Mahdia Governorate (; ) 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). Census 2014 (National Institute of Statistics) Four other governorates are its neighbours - clockwise from south, Sfax, Kairouan, Sousse and Monastir Governorates. The governorate of Mahdia was created by the decree of March 9, 1974 after having been part of the governorate of Sousse.
Economic summary
Mahdia, the administrative centre, is a coastal resort with prominent weaving and fish processing industries.
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
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),"Aphrodisium, which is now commonly called Africa, but by the Moors Mahdia" (Antique Map of Tunis, Mahdia & Peñon de Veles by Braun & HogenbergFiche technique des sites archéologiques de Mahdia or Cape Africa.Geographical Names: Cape Africa: TunisiaKenneth Meyer Setton, The Papacy and the Levant, 1204-1571 (American Philosophical Society 1984 ), p. 533Charles Tissot, Géographie comparée de la province romaine d'Afrique (Paris 1888), p. 176
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:Institut National de la Statistique Tunisie (web).
Delegation Area in km2 Pop'n 2004Census Pop'n 2014Census Bou Merdès 191 29,559 33,890 Chebba 119 23,334 24,515 Chorbane 444 28,577 25,935 El Djem 287 41,064 48,611 Essouassi 348 46,276 50,424 Hebira 316 11,057 10,654 Ksour Essef 221 48,799 54,366 Mahdia 166 71,719 79,545 Melloulèche 161 19,464 22,085 Ouled Chamekh 325 22,732 23,020 Sidi Alouane 289 35,272 37,767
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.
Electorally and for some more national purposes, Mahdia has eleven delegations, most boundaries of which are similar to the governorates.
See also Mansoura, Tunisia
References