Agadez is the largest city in northern Niger, with a population of 88.569
(2005 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.
External links
Coordinates:
16°58′N,
7°59′E
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