Hodh El Gharbi Region

Hodh El Gharbi ولاية الحوض الغربي
Region of Mauritania
Landscape in Hodh El Gharbi (near Ayoun)
Coordinates: 16°30′N 10°00′W / 16.500°N 10.000°W / 16.500; -10.000
Country	Mauritania
Departments	4 Aïoun Koubenni Tamchekett Tintane
Capital	Ayoun el Atrous
Area
• Total	53,400 km2 (20,600 sq mi)
Population  (2013 census)
• Total	294,109
• Density	5.5/km2 (14/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+0
• Summer (DST)	not observed
HDI (2017)	0.528[1] low

Hodh El Gharbi (Arabic: ولاية الحوض الغربي, romanized: Wilāyat al-Ḥawḍ al-Gharbī, lit. 'Western Basin Region') is a region in southern Mauritania, with an area of 53,400 square km. The population at the 2013 census was 294,109. Its capital is Aïoun (formerly called Ayoun el Atrous). The region borders the Mauritanian regions of Tagant to the north, Hodh Ech Chargui to the east and Assaba to the west. To the south in borders Mali, and a part of Malian territory protrudes into the region. The Aoukar basin, which formerly gave name to a greater region, is located in the northern and central part of Hodh El Gharbi, extending eastwards.

As of 2013, the population of the region was 294,109, compared to 274,443 in 2011. There were 47.53 per cent females and 52.47 per cent males. As of 2008, the activity rate was 52.00 and economic dependency ratio was 0.88. As of 2008, the literacy rate for people aged 15 years and over was 67.10.