Assaba Region
Assaba is a region in southern Mauritania, covering an area of 36,600 square km. It had a population of 325,897 at the 2013 Census. Its capital is Kifa. Other major cities/towns include Guerou. The region borders the Mauritanian regions of Brakna and Tagant to the north, the Mauritanian region of Hodh El Gharbi to the east, Mali to the south, and the Mauritanian regions of Gorgol and Guidimaka to the west. The Aoukar basin, which formerly gave name to the greater region, is located in the north and the east of the central part of Assaba.
As of 2013, the population of the region was 325,897, compared to 338,708 in 2011. There were 46.73 per cent females and 53.27 per cent males. As of 2008, the activity rate was 46.00 and economic dependency ratio was 1.13. As of 2008, the literacy rate for people aged 15 years and over was 50.30.
Geography
Mauritania is mostly covered with desert, with only its western regions around the coast of Atlantic Ocean having some vegetation. There are some oasis in the desert regions. Since it is a desert, there are large shifting dunes forming temporary ranges. The average elevation is around above the mean sea level. The rainfall in the northern regions closer to the Tropic of Cancer receives around of annual rainfall compared to the southern portions that receives around. The average temperature is, while during the night it reaches. Due to the geography, the inhabitants historically, have been nomadic. In modern times, people have migrated to urban centres during the drought in 1970 and 1980. There are a few sedentary cultivators, who are located only in the Southern regions of the country. Research has indicated that the Saharan movement has resulted in reduction of rains in the region from the 1960s, when it received close to of rainfall.Demographics
As of 2013, the population of the region was 325,897, compared to 338,708 in 2011. There were 46.73 per cent females and 53.27 per cent males. As of 2008, the activity rate was 46.00 and economic dependency ratio was 1.13. The fraction of people working in government was 3.50 per cent, individual / household private was 27.80 per cent, other was 66.30 per cent, para public was 0.60 per cent, and private enterprise was 1.80 per cent. The Grand Total as of 2008 was 641.13. As of 2007, the number of tourist establishments in the region was 3. As of 2008, the Couples with children was 32.80 and couples without children was 3.50. The proportion with extended family was 22.00 per cent and extended single-parent was 13.00 per cent, one-person was 3.70 per cent, and single-parent nuclear was 25.00 per cent.Economy and health
As of 2013, the coverage rate of DPT3 Children From 0 to 11 Months in the region was 86.10 per cent, BGC vaccination was 107.70 and polio vaccination coverage was 83.40. As of 2008, the rate of household confirming the existence of public telephone in their neighbourhood or village was 78.24, rate of households benefiting from electricity post in their neighbourhood was 2.91 per cent, rate of households benefiting from health centre or health post in their neighbourhood was 4.85 per cent, and rate of households benefiting from sanitary services was 1.66 per cent. As of 2008, the literacy rate for people aged 15 years and over was 50.30. The net enrolment ratio of girls for secondary level was 7.00 per cent, net enrolment ratio of boys for secondary level was 7.20 per cent, and Total net enrolment ratio at secondary level was 7.10 per cent.Local administration
| Region | Area | Population at Census 25 March 2013 |
| Barkeol | 7,000 | 79,901 |
| Boumdeïd | 4,700 | 7,917 |
| Guerou | 3,600 | 44,870 |
| Kankoussa | 10,600 | 82,495 |
| Kiffa | 10,700 | 110,714 |
The local administration is adopted from French local administration framework with a Ministry of Internal Control governing the local bodies. The original administration was held by Governors of each district, but after the municipal elections in 1994, the powers has been decentralized from the district bodies. Mauritania has been divided into 13 wilayas, including the Nouakchott Capital District. The smallest administrative division in the country is the commune and the country has 216 of them. A group of communes form a moughataa and the group of moughataa form a district. There are total of 53 moughataa for the 13 districts in the country. The executive power of the district is vested on a district chief, while it is on hakem for moughataa. Out of the 216 communes, 53 classified as urban and rest 163 are rural. The communes are responsible for overseeing and coordinating development activities and are financed by the state. The Local Governments have their own legal jurisdiction, financial autonomy, an annual budget, staff, and an office. The elections for the local government are conducted every five years along with Senate and Parliamentary elections. On account of the political instability, the last elections were held in 2006. Assaba Region is divided into five departments, listed below with their area and populations at the 2013 Census: