Information AboutAgadez |
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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 Caravan s, 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 Caravan s 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
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