[:ja]ルカ・パルミタノ宇宙飛行士がISSから撮影したモーリタニアのサハラ砂漠の砂紋です。
アフリカ大陸の西側に位置するモーリタニアは、全土がサハラ砂漠に位置するため、国土の90%以上が砂漠であり、中央部にリシャット構造と呼ばれる同心円状の特徴的な地形があります。南部のセネガル国境を成すセネガル川流域や点在するオアシスが僅かに乾燥を免れた地域となっています。近年サハラ砂漠の砂漠化の拡大が問題となっています。環境上の特徴や、地球温暖化を含む気候変動など、複数の要因があげられますが、この砂漠化は、砂嵐などによる砂丘での砂の移動によって悪化しています。また、モーリタニアの主産業は鉱業と水産業です。北部のズエラットで採掘される鉄鉱石が経済の柱となっており、また、イカ・タコ類の輸出はGDPに大きな貢献をしています。
首都ヌアクショットの地上の様子はこちらです。
参考文献： Luca Parmitano’s Tweet
地球俯瞰画像を見る： LiVEARTH
[Earthview Wonders] No.1105: Art in Mauritania🇲🇷
Astronaut Luca Parmitano captured from ISS the artistic sand shapes of Sahara Desert in Mauritania.
Approximately 90% of Mauritania’s land is within the Sahara Desert and semidesert. As a result of extended, severe drought, the desert has been expanding since the mid-1960s. The population is concentrated in the south, where precipitation is slightly higher. The capital and largest city is Nouakchott, located on the Atlantic coast, which is home to around one-third of the country’s 4 million people. The country’s official religion is Islam, with almost the entire population being Sunni Muslims. Arabic is the official language, with French also widely used due to its colonial history. Despite an abundance of natural resources, Mauritania remains poor. The country’s economy is based on agriculture and livestock, and major industries include mining (particularly iron ore), petroleum, and fishing.
The local scenery on the ground is as follows.
Reference: Luca Parmitano’s Tweet
See earthview photo gallery: LiVEARTH[:en][Earthview Wonders] No.1105: Art in Mauritania🇲🇷
Astronaut Luca Parmitano captured from ISS the artistic sand shapes of Sahara Desert in Mauritania.
Approximately 90% of Mauritania’s land is within the Sahara Desert and semidesert. As a result of extended, severe drought, the desert has been expanding since the mid-1960s. The population is concentrated in the south, where precipitation is slightly higher. The capital and largest city is Nouakchott, located on the Atlantic coast, which is home to around one-third of the country’s 4 million people. The country’s official religion is Islam, with almost the entire population being Sunni Muslims. Arabic is the official language, with French also widely used due to its colonial history. Despite an abundance of natural resources, Mauritania remains poor. The country’s economy is based on agriculture and livestock, and major industries include mining (particularly iron ore), petroleum, and fishing.
The local scenery on the ground is as follows.
Reference: Luca Parmitano’s Tweet
See earthview photo gallery: LiVEARTH[:]