1. Nouakchott – 1,446,000
Capital and largest city; political, economic, and port hub.
2. Nouadhibou – 174,000
Major Atlantic port and second-largest urban center.
3. Kiffa – 72,000
Regional capital of Assaba; agriculture and trade.
4. Zouérat – 62,000
Northern mining city at the heart of iron-ore production.
5. Kaédi – 58,000
Gorgol River port and regional market center.
6. Rosso – 43,000
Key Senegal River crossing and trade hub.
7. Sélibaby – 41,000
Guidimaka capital with strong agricultural base.
8. Néma – 35,000
Eastern regional capital near the Mali border.
9. Aïoun el Atrouss – 34,000
Hodh El Gharbi administrative center.
10. Atar – 33,000
Adrar oasis city on trans-Saharan routes.
11. Tintane – 32,000
Transport and farming hub in Hodh El Gharbi.
12. Boutilimit – 31,000
Trarza town noted for religious schools and markets.
13. Boghé – 30,000
Brakna river town serving a wide farming hinterland.
14. Kankossa – 25,000
Assaba trade center near the Malian frontier.
15. Guérou – 24,000
Assaba interior town with weekly markets.
16. Tékane – 22,000
Growing Brakna settlement on the lower Senegal plain.
17. Bassikounou – 21,000
Southeast crossroads town close to Mali.
18. Aleg – 19,000
Brakna regional capital and road junction.
19. Tidjikja – 15,000
Tagant oasis town famed for date culture.
20. Akjoujt – 12,000
Inchiri mining town and regional seat.
21. Fderîk – 11,000
Tiris Zemmour mining outpost near Zouérat.
22. R’Kiz – 11,000
Trarza town anchoring irrigated farming areas.
23. Ould Yengé – 10,000
Guidimaka town serving surrounding villages.
24. Tamchekett – 10,000
Hodh El Gharbi interior center for livestock trade.
25. Ghabou – 10,000
Guidimaka river-valley market town.
26. Gouraye – 10,000
Guidimaka border-area trading point.
27. M’Bout – 10,000
Gorgol district town and transport node.
28. Maghama – 10,000
Gorgol river settlement with riverine farming.
29. Bababé – 9,000
Brakna market town on the Senegal River.
30. M’Bagne – 8,000
Brakna farming center and ferry point.
31. Keur-Macène – 8,000
Trarza wetland-edge town with fishing and rice.
32. Amourj – 7,000
Hodh Ech Chargui town on routes to Néma.
33. Médérdra – 7,000
Trarza town serving irrigated fields and villages.
34. Aoujeft – 7,000
Adrar oasis town on the Atar-Chinguetti road.
35. Chinguetti – 6,000
Saharan manuscript city and UNESCO site.
36. Monguel – 6,000
Gorgol administrative center inland from Kaédi.
37. Oualata – 5,000
Historic Sahara caravan town near the Malian border.
The above is subject to change.
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