Agadez
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Location of Agadez in Niger |
Agadez is the largest city in northern
Niger, with a population of 78,289 (
2001 census). It lies in the
Sahara and is the capital of
Aïr, one of the traditional
Tuareg federations.
The city was founded before the
fourteenth century and gradually became the most important
Tuareg city, supplanting
Assodé, by growing around
trans-Saharan trade. The city still sees the arrival of
caravans, bringing
salt from
Bilma.
In
1449, Agadez became a
sultanate, while around
1500 it was conquered by the
Songhai Empire. At this point, the city had a population of around 30,000 people and was a key passage for the medieval
caravans trading between the West African cities of
Kano and
Timbuktu and the North African oases of
Ghat,
Ghadames, and
Tripoli, on the Mediterranean shore. Decline set in after the
Moroccan invasion, and the population sank to less than 10,000.
The city was taken by the
French around
1900, who ruthlessly crushed a briefly successful
rebellion under
Kaocen Ag Mohammed in
1916. Later, Agadez became an important location in the
Tuareg Rebellion of the
1990s.
Today, Agadez flourishes as a
market town and as a centre for the transportation of the
uranium mined in the surrounding area. Notable buildings in the city include the
Agadez Grand Mosque, originally dating from
1515 but rebuilt in the same style in
1844, the
Kaocen Palace (now a
hotel) and the
Agadez Sultan's Palace. The city is also known for its
camel market and its
silver and
leatherwork.
Agadez international airport was named after
Mano Dayak, the Tuareg leader who is native to the region.
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Maps of Niger, pictures of Agadez, Tuaregs and handcraft from Niger*
Audio interview with Agadez resident about life in Agadez
