Mahdia Governorate

Mahdia Governorate (Tunisian Arabic: ولاية المهدية) is in central-eastern Tunisia, named after its largest town and administrative centre. It comprises an area of coastal relative lowland, but extends further inland than its coastal length. It is one of the twenty-four governorates (provinces). It covers an area of 2,966 km², and has a population of 410,812 (as at the 2014 census).[1] Four other governorates are its neighbours - clockwise from south, Sfax, Kairouan, Sousse and Monastir Governorates.

Mahdia

ولاية المهدية
Map of Tunisia with Mahdia highlighted
Subdivisions of Mahdia Governorate
Coordinates: 35°30′N 11°04′E
CountryTunisia
CreatedJune 5, 1974
CapitalMahdia
Area
  Total2,966 km2 (1,145 sq mi)
Area rankRanked 16th of 24
Population
 (2014)
  Total410,812
  RankRanked 14th of 24
  Density140/km2 (360/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01 (CET)
Postal prefix
xx
ISO 3166 codeTN-53

Economic summary

Swordfish on a roundabout in Mahdia. The tourist industry is reflected in the area by luxury accommodation, restaurants and impressive works of art.

Mahdia, the administrative centre, is a coastal resort with prominent weaving and fish processing industries.[2]

The other coastal urban centre is the small town of Chebba, on the headland of a bay. Ksour Essef is midway between these towns and approximately 2.5 km inland. El Djem is 13 km inland and a mid-sized town on a major crossroads of roads in the district and having Tunisia's main north-south railway. The nearest international airport is connected by road and rail and is 15 km north of Mahdia (the town), Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport.

Synopsis of history

Ship's anchor of the Mahdia shipwreck, many of the artefacts of which are in the Bardo National Museum in Tunis.

The two main coastal cities are of historic note to Greek, Roman, and early Muslim societies. They include the Mahdia shipwreck – a sunken ship found off Mahdia's shore, containing Greek art treasures – dated to about 80 BC, the early part of Roman rule in this region. The old part of Mahdia corresponds to the Roman city called Aphrodisium and, later, called Africa (a name perhaps derived from the older name),[3][4] or Cape Africa.[5][6][7][8]

Climate

The climate is semiarid throughout particularly in the summer and due to the high albedo effects compared to provinces of the far north, nighttime temperatures tend to fall more, to a similar temperature to average upland parts of the north. Much of the developed area benefits from the Sousse area's advanced water distribution network from dammed rivers and lakes including those hundreds of miles to the west which provides water for domestic use and pools.

Administrative divisions

The governorate is divided into eleven delegations (mutamadiyat), listed below with their populations at the 2004 and 2014 Censuses:[9]

DelegationArea
in km2
Pop'n
2004
Census
Pop'n
2014
Census
Bou Merdès19129,55933,890
Chebba11923,33424,515
Chorbane44428,57725,935
El Djem28741,06448,611
Essouassi34846,27650,424
Hebira31611,05710,654
Ksour Essef22148,79954,366
Mahdia16671,71979,545
Melloulèche16119,46422,085
Ouled Chamekh32522,73223,020
Sidi Alouane28935,27237,767

Eighteen municipalities are in Mahdia Governorate: Bou Merdes, Bradaa, Chebba, Chorbane, Eljem, Essouassi, Hebira, Hkaima, Kerker, Ksour Essef, Mahdia, Melloulèche, Ouled Chamekh, Rejiche, Sidi Alouane, Sidi Zid, Tlelsa and Zelba.

CodeMunicipalityPopulation
(2014)[10]
3311Mahdia51,833
3312Rejiche10,806
3313Bou Merdes4,338
3314Ouled Chamekh5,120
3315Chorbane5,700
3316Hebira3,248
3317Essouassi5,381
3318El Djem21,234
3319Kerker7,467
3320Chebba22,227
3321Melloulèche6,704
3322Sidi Alouane7,500
3323Ksour Essef28,842
3324El Bradâa7,404

Electorally and for some more national purposes, Mahdia has eleven delegations, most boundaries of which are similar to the governorates.

See also

References

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