The history of the town of Zouérat is closely linked to the region's iron ore mining. A limited company was formed in 1952 to mine the iron deposits at Kediet Ijill. In 1958, the Société des mines de fer de Mauritanie (MIFERMA) received mining permits, and mining began in 1960. In 1974, Mifema was nationalized.
In 1981 a second iron deposit was discovered at Guelb El Rhein, 35 km north of Zouérat, and in 1990 a third at Mhadaouat, 65 km from Zouérat.
The number of inhabitants increased continuously. In 1977 it was 17,947 and in 1988 it was already 25,892 people, by 2000 it had risen to 33,929. In 2005, an estimated 37,977 people lived in Zouérar, making it the sixth largest city in Mauritania and the largest city in the Tiris Zemmour administrative division.
Translated by Google •
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