Generalities
To Mafate, the life passes by slowly... Mafate, " isolated by the world ", is convenient to this peace...Several hours of walking are necessary for the slightest stroll shopping " in Bottoms " (on the coast).
Today, the provisioning, the routing of the help and the postal delivery are mainly made by helicopter. There is another factor to Mafate who makes the postal delivery in feet. Every village "îlet" has a landing runway of helicopter.
Every îlet includes a small school, often of a single class.No electricity network is installed to Mafate ; every house and holiday cottage in the country exploits the sun via photovoltaic panels. The solar energy is also used for the production of hot water.A network of water is however installed, because the place is very wet and the invaluable liquid is there plentiful; in certain places, we cannot be hundred metres without crossing any water: a river, a torrent,...Here, untangly is lifestyle.
Those who live in Mafate ("mafatais") keep the contact with the nature of the heights (the mountains). The west coast is often perceived as "far" from the Creole traditional life.
The population of Mafate
According to a census of 2000, Mafate counts approximately 700 inhabitants. These inhabitants live at arround 10 "ilets".