# Maridi

Maridi is a town in South Sudan.

## Location

Maridi is located in Maridi County, Western Equatoria, near the international border between South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This location lies approximately 295 kilometres (183 mi), by road, west of Juba, the capital of South Sudan and the largest city in that country. The coordinates of Maridi are: 4° 54' 36.00"N, 29° 27' 0.00"E (Latitude: 4.9100; Longitude: 29.4500).

## Overview

Maridi has been a regional centre of government since colonial times. It is also reputed to be a centre of education in South Sudan. Yambio is the state capital of Western Equatoria State, which is 140 km from Maridi. Khazana Lake is a picnic spot which is often visited by NGO and UN staff. The county remains green during the rainy season with Mango trees full of fruits. The habitat has a diverse fauna, most common of them being the baboons, deer and the black mamba.

## Population

In 2011, the population of Maridi was estimated at 148,000. Maridi County is further divided into five Payams which have a total 17 Bomas under them. The population of the county is a mixed of many tribes: Avukaya, Azande, Baka, Mundu and Morokodo.

## Transport

The town is served by Maridi Airport known to be the largest airport in Western Equatoria. The airport sits at an elevation of 700 metres (2,300 ft), above sea level. It has a single unpaved runway, the dimensions of which are not publicly known at this time. Roads (murram base dirt roads) to and from Maridi have been reconditioned and are quite good.

## History

Maridi given its geostrategic position is rich in history dating back to the pre-colonial era where the Baka tribe used it as a hub for settlement, agriculture production and hunting. The British colonial expedition also used it as a military, religious and anthropological hub. Anthropologist E. E. Evans-Pritchard spent a significant time in Maridi studying the behavioral patterns of the Baka people. Mr. Pritchard collected many Baka cultural artifacts, some of which are kept to date in Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford.
During the post-colonial era, the north Sudanese merchants and military occupied the area where they traded in coffee, fruits, timber and minerals. After almost 50 years of north Sudanese occupation and rule, the Sudan People Liberation Movement/Army, dislodged the north Sudanese military in March 1991. That marked a new era for Maridi and it subsequently became part of the newly independent South Sudan in July 2011.
In September 2015, an oil tanker exploded on a road about 20 km from Maridi, at Bahir Naam Payam, killing over 170 people. The truck had gone off the road and overturned. People were approaching the truck in order to siphon petrol from it when it exploded. Injured were taken to Maridi Civil Hospital and Olo Primary Health Clinic in Mambe Payam, according to Radio Tamazuj. In 2015, Maridi became a State with Col. Africano Mande as its first Governor. Maridi State thus became divided into seven Counties of Maridi, Ibba, Kozi, Landili, Mambe, Nabanga and Moruko. The first flag of Maridi State was hoisted in June 2016

## Points of interest

The points of interest in and around Maridi include the following:
* The offices of Maridi Town Council
* Maridi Central Market
* Maridi Airport - A public, civil airport, with a single unpaved runway
* Maridi Power Sector - A locally operated electric membership company was inaugurated in 2011. The system is served by a 1.2 MW diesel generation station. Electricity is distributed at 11 kV and customers served 230/415 V, 50 Hz power, for approximately 12 hours per day. As of this edit there are approximately 600 electric meters installed on the system.
* Maridi Teacher Training Institute
* Ambi Teacher Training Institute
* Africano Mande Foundation (AMF), a Foundation named after Col. Africano Mande Gedima who became the first Governor of Maridi State. The Foundation is founded whose mission is to give back to the community is reputed to be the biggest NGO which offers services to the population of Maridi.
* 99.4 Foundation FM is an FM Radio station established and run by the Africano Mande Foundation. The FM radio has a big coverage which reaches Nzara, Mundri and some parts of Lake State
* Maridi Cathedral built in 1923
* Maridi Prayer Mountain which hosts a cross and a chapel
* Don Bosco school and youth centre
* Kazana Lake Maridi
* Maridi National Health Training Institutes
* Maridi School of Nursing and Midwifery
* Maridi water treatment plant - A water treatment plant and distribution system was inaugurated in 2010. This plant serves much of the town through water points located near roads and populated areas.