtropical high pressure belt accounts for the aridity of those latitudes, but the aridity of coastal Mauritania is intensified by cold-water upwelling and associated temperature inversions induced by the Canary Current setting southward at 0.5 knot. Annual precipitation along the coast ranges from less than 50 mm in the north to little more than 300 mm in the vicinity of the Senegal River delta in the south.

Three promontories, two within Mauritania and the third to the south in Senegal, anchor this coastal zone and create two distinct sections. The northern section between Cape Blanc and Cape...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 495.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Atlas de la Republique Islamique de Mauritanie. Editions Jeune Afrique, Paris.

    Google Scholar 

  • Einsele, G., Herm, D. and Schwarz, H. U. 1974 Holocene eustatic (?) sea level fluctuations at the coast of Mauritania, Meteor Forschungsergebnisse, Reihe C 18: 43–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elouard, P. 1966. Le quaternaire du bassin du Sénégal. In D. Reyre (ed.) Bassins Sedimentaires du Littoral Africain, Association des services géologique africains, Paris: 95–97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hogben, H. and Lumb, E. E. 1967 Ocean Wave Statistics. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarnthein, M. and Diester-Haass, L. 1977 Eolian-sand turbidites. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 47: 868–890.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarnthein, M. and Walger, E. 1974 Der aolische Sandstrom aus der W Sahara zur Atlantikküste. Geologische Rundschau, 63: 1065–1087.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wright, L. D. and Coleman, J. M. 1973 Variations in morphology of major river deltas as functions of ocean wave and river discharge regime. Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 57: 370–398.

    Google Scholar 

References

  • Ausseil-Badie, J., Giresse, P. and Pazdur, M. 1991 Holocene deltaic sequence in the Sakoum estuary, Senegal. Quaternary Research, 36: 178–194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barusseau, J. P., Descamps, C. and Golf, A. 1996 Evidence for short term retreat of the barrier shoreline. Quaternary Science Reviews, 15: 763–771.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diop, E. S., Sall, M. M. and Verger, F. 1978 Automated cartography on a tropical coast: Saloum Island, Senegal, from Landsat 1 (in French) Photo-Interpretation, 6–5 a, b.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faure, H. and Elouard, P. 1967 Variations in the level of the Aztlantic Ocean on the West African coast in the last 40,000 years (in French). Academy de Science, Comptes Rendus, 265: 784–787.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giresse, P., Barusseau, J. P., Causse, C. and Dioul, B. 2000 Successions of sea-level changes during the Pleistocene in Mauritania and Senegal distinguished by sedimentary facies study and U/Th dating. Marine Geology, 170: 123–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guilcher, A, Berthois, L. and Battistini, R. 1962 Shore corrosion forms on volcanic rocks, particularly in Madagascar and at Cape Verde (Senegal). Cahiers Océanographique, 14: 208–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guilcher, A, and Nicolas, J. P. 1954 Observations on the Langue de Barbarie and the Senegal River near Saint Louis. (in French) Bulletin d’Information, Comité Central d’Océanographique, Paris, 6: 227–242.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michel, P. 1973 A geomorphological study of the basins of the Senegal and Gambier Rivers. (in French) Office de Recherche Scientifique et Technique d’Outre-mer Mémoir 63, Paris.

    Google Scholar 

References

  • Ayme, J. M. 1965 The Senegal salt basin. In Salt Basins around Africa, Petroleum Institute, London: 83–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berthois, L. 1958 Formation of estuaries and deltas. (in French) Academie de Science, Comptes Rendus, 247: 947–950.

