Mé-Zóchi District
Mé-Zóchi | |
---|---|
District | |
Location within São Tomé and Príncipe | |
Coordinates: 0°15′N 6°40′E / 0.250°N 6.667°ECoordinates: 0°15′N 6°40′E / 0.250°N 6.667°E | |
Country | São Tomé and Príncipe |
Province/Island | São Tomé |
Seat | Trindade |
Area | |
• Total | 122 km2 (47 sq mi) |
Population (2012) | |
• Total | 46,265 |
• Density | 380/km2 (980/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+0 (UTC) |
Mé-Zóchi is a district of São Tomé Province. Out of the seven districts that make up the equatorial Atlantic islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, it is second largest in population and covers approximately 122 square kilometers. The district capital is Trindade. Its population is 46,265 (2012 est.).[1] The population having reached over 45,000 and the leastly populated part is the southwestern portion, much of the district will become part of the São Tomé City Metropolitan Area.
The district are subdivided into five subdistricts or municipalities and area Almas, Bombom, Caixão Grande, Madalena, and Trindade.
Population
- 1940: 18,422 (30.4% of the national population)
- 1950: 18,056 (30.0% of the national population)
- 1960: 20,374 (31.7% of the national population)
- 1970: 20,550 (27.9% of the national population)
- 1981: 24,258 (25.1% of the national population)
- 1991: 29,758 (25.3% of the national population)
- 2001: 35,105 (25.5% of the national population)
- 2008: 40,414 (est.)
- 2012: 46,265
Settlements
The main settlement is the town Trindade. Other settlements are:
- Água Creola
- Água Gunu – the name Gunu of Angolan origin
- Alice
- Almas
- Batepá
- Blublu – the name etymology of Angolan origin
- Bobo Foro
- Bombom – the name etymology of Angolan origin
- Caixão Grande
- Caminho Novo
- Cruzeiro
- Folha Fede
- Madalena
- Monte Café
- Ototó
- Plateau
- Piedade
- Praia Melão
- Quinta da Graça
- Santa Cruz
- Diogo Simão
- Santa Margarida
Hamlets, neighborhoods, sections and other settlements
- Abade
- Àgua Dago
- Aguãs Belas
- Amélia (aka Lagoa Amélia)
- Belmonte
- Bemposta
- Benfica
- Boa Novo
- Bombaim – name etymology likely of Angolan origin
- Bom Retiro
- Bom Sucesso
- Campo Grande
- Canga
- Chamiço – name etymology likely of Angolan origin
- Claudina
- Favorita
- Filipina
- Formosa
- Galo Canto
- Java
- Laura
- Lemos
- Rio Lima
- Macambrará - name etymology likely of Angolan origin
- Margão
- May
- Milagrosa
- Monte Alegre
- Monte Macaco
- Mongo – name etymology of Angolan origin
- Mulembu – name etymology of Angolan origin
- Nova Celão
- Nova Moça
- Novo Destino
- Obo Longo
- Pau Sabão
- Pedra Maria
- Prado
- Pousada
- Queluz
- (Vitória) Quilemba - name etymology of Angolan origin
- Quinta das Flores
- Roça Nova
- Rodia
- Santa Clara
- Santa Elvira
- Santa Fé
- Santa Luísa
- Santy
- São Carlos
- São Januário
- São João
- São José
- São José de Mé-Zóchi
- São Luís
- São Nicolau
- Saudade
- Tras-os-Montes
- Uba Budo
- Uba Flor
- Vale Formoso
- Vanguarda
- Vista Alegre
- Zampalma
- Zampalma Velha
Geography
Like the whole island, its geography consisted nothing but primary forests without any meadows or meads before the first settlers (including slaves) came. Today, the western portion remains forested and that forms a part of Obo Natural Park[2], parts of the eastern portion are forested including areas that have been reforested but mostly as secondary forests. Tropical plantations notably cocoa and coffee and rarely bananas. Inbetween is an increasing growing urban area where the populated portions are in the eastern and the middle of the district as well as up to the steep slopes of the island's mountain range that include Pico de São Tomé.
As there are no landlocked districts in the country, it has a coastline which is only about 2 km long which the shortest in the country of any district.
Economy
Its main economy is agriculture in the district and forms a large part of agricultural production in the country, coffee and cocoa are its main productions even exports in the country. According to INE, it dominates 26.28% of the national rural population in the country.[3]
Points of interests
- Roça Bombaim
Politics
Lobata currently has 13 seats in the National Assembly.[4]
Sports
Several football (soccer) clubs are based in the district including Agrosport, Bairros Unidos, Inter Bom-Bom and Os Dinâmicos.
Notable people
- Almada Negreiros, painter and artist
- Francisco Fortunato Pires, National Assembly member from 1994 to 2002
- Filipe Santo, singer, winner of the Best Album at the 2nd STP Music Awards in 2016
Twin town
The district is twinned with a city
Guimarães, Portugal
References
- ↑ INE, Evolução da população São-Tomense por localidades, 2001/2012
- ↑ "Tourist Attractions". Sao Tome and Principe Travel and Tourism. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
- ↑ Silva, C.F.L.L. – Segurança alimentar em São Tomé e Príncipe. Estudo de caso dos distritos de Água-Grande e Mé-Zóchi (Food protection in São Tomé and Príncipe: Studies in the Districts of Água Grande and Mé-Zóchi). Lisbon: ISA, 2014, p. 160
- ↑ Elections in São Tomé and Principe, African Elections Database.