Mabou, Nova Scotia
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Mabou is a small Canadian rural community located in Inverness County on the west coast of Nova Scotia's Cape Breton Island.
Its geographic coordinates are .
The town name Mabou is thought to derive from Mi'kmaq name "Malabo", shortened from "Malabokek", the meaning of which is "Shining Waters".
The community is located at the head of an inlet off the Gulf of St. Lawrence named "Mabou Harbour" and is surrounded by low mountains which are part of the Creignish Hills. During the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century Mabou's primary economic activity was in the form of underground coal mining with several collieries located in the surrounding area. A railway was constructed from the Strait of Canso to haul coal and transport ships would dock in Mabou Harbour to be loaded.
Mining activity ceased following World War II and the railway was abandoned during the late 1980s. Today Mabou is primarily a fishing port for a small fleet of lobster boats, as well as hosting a high school for northern Inverness County. It is also a very strong community with many farms.
The Rankin Family, a renowned group of singers-songwriters, and the Premier of Nova Scotia, Rodney MacDonald, hail from Mabou.
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