    Google Scholar 

  • Domain, E. 1979 Sedimentological map of the Senegal-Gambian continental plateau (parts of Mauritania and Guinea Bissau). (in French) Centre de Recherches Océanographiques de Thiaroye.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guilcher, A. 1979 Marshes and estuaries in different latitudes. Interdisciplinary Science Review, 4: 158–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacMaster, R. L., Lachance, T. P. and Ashraf, A. 1970 Continental shelf geomorphic features of Portuguese Guinea, Guinea and Sierra Leone (Afrique de l’Ouest). Marine Geology, 9: 203–213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

References

  • Berthois, L. 1958 The formation of estuaries and deltas. Academie de Science, Comptes Rendus, 247: 947–950.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guilcher, A. 1979 Marshes and estuaries in different latitudes. Interdisciplinary Science Review, 4: 158–;168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacMaster, R. L., Lachance, T. P. and Ashraf, A. 1970 Continental shelf geomorphic features of Portuguese Guinea, Guinea and Sierra Leone (West Africa). Marine Geology, 9: 203–;213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

References

  • Gregory, S. 1962. The raised beaches of the peninsular area of Sierra Leone. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers,31: 15–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, M. E. 1973 The sediments of tropical African estuaries, Freetown Peninsular, Sierra Leone. Geologie en Mijnbouw, 52: 203–215.

    Google Scholar 

  • Worrell, G. A. 1969 Present day and subfossil beach cusps on the West African coast. Journal of Geology, 77: 484–487.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Worrell, G. A. 1970 Sherbro Island, Sierra Leone. Bulletin de l’Institut France d’Afrique Noire, Series A 32: 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

References

  • Gnielinski, S. 1972 Liberia in Maps. University of London Press, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schulze, W. 1973 A New Geography of Liberia. Longman, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stanley W R. 1970 Transport expansion in Liberia. Geographical Review, 60: 529–547.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tricart, J. 1962 Observations on shore morphology at Mamba Point (in French). Erdkunde, 16: 49–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • White, R. W. 1972 Stratigraphy and Structure of Basins on the Coast of Liberia. Geological Survey Special Paper, 3. Monrovia.

    Google Scholar 

References

  • Hinschberger, F. and Pomel, R. 1972 The morphology of rocky coasts between Monogaga and Sassandra (Ivory Coast). (in French) Annales de l’Université d’Abidjan, G4: 7–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hinschberger, F. and Pomel, R. 1979 Morphological account of the Ivory Coast. (in French) Atlas de Côte d’Ivoire, O.R.S.TO.M. Paris, et Institut de Géographie Tropicale, Abidjan. Map Al.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, L. 1979 Sedimentology of the continental plateau of the Ivory Coast. (in French) Atlas de Côte d’Ivoire, O.R.S.TO.M. Paris, et Institut de Géographie Tropicale, Abidjan. Map A2b.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pomel, R. 1980 Physical geography of the lower Ivory Coast. (in French) Norois, 27: 348–350.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tastet, J. P. 1977 The Quaternary of the Ivory Coast. (in French) Recherches Françaises sur le Quaternaire. Bulletin Association Française Etude Quaternaire, Supplement: 172–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tricart, J. 1957 Geomorphological problems of the western Ivory Coast. (in French) Bulletin d’Institut Français d’Afrique Noire, 19: 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

References

  • Davies, O. 1964 The Quaternary in the Coastlands of Guinea. Jackson Son & Co., Glasgow.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dei, L. A. 1972a The central coastal plains of Ghana: a morphological and sedimentological study. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie, 16: 415–431.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dei, L. A. 1972b Some observations on Ghanaian beach rocks. Journal of Tropical Geography, 35:26–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Del, L. A. 1975 Morphology of the rocky shoreline of Ghana: Eustatic? Bulletin of the Ghana Geographical Association,17: 1–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghana Public Works Department 1960 Report on Coastal Erosion, Sea Defences and Lagoon Flooding at Keta. Ghana Public Works Department, Accra.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCallien, W J. 1962 The Rocks of Accra. Curwen Press, London.

