Mamoudzou

Mamoudzou
Capital, prefecture and commune

View of the port of Mamoudzou

Location of the commune (in red) within Mayotte
Coordinates: 12°46′50″S 45°13′40″E / 12.7806°S 45.2278°E / -12.7806; 45.2278Coordinates: 12°46′50″S 45°13′40″E / 12.7806°S 45.2278°E / -12.7806; 45.2278
Country France
Overseas region and department Mayotte
Canton 3 cantons
Government
 • Mayor (2014–present) Mohamed Majani
Area 41.94 km2 (16.19 sq mi)
Population (August 2012 census)1 57,281
 • Density 1,400/km2 (3,500/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 97611 /97600
Elevation 0–572 m (0–1,877 ft)
1 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Mamoudzou (French pronunciation: ​[mamudzu]; Shimaore Comorian: Momoju[1]) is the capital of the French overseas region and department of Mayotte, in the Indian Ocean. Mamoudzou is the most populated commune (municipality) of Mayotte. It is located on Grande-Terre (or Mahoré), the main island of Mayotte.

History

The former capital of Mayotte was Dzaoudzi, on the small island of Petite-Terre (or Pamanzi), but Mamoudzou was chosen as the capital in 1977. In the 1985 census, 12,026 people were recorded in the main town.[2]

There have been environment concerns about marine pollution in the area; "important degradation in the quality of the coastal waters" between 1977 and 2007 has been reported in the Coral Reef Lagoon in the Mamoudzou–Dzaoudzi strait, and in the Mamoudzou–Majikavo conurbation.[3]

Administration

Mamoudzou City Hall

The commune is composed of 6 villages in addition to its central habitation, also called Mamoudzou. These are: Kawéni, Mtsapéré, Passamainti, Vahibé, Tsoundzou I and Tsoundzou II.

The commune is also subdivided into 3 cantons: Mamoudzou-1, Mamoudzou-2 and Mamoudzou-3.

The government owns the radio station in Mamoudzou and broadcasts in French and Mahorian. The government departments, including Agriculture and Forestry, Education, Health and Social Security, Public Works, Work, Employment and training and Youth and Sports are situated on the Rue Mariaze in the town.[4] The government departments have been based in the town since before it became the capital, from World War II. France Télécom operates in the town.[5]

Demographics

Population history
1966 1978 1985 1991 1997 2002 2007 2012
4,556 7,798 12,026 20,307 32,774 45,485 53,022 57,281
Official census figures.
Village Populations
Village 1997 2002
Kavani 3 948 5 488
Kaweni 6 206 9 604
Mamoudzou 5 666 6 533
Mtsapéré 6 979 10 495
Passamainty 5 173 6 008
Tsountsou 1 2 093 3 058
Tsountsou 2 574 1 063
Vahibé 2 135 3 236
Statistics accurate as of 1997

The town has a significant Muslim population.[6]

Economy

Place du Marché

Mamoudzou contains a bank and shopping centre. The economic centre of the town is the Place du Marche, which contains the bank, Air France and Ewa Air offices, and the tourist office.[7] The headquarters of the magazine Jana na Leo, "primarily concerned with articles on social life of the island of Mahore", is published in Mamoudzou.[8] Restaurants of note in Mamoudzou include the Les Terrasses, Hotel Restaurant Isijiva, Le Barfly and Mamoudzou La Kaz.[9]

A ferry service is provided for tourists to the island of Petite Terre.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Allibert, Claude (2002). Regards sur Mayotte (in French). INALCO. p. 305. ISBN 978-2-85831-135-4.
  2. ↑ Wright, John (23 May 2006). New York Times Almanac 2002. Routledge. p. 1589. ISBN 978-1-135-45586-6.
  3. ↑ Ceccaldi, Hubert J. (12 January 2011). Global Change: Mankind-Marine Environment Interactions: Proceedings of the 13th French-Japanese Oceanography Symposium. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 407. ISBN 978-90-481-8630-3.
  4. ↑ Africa South of the Sahara 2003. Psychology Press. 31 October 2002. p. 243. ISBN 978-1-85743-131-5.
  5. ↑ Routledge (9 November 2007). Africa South of the Sahara 2008. Taylor & Francis.
  6. ↑ Auzias, Dominique; Labourdette, Jean-Paul (1 January 2006). Guide Du Voyageur 2006–2007 (in French). Petit Futé. p. 267. ISBN 2-7469-1523-5.
  7. ↑ Hodd, Michael (1994). East African Handbook. Trade & Travel Publications. p. 706. ISBN 978-0-8442-8983-0.
  8. ↑ Ottenheimer, Martin (1 January 1994). Historical Dictionary of the Comoro Islands. Scarecrow Press. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-8108-2819-3.
  9. ↑ Nourault, Gilles; Perrin, François (2003). Mayotte: guide touristique et culturel (in French). Orphie. p. 315.
  10. ↑ Madagascar & Comoros. Lonely Planet. 2008. p. 257. ISBN 978-1-74104-608-3.
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