Zouérat Islamic Federation

[Benedict 3,119]

Airports are not usually my thing, but two things stand out. The runway out onto the water is striking, and the planes at night parked at the gates are amazing, I particularly like the Qatar plane.

[Vontos 1]

This city looks fantastic. I'm assuming you've plopped/designed 100% of it? I'm trying to build a city located in Iraq and wanted a lot of it to grow on its own, but I can't figure out how to keep the residential areas from looking too green.

The city and the city journal both look great. I think there is only one other city journal on here that's set in an Islamic Middle-Eastern area and doesn't look like Dubai haha.

[elavery 1,013]

Replies

Vivapanda: Those HD planes are an amazing creation! The nation of Gharbiyya looks forward to your visit!

Benedict: Glad you liked the airport, I have never built one before.

Vontos: Actually the majority of the city is natural growth, certainly the residential areas. Some areas like the medina and slums are plopped however as they were created using Lot Editor. Your city sounds interesting, let me know if I can help in any way. There aren't too many middle-eastern BATs out there unfortunately.

Today is the final visit to Lagouira so I thought I would leave you with a few pictures. The next update will reveal what country we are visiting next in the Zou

[vivapanda 422]

Great work, I can't wait to see your other cities!

[Benedict 3,119]

You are a master at creating mosaics - these are no exception.

[elavery 1,013]

The next member nation of Zouérat Islamic Federation we will be visiting is the Mahibadhoos, a collection of atolls off the western coast of Africa. The Mahibadhoos have a history of many different cultures settling and governing the low-lying atolls, from the Arabs, to the Berbers, to the French, English, Portuguese and Spanish. All of these influences have lead to the nation gaining a very unique cultural identity and language. Independence was eventually granted from Britian in 1965. Despite being a prominent tourist destination due to the sandy white beaches and clear blue water, the Mahibadhoos to this this day remain a very conservative group of islands with a strict adherence to the Islamic faith.

Mahibadhoos General Information

Flag

Official Name: Islamic Republic of Mahibadhoos

Short Name: Mahibadhoos

Demonym: Mahibadhian

Capital: Dhiraagu

Largest City: Dhiraagu

Currency: Zouérat Dirham

Official Language: Mahibadhian

Demographics: Mahibadhian (96%), Other (4%)

Religion: Sunni Islam (100%) - Sunni Islam is the only legally permitted religion in the Mahibadhoos.

Internet TLD: .mb

Total Population: 320,000

Life expectancy: Men - 61, Women - 63

Literacy rate: 96%

Climate

The Mahibadhoos have a tropical climate with weather that is warm year-round. The year can be divided into a dry season (winter) and rainy season (summer). The low-lying Mahibadhoos are at risk from rising sea-levels, although the evidence around rising sea-levels is still disputed by some scientists. The highest point in the Mahibadhoos is just 2.4 meters above sea-level.

Politics

The Mahibadhoos is a functioning democracy although there has been a history of coups and popular protests forcing the resignation of Presidents. The most recent was only this year when growing resentment of corruption and poor living conditions lead to weeks of protests around the country.

At first we will be visiting some of the resort islands that have made the Mahibadhoos so popular with tourists really wanting to get away from everyday life. A preview of what is to come.

[simlink 1,098]

Looks great, love all the vegetation.

[Charlie_Zane 963]

wow! Lovely island, very nice tropical island getaway!

[vivapanda 422]

That looks like a wonderful place to go on holiday!

[Benedict 3,119]

Great intro to the next federated state in your region. Looking forward to more info/images in the next update.

[elavery 1,013]

Replies: (to last two entries)

vivapanda: Thanks! I hope you like the Mahibadhoos as much as you liked Gharbiyya. It is indeed a nice country to go on holiday.

Benedict: Thanks. I love making mosaics. I also love using flora, it makes all the difference and adds so much realism. Enjoy today's update.

City_Master: I hope you enjoy today's visit.

Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts is an international company with resorts all around the world. The company has opened many five-star resorts in the Mahibadhoos, taking advantage of the crystal clear water, great climate, and relative isolation of the country. Tourists come from all over the world to experience a little piece of Mahibadhian paradise.

These resort islands are only used for tourism and help the country run a tourist industry that doesn't intrude on the traditional islamic cultures of the Mahibadhian people. Tourists are not permitted to visit islands which contain Mahibadhian villages.

Today we will be visiting the islands of Angsana and Ihuru, both of which are only 20 minutes by speedboat from the capital city of Dhiraagu. These resorts are built in a traditional style that allow the buildings to blend into their natural surroundings, but don't be fooled, these resorts are five-star with all the modern luxuries tourists demand.

The island of Angsana is particularly popular.

You can see how close the two islands are to each other below, Ihuru is at the top of the shot, Angsana at the bottom.

