Agadez
Region
Agadez (also: Agadez ) is the capital of the region of Agadez in Niger. It is the largest city in the north of the country. On June 23, 2013, the historic old town of Agadez has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Geography
Agadez is located in the northern Sahel. The municipality is divided into 24 districts, three administrative villages, and two water points. Agadez is completely surrounded by the municipality of Dabaga.
History
The city was founded, according to tradition in 1449 by Berber tribes. In 1515 the city was conquered by the Songhai Askia Mohamed calibration under. As this was conquered in 1591 by Morocco, the Tuareg took control of the city and its environs. She was at that time the capital of the independent Sultanate of Aïr, which officially persists to this day. However, the Sultan takes only representative and advisory functions.
Agadez was apparently first visited by Europeans about 1711, from two Franciscan missionaries, on their fate is but little known. The first scientific description of the city, the environment and the history of Agadez comes from the German explorer Heinrich Barth, who reached Agadez 1850. The city came in the wake of colonialism around 1900 under the control of France. She was an important center of caravan trade.
Agadez received in 1988 along with nine other Nigerien places the status of an independent parish. Until then there had been the nation's twelve parishes. 2009, the city was devastated by floods, in which more than 41,000 inhabitants suffered material damage.
During the civil war in Libya, the city had to absorb large flows of refugees from the neighboring country. The persons concerned were mostly to people who had years earlier immigrated from countries in sub-Saharan Africa to Libya.
Population
In the 1977 census Agadez had 20,643 inhabitants in the census in 1988 49 424 inhabitants in the 2001 census 76 957 inhabitants. For the year 2010 118.519 inhabitants were calculated. 2013 population of about 122 743 people in Agadez. The city is a center of the Tuareg.
Culture and sights
The city retains some still the typical Sudanese earthen architecture. The Mosque of Agadez has a famous minaret in clay construction, which is tapered and 27 meters high. At the airport there is a copy of the rock engravings of Dabous giraffes. Particularly worth seeing is the market of Agadez in November, when the salt caravans arriving from Bilma.
At the beginning of the Islamic month of Muharram the ten-day New Year festival of Tuareg Bianou is celebrated to the Ashura day in Agadez. It dances and street processions are accompanied by large kettle drum Tobol. The event is similar to that in Djanet ( southern Algeria ) organized Sebiba Dance Festival.
Economy and infrastructure
In addition to the traditional trade livestock ( camels, goats and sheep) in the environment is important today. Agadez is located on the National Road 11, which connects the city with the oasis Ingall in the north and the border with Nigeria to the south, and by the National Road leading up to the Nigerien capital Niamey 25 In Agadez is a civilian airport, the Mano Dayak Airport ( IATA code: AJY, ICAO code: DRZA ).
In Agadez, there are 56 primary schools, seven of which are private schools. At a primary school teachers are an average of 38 students ( 39 nationwide ). Agadez is the seat of the Tribunal de Grande Instance, one of the nation's ten civil courts of first instance.
Personalities
- Kamilou Daouda (* 1987), football player
- Ousmane Abdoulaye Boukari (* 1992), football player
- Rabo Saminou ( born 1986 ), football goalkeeper