Oualata
Oualata
Arabic: ولاتة | |
|---|---|
Commune and town | |
View of the town looking in a southeasterly direction | |
| Coordinates: 17°18′00″N 7°01′30″W / 17.3°N 7.025°W | |
| Country | Mauritania |
| Region | Hodh Ech Chargui |
| Area | |
• Total | 93,092 km2 (35,943 sq mi) |
| Population (2023 census) | |
• Total | 4,782 |
| • Density | 0.051/km2 (0.13/sq mi) |
| Official name | Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt and Oualata |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iii, iv, v |
| Designated | 1996 (20th session) |
| Reference no. | 750 |
| Region | Arab States |
Oualata or Walāta (Arabic: ولاتة) (also Biru in 17th century chronicles) is a small oasis town in southeast Mauritania, located at the eastern end of the Aoukar basin. Oualata was important as a caravan city in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries as the southern terminus of a trans-Saharan trade route and now it is a World Heritage Site.
The whole Oualata commune has a total size of 93,092 square kilometres (35,943 sq mi), mostly consisting of desert. The main town is located in the south of the commune.