This day in paradise is coming to an end, but don't worry, every day in the Mahibadhian resort islands is like being in paradise.

[Benedict 3,119]

I love the expanse of water between the two islands.

[Charlie_Zane 963]

Oooo! I love tropical islands! amazing!

[Aaron Graham 4,417]

Lovely update this is city so different than others, I do like the islands, maybe one when I stop by again I will see a ocean liner past by the islands.

[vivapanda 422]

Beautiful! I'm looking forward to see more of this 'bout near perfect country

[johnnypd 0]

unbelievable so good. can't wait to see more.

[emperordaniel 1,281]

Gorgeous islands

[elavery 1,013]

Replies:

Benedict: The mosaic was a bit harder to piece together with all that water.

City_Master: Thanks! I like tropical islands also.

Aaron Graham:Sorry, no ocean liners yet.

vivapanda: You might see a side of the country today that isn't quite perfect.

johnnypd: Thanks!

emperordaniel: Thanks for being a regular visiter to my CJ!

The village of Maeenboodhoo, population about 1200, is one of the main settlements on the atoll of Hulhudheli. Hulhudheli is one of the more isolated atolls in the country and is a quite a distance from the capital of Dhiraagu. This relative isolation means that the atoll is not as modernised as other parts of the Mahibadhoos.

This overcrowded island is off-limits to tourists as the Mahibadhian government wants its population to retain a conservative islamic lifestyle. Some more cynical people claim the government doesn't want the outside world to see that such poverty exists in this supposed paradise.

Maeenboodhoo has a bustling little port and relies on everything from food and building materials being shipped in, as you can see there is no suitable farming land at all!

Not far from Maeenboodhoo is the uninhabited island of Rinbudhoo. When the people of Maeenboodhoo want to escape from their crowded island they come here. Rinbudhoo really is the definition of a desert island.

I hope you have enjoyed today's visit to islands normally off-limits to outsiders. For now, it is time to rest and get ready for our next adventure in the Mahibadhoos.

[simlink 1,098]

I really love your combination of real life and SimCity photos, it works seamlessly.

[Cantona_21 3]

This is amazing. Great work. Love it

[TowerDude 2,187]

Very nice little Islands, can I bather ? or are there creepy fish in the waters

[vivapanda 422]

Even the not so nice side of the country looks amazing!

  Edited April 14, 2012 by vivapanda  

[Benedict 3,119]

Great contrast between unspoiled nature and overcrowded islands.

[SimCoug 5,973]

Beautiful islands!

[Charlie_Zane 963]

Maybe the government should lift the no tourist rule so they could improve the poverty?

That second island is definitely the most ideal place to get a way from a overcrowded place, beautiful!

[samima 92]

WOW! I love Mahibadhoos. Maeenboodhoo still looks nice, even though it it is ovecrowded.

[elavery 1,013]

Replies:

sim_link: Thanks, I was wondering if people liked the real life pictures mixed in. No one had commented about that until now.

Cantona_21: Thanks!

TowerDude: You can swim, the scuba diving a fish watching is unbelievable.

vivapanda: You are never far from paradise in the Mahibadhoos.

Benedict: Thanks!

SimCoug: Thanks!

City_Master: Tourists need to be kept away so that the traditional Islamic culture can be preserved.

samima: Glad you like the Mahibadhoos!

Banidhoo is an artificial island in the Dhiraagu Atoll, about 6.5 kilometres from the capital of Dhiraagu. It was created in 1991 to be the municipal landfill for the capital city which was becoming overwhelmed with garbage. Banidhoo has since grown to become the major industrial hub for the Mahibadhoos.

While Banidhoo has succesfully relieved Dhiraagu of its waste predicament, the process of dumping garbage indiscriminately has become an ecological hazard. Much of the garbage dumped here contains asbestos and other harmful toxic metals such as mercury and lead and threatens to leach into the sea. In light of this, the Mahibadhian government has restricted the types of waste that can be dumped on Mahibadhoo and resort islands have been encouraged to limit their non-recyclable garbage.

About 1000 workers live on Banidhoo to sort the garbage, work at the port, and in industrial warehouses. Most of the workers are poor immigrants from Gharbiyya and Mauritania and live in a rather drab housing block. A mosque was recently built on the island to provide the workforce some spiritual motivation.

Banidhoo is the only major container port in the Mahibadhoos and most imports and exports go through the Banidhoo cargo terminal.

By night, the workers of Banidhoo are still hard at work in the factories and warehouses, particularly in the Pepsi Bottling Plant that has recently opened.

[Charlie_Zane 963]

That's a very nice looking port! The sea walls look very nice too.

[emperordaniel 1,281]

This looks pretty good

[vivapanda 422]

The shape and purpose of the island are unique, I like it!