    Google Scholar 

References

  • Anthony, E. J. and Blivi, A. B. 1999 Morphosedimentary evolution of a delta-sourced drift-aligned sand barrier-lagoon complex, western Bight of Benin. Marine Geology, 158: 161–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guilcher, A. 1954 Dynamics and morphology of the sandy Atlantic coasts of Africa. (in French) Cahiers d’Information Géographique, 1: 57–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guilcher, A. 1959 Coastal sand ridges and marshes and their continental environment near Grand Popo and Ouidah, Dahomey. Proceedings of the 2nd Coastal Geography Conference, Office of Naval Research, Washington, D.C: 155–167.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guilcher, A. 1978 Comparative observations on a shore complex of the Atlantic coast of Africa (in French) Norois, 25: 551–556.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lang, J. and Paradis, G. 1977 The shore features of southern Benin. (in French) Revue de Géographie Physique et Géologie Dynamique, 19: 295–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paradis, G. 1980 An example of bare zones in mangroves on the West African coast: those due to salt extraction. (in French) Bulletin de la Musée Naturale Histoire, Paris, 4(2)B: 227–261.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paradis, G. and Adjanohoun, E. 1974 The impact of salt manufacture on the mangrove vegetation and geomorphology of Lower Dahomey. (in French) Annales de la Université d’Abidjan, E 7(1): 599–612.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tastet, J. P. 1977 Pleistocene to Holocene sedimentary formations on the coast of Togo and the Peoples’ Republic of Benin. (in French) Recherches Françaises Quaternaire, Bulletin INQUA, Supplement: 155–167.

    Google Scholar 

References

  • Adejuwon, J. O. 1970 The ecological status of coastal savanna in Nigeria. Journal of Tropical Geography, 30: 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, J. R L. 1965a Coastal geomorphology of eastern Nigeria beach ridge barriers and vegetated tidal flats. Geologie en Mijnbouw, 27: 1–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, J. R L. 1965b Late Quaternary Niger delta and adjacent areas. Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, 49: 547–600.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clason, E. W H., Tellegen, B. D. H., Frijlink, H. C., Thijsse, J. T., Jansen, P. P. and Schijf, J. B. 1954 Report on the Western Niger Delta by the Netherlands Engineering Consultants to the Government of Nigeria, Lagos. NEDECO, The Hague.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guilcher, A. 1959 Coastal sand ridges and marshes and their environment near Grand Popo and Quidah Dahomey., Proceedings of the 2nd Coastal Geography Conference. Washington: 189–212.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pugh, J. C. 1953 The Porto Novo-Badagry sand ridge complex. University College, Ibadan, Department of Geography Research. Notes 3: 3–14.

    Google Scholar 

  • Usoro, E. J., 1977. Coastal development in Lagos area. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

    Google Scholar 

References

  • Ngwa, J. A. 1967 An Outline Geography of the Republic of Cameroon. Longmans, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orme, A. R. 1982 Africa, coastal morphology. In M. L. Schwartz (ed.) The Encyclopedia of Beaches and Coastal Environments. Hutchinson Ross Publishing Company, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania: 17–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pritchard, J. M. 1971 Africa: The Geography of a Changing Continent. Africana Publishing Corp., New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Chi-Bonnardel, R, 1973 The Atlas of Africa. Jeune Afrique, Paris.

    Google Scholar 

References

  • Cosson, J. 1955 Notice explicative sur les feuilles Pointe-Noire et Brazzaville. Carte geologique de reconnaissance au 1:500,000. Brazzaville.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furon, R. 1932 Les roches phosphatées de la côte du Gabon. Societé Geologique de la France, Bulletin, 5: 501–511.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giresse, P. and Kouyoumontzakis, G. 1971 Geologie du sous-sol de Pointe-Noire et des fonds sous-marins voisins. Annales Université de Brazzaville 7:97–114.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lanfranchi, R. 1978 Rapport des missions d’études et de recherches préhistoriques pour l’année universitaire 1976–77. Université Marien NGouabi.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moguedet, G. 1980 La mangrove du Congo. Les Rivages Tropicaux-Mangrove d’Afrique et d’Asie. Talence: 1–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rémy, J. M. 1954 Contribution a l’étude de la terrasse marine de la Pointe Kudevele (Congo). Review of Zoology and Botany of Africa,48:24–26.

    Google Scholar 

References

  • Feio, M. 1964 On the evolution of the Great Escarpment in the southwest of Angola (in Portuguese). Garcia de Orta, 12: 323–354.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guilcher, A. 1954 Dynamics and morphology of the sandy coasts of Atlantic Africa. (in French). Cahiers d’Information Géographique, 1: 57–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guilcher, A., Medeiros, C. A., Matos, J. E. and Oliveira, J. T. 1974 The restingas (longshore spits) of Angola. (in French) Finisterra, 9: 117–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jessen, 0. 1936 Travels and Research in Angola. (in German). Reimer, Andrews and Steiner, Berlin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soares de Carvalho, G. 1961 Geology of the Mocamedes desert. (in Portuguese). Junta Investigacione Ultramar, Memoir 26.

    Google Scholar 

References

  • Bremner, J. M. 1973 Report on a desert journey from Walvis Bay to Black Rocks, Southwest Africa, 6th Jan.–12th Jan. 1973. Internal Marine Geoscience Unit Report, 6 p.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carrington, A J. and Kensley, B. E. 1969 Pleistocene molluscs from the Namaqualand coast. Annals of the South African Museum, 52: 189–223.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dingle, R. V., Bremner, J. M., Giraudeau, J. and Buhmann, D. 1996 Modern and palaeo-oceanographic environments under Benguela upwelling cells off southern Namibia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 123, 85–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eckardt, F. D., Drake, N., Goudie, A. S., White, K. and Viles, H. 2001 The role of playas in pedogenic gypsum crust formation in the Central Namib Desert: a theoretical model. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 26, 1177–1193.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emery, K. O., Milliman, J. D. and Uchupi, E. 1973 Physical properties and suspended matter of surface waters in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 43: 822–827.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goudie, A. S. and Eckardt, F. 1999 The evolution of the morphological framework of the Central Namib Desert, Namibia, since the early Cretaceous. Geografiska Annaler, 81A, 443–458.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haughton, S. H. 1963 Stratigraphic History of Africa South of the Sahara. Oliver & Boyd Ltd., London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lancaster, J. Lancaster, N. and Seely, M. K. 1984 Climate of the Central Namib Desert. Madoqua, 14, 5–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lancaster, N. 1982. Dunes on the Skeleton Coast, Namibia: geomorphology and grain size relationships. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 7, 575–587.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lancaster, N. and Ollier, C. D. 1983 Sources of sand for the Namib Sand Sea. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie, Supplementband 45, 71–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, H. 1973 The Atlantic margin of southern Africa between latitude 17° south and the Cape of Good Hope. In A. E. M. Nairn and E. G. Stehli (eds.) The Ocean Basins and Margins, 1. Plenum, New York: 277–300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Massmann, U. 1983 Swakopmund. Swakopmund Society for Scientific Development and Museum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller, R. McG. and Schalk, K. E. L. 1980 Geological Map of South West Africa. Geological Survey of South Africa, Pretoria.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliver, J. 1995 Spatial distribution of fog in the Namib. Journal of Arid Environments, 29, 129–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. Pallett (ed.) 1995 The Sperrgebiet. NAMDEB, Windhoek.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, J. 1977 Sediments on the Continental Margin of the Orange River and the Namib Desert. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Cape Town.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi, N., Schneider, R., Beug, H-J, and Dupont, L. M. 2001 Southeast trade wind variations during the last 135 kyr: evidence from pollen spectra in eastern South Atlantic sediments. Earth and Planetary Science Letters,187, 311–321.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Siesser W G. and Salmon, D. 1979 Eocene marine sediments in the Sperrgebiet, South West Africa. Annals of the South African Museum, 79: 9–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tripp, R. T. 1975 South African Sailing Directions. South African Navy Directorate of Hydrography, Youngfield, South Africa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ward, J. D. 1988 Eolian, fluvial and pan (playa) facies of the Tertiary Tsondab Sandstone Formation in the Central Namib Desert, Namibia. Sedimentary Geology, 55, 143–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Eric C. F. Bird
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Eric C. F. Bird

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers

About this entry

Cite this entry

Bird, E.C.F. (2003). West Africa. In: Bird, E.C.F. (eds) The World’s Coasts: Online. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48369-6_14

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48369-6_14

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-306-48369-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation