# Mahdia

> community controlled by Guyana and claimed by Venezuela

**Wikidata**: [Q1020481](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1020481)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahdia,_Guyana)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/mahdia

## Summary
Mahdia is a city and a disputed territory located in the Potaro-Siparuni region of South America. It is administered and controlled by Guyana but is also claimed by Venezuela. Mahdia serves as the capital of the Potaro-Siparuni region.

## Key Facts
- **Instance Of:** Mahdia is classified as both a city and a disputed territory.
- **Location:** It is located in the Potaro-Siparuni region, within the area known as Guayana Esequiba.
- **Administrative Status:** Mahdia is the capital of the Potaro-Siparuni region in Guyana.
- **Territorial Dispute:** The community is controlled by Guyana but is claimed by Venezuela.
- **Continent:** South America.
- **Coordinates:** Latitude 5.2825, Longitude -59.15.
- **Elevation:** 1,360 feet above sea level.
- **Sitelink Count:** Mahdia has Wikipedia page links in 18 different languages, including en, es, fr, and ru.
- **Identifiers:** It has a GeoNames ID of 3377263, a GNS Unique Feature ID of -921440, an OpenStreetMap Node ID of 697397853, a Freebase ID of `/m/0d91gm`, a Who's On First ID of 1209887563, and a Yale LUX ID of `place/a6dc2ebe-675b-4881-b227-6cfa3d6d14f1`.
- **Aliases:** An alternative name for Mahdia is Махдия (in Cyrillic script).
- **Image:** A representative image is titled "Commercial area in Mahdia.jpg" on Wikimedia Commons.
- **Wikidata Description:** The official Wikidata description is "community controlled by Guyana and claimed by Venezuela."
- **Commons Category:** The Wikimedia Commons category is "Mahdia, Guyana".

## FAQs
**What is the status of Mahdia?**
Mahdia is a city that functions as the capital of the Potaro-Siparuni region in Guyana. Its status is complicated by a territorial dispute, as Venezuela also claims sovereignty over the area where it is located.

**Where is Mahdia located geographically?**
Mahdia is situated in South America, specifically within the Potaro-Siparuni region of Guyana. Its precise geographic coordinates are 5.2825° latitude and -59.15° longitude, at an elevation of 1,360 feet.

**How is Mahdia documented online?**
Mahdia is represented across multiple online databases and has a significant digital footprint. It has a Wikipedia presence in 18 languages and is cataloged with unique identifiers from GeoNames, OpenStreetMap, and other major knowledge bases.

## Why It Matters
Mahdia is significant as a focal point in the long-standing territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela over the Essequibo region (Guayana Esequiba). Its status as an administrative capital for Guyana underscores the practical reality of Guyanese control in the area, while Venezuela's claim makes it a symbol of the unresolved diplomatic conflict. Understanding Mahdia's position is key to grasping the geopolitical dynamics of this part of South America.

## Notable For
- Being a primary example of a populated center within the disputed Guayana Esequiba territory.
- Serving as the administrative capital of Guyana's Potaro-Siparuni region.
- Having a well-documented presence across numerous international geospatial and encyclopedic databases despite its disputed status.

## Body

### Classification and Status
Mahdia is formally classified as a city and, simultaneously, as a disputed territory. This dual classification directly reflects its geopolitical reality. It is a large human settlement that is fully integrated into Guyana's administrative structure but exists within a zone of contested sovereignty.

### Geography and Location
Mahdia is located on the continent of South America. Its precise location is within the Potaro-Siparuni region, one of Guyana's administrative divisions. The town is situated at coordinates 5.2825° North and -59.15° West. The terrain is elevated, with the town sitting 1,360 feet above sea level.

### Administrative Context
Administratively, Mahdia holds the status of capital for the Potaro-Siparuni region. This means it is the seat of government for this area within Guyana. The region itself is located within the larger area known as Guayana Esequiba, which is the subject of the territorial claim by Venezuela.

### Territorial Dispute
The central geopolitical fact about Mahdia is that it is part of a territorial dispute. While it is community-controlled by Guyana, Venezuela maintains a claim over the entire Guayana Esequiba region, which includes Mahdia. This makes it a point of contention in international relations between the two countries.

### Digital and Database Presence
Mahdia has a substantial footprint in online knowledge bases.
- It has a sitelink count of 18, meaning it has Wikipedia pages in 18 different languages, including Arabic (arz), German (de), Spanish (es), and Japanese (ja).
- It is categorized on Wikimedia Commons under "Mahdia, Guyana".
- The town is cataloged with a wide array of unique identifiers from major databases, facilitating its unambiguous identification across different systems. These include a GeoNames ID (3377263), an OpenStreetMap Node ID (697397853), and a Freebase ID (/m/0d91gm).

### Visual Representation
A visual record of Mahdia is available through Wikimedia Commons. The image titled "Commercial area in Mahdia.jpg" provides a view of the town's commercial district.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. GeoNames