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Agadir

Coordinates: 30°24′00″N 09°36′00″W / 30.40000°N 9.60000°W / 30.40000; -9.60000
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Agadir
View over Agadir, taken from the kasbah
View over Agadir, taken from the kasbah
Country Morocco
RegionSouss-Massa-Draâ
Elevation
75 ft (23 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total750,000

Agadir (Arabic: أغادير or أڭادير, Aġadīr or Agadīr, Berber (Amazigh): ) is a major city in southwest Morocco, capital of the Agadir province (MA-AGD) and the Sous-Massa-Draa economic region (#13).

Etymology

The word Agadir means in Berber "wall, masoned wall enclosing a town, fortress, town".[1] It is a loanword from Phoenician.[2]

Description

Agadir has a population of 750,000 (2010; census figures for the agglomeration include the nearby cities of Inezgane and Aït Melloul). The population of the city proper is estimated at 200,000. The mild winter climate (January average midday temperature 20.5°C/69°F)[3] and good beaches have made it a major "winter sun" destination for Northern Europeans. The mayor is Tariq Kabbaj.

The city is located on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, near the foot of the Atlas Mountains, just north of the point where the Souss River flows into the ocean.

Agadir seen by SPOT satellite

Agadir is an important fishing and commercial port, the first sardine port in the world, (exporting cobalt, manganese, zinc and citrus).It is also a seaside resort with a long sandy beach. Because of its large buildings, wide roads, modern hotels, and European-style cafés, Agadir is not a typical city of traditional Morocco, but it is a modern, busy and dynamic town.

Agadir is famous for its sea food and agriculture.

The city's main neighborhoods are:

  • Secteur Touristique
  • Founty
  • Iligh
  • Sonaba
  • Ihchach
  • Les Amicales
  • City Centre
  • Nouveau Talborjt
  • Cité Suisse
  • Lakhiyam
  • Dakhla
  • Extension Dakhla
  • Al Houda
  • Salam
  • Riad Assalam
  • Hay al Hassani
  • Anza
  • L'Erac (Bouargane).
  • Quartier Industriel Tasila
  • Tilila
  • Quartier Residentiel
  • Quartier Al mohammadi

It is served by the Al Massira Airport.

History

Portuguese possessions in Morocco (1415-1769).

During medieval times, there was only a fishing village there, Agadir el-arba`. In 1505 the Portuguese established a trading post named Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gué, under a governor. In 1541, the city came under Saadian control in the Fall of Agadir, and a stronghold was built on the top of the hill overlooking the bay, the Kasbah. Agadir became prosperous for two centuries. But in 1731, the town was completely destroyed by an earthquake.[4] The harbour of Agadir was then ordered to be closed when Essaouira was established further north.

In 1911, the arrival of a German gunboat (the Panther), officially to protect the local German community, triggered the Agadir Crisis between France and Germany which allowed France, in 1913, to occupy nearly the whole kingdom of Morocco.

At 15 minutes to midnight on February 29, 1960, Agadir was almost totally destroyed by an earthquake that lasted 15 seconds, burying the city and killing thousands.[5] The death toll is estimated at 15,000. The earthquake destroyed the ancient Kasbah. On its front gate can still be read the following sentence in Dutch: "Fear God and honour thy King".

On seeing the destruction in Agadir, King Muhammad V of Morocco declared: "If Destiny decided the destruction of Agadir, its rebuilding depends of our Faith and Will." Reconstruction began in 1961, two kilometers south of the earthquake epicentre.

Climate

Located along the Atlantic Ocean, Agadir has a very temperate climate. The daytime temperature generally stays in the 20s °C (70s °F) every day, with the winter highs typically reaching 20.7°C (70°F) in December–January (see weather-table below). The annual temperatures[3] are very similar to Nairobi, Kenya, but with much less rainfall -about 10 inches annually- and the mid-year nights are less chilly than the Kenyan Capital.

Climate data for Agadir
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 20.4
(68.7)
21.0
(69.8)
22.4
(72.3)
21.9
(71.4)
23.2
(73.8)
24.0
(75.2)
26.1
(79.0)
26.1
(79.0)
26.4
(79.5)
25.3
(77.5)
23.5
(74.3)
20.7
(69.3)
23.4
(74.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 14.1
(57.4)
15.2
(59.4)
16.7
(62.1)
17.0
(62.6)
18.7
(65.7)
20.2
(68.4)
22.0
(71.6)
22.2
(72.0)
21.9
(71.4)
20.3
(68.5)
17.9
(64.2)
14.6
(58.3)
18.4
(65.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 7.9
(46.2)
9.4
(48.9)
10.9
(51.6)
12.0
(53.6)
14.2
(57.6)
16.4
(61.5)
18.0
(64.4)
18.2
(64.8)
17.3
(63.1)
15.2
(59.4)
12.3
(54.1)
8.5
(47.3)
13.4
(56.1)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 45.5
(1.79)
42.4
(1.67)
31.1
(1.22)
25.9
(1.02)
3.5
(0.14)
1.1
(0.04)
0.1
(0.00)
0.2
(0.01)
3.0
(0.12)
25.8
(1.02)
52.6
(2.07)
60.7
(2.39)
291.9
(11.49)
Average precipitation days 5.4 5.6 5.1 3.7 1.4 1.3 0.2 0.4 1.6 4.1 5.3 5.3 39.4
Mean monthly sunshine hours 229.4 232.0 269.7 282.0 294.5 270.0 269.7 254.2 243.0 244.9 219.0 229.4 3,037.8
Source: Hong Kong Observatory[6]

Museums

File:Mosque Agadir.jpg
Mosque Loubnan in Agadir
  • Musee de Talborjt "La Casbah"
  • Musee Bert Flