Murcanyo
Murcanyo
Murcanyo Bander Murcaayo | |
|---|---|
 View of Murcanyo town at the foot of the Jebel Murcanyo mountains | |
| Country |  Somalia
|
| Region | Bari |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
Murcanyo (Template:Lang-so), also known as Bander Murcaayo (alternatively Bandar Murcaayo or Bunder Marayah), is a town situated on the northern coast of Somalia, in the autonomous Puntland region.
Location
Murcanyo is located at 11°41′34.98″N 50°27′25.34″E / 11.6930500°N 50.4570389°E, in the Gulf of Aden. It lies 7 nautical miles (8 miles) southwest of Habo, 18 nautical miles (21 miles) southwest of Ras Filuk and 38 nautical miles (44 miles) east of Qandala.
Geography
The town is situated along the beach of a long bay that borders the Gulf of Aden, and which stretches from a rocky outcrop to the immediate west of Murcanyo and eastwards past the town, towards the headland of Ras Filuk. On the low plain that hugs this bay also lie the towns of Geesaley and Habo.
Murcanyo lies at the foot of the Jebel Murcanyo mountains, also known as Jebel Marayah. This mountain range stretches across the Bari region to the Indian Ocean coastline at Bargal. The range consists of cream-coloured limestone (as well as sandstone, shale and quartz).[1]
History
Murcanyo was historically an important port town along the northeast coastline of Somalia, and inhabited by the Majeerteen clan. The town was connected by a merchant network, by trading dhows, to regional ports such as Al Mukalla, Jeddah and Mumbai. Local inhabitants produced and exported frankincense, indigo and mats, and imported items such as cloth, dates, rice and metals.[1]
In 1872 the permanent popuation of Murcanyo was estimated at 600-700 inhabitants. At this time there were three mosques in the town, along with a fort of the Majeerteen Sultanate.[1]
On April 8, 2013, the Puntland government announced the creation of a new region coextensive with Murcanyo and Cape Guardafui, named Gardafuul. Carved out of the Bari region, it consists of three districts and has its capital at Alula.
Education
According to the Puntland Ministry of Education, there is 1 primary school in Murcanyo.[2]
See also
References
- ^ a b c S. B. Miles, On the Neighbourhood of Bunder Marayah, Vol. 42, (Blackwell Publishing on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society (with the institute of British Geographers): 1872), p.61-63.
- ^ "Puntland - Primary schools". Ministry of Education Puntland. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
