Mohéli
| Mohéli | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Waters | Indian Ocean | |
| Archipelago | Comoros | |
| Geographical location | 12 ° 19 ′ S , 43 ° 44 ′ E | |
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| surface | 290 km² | |
| Highest elevation | Mzé Koukoulé 790 m |
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| Residents | 40,000 138 inhabitants / km² |
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| main place | Fomboni | |
Mohéli (Comorian Mwali ) is the smallest of the three main islands of the Comoros .
geography
Mohéli is around 50 km south of Grande Comore . The island is 290 km² in size.
Like the other Comoros, it is of volcanic origin. A volcanic ridge crosses the island in a west-east direction; the highest point is the Mzé Koukoulé at 790 m . The coastal crater lake Dziani Boundouni in the southeast of the island has brackish water.
The fertile volcanic soil and numerous freshwater springs produce lush vegetation. Especially at higher altitudes, tropical rainforests still dominate, the plains are used for agriculture. The main crops are coffee , cocoa , coconut palms and the ylang-ylang tree, from which essential oils are extracted. In the south of the island, three offshore islands form a natural shelter; the small island of Shisiwa Unefu was a leper colony in the past .
population
The approximately 40,000 inhabitants are descendants of African, Arab and Malagasy immigrants and speak shimwali , a dialect of Comorian . Furthermore, Arabic and French are used as official languages. On the north coast, protected by an offshore coral reef, lies Fomboni , the island's main town.
history
Mohéli belonged to the Sultanate of Anjouan until the middle of the 19th century, but gradually developed into an independent political unit. The newly formed sultanate was ruled from 1832-1885 by the Malagasy Ramanetaka dynasty. The sultana Djumbe Fatima, known as Raketaka, called on France to protect her against the expanding Zanzibar in 1842 . In the following decades, Mohéli came increasingly under French influence. In 1861 and 1871 France intervened militarily in internal conflicts on the island.
In 1886 Mohéli officially became a French protectorate under the governor of Mayotte . The sultanate, however, formally existed until 1912; After the sultan's assassination, the Shekhe Mukhtar dynasty of Arab origin ruled from 1885. From 1897 the throne was vacant, in 1912 all Comoros Islands were combined into a French colony.
In 1975 Mohéli became part of the now independent Comoros. On August 11, 1997, the island, like Anjouan, declared its independence, which, however, was not recognized by any other state. Since a referendum in December 2001, Mohéli has been one of the three states of the newly founded Union of Comoros.
Attractions
Flag of the island
Postage stamp from the time of the French Protectorate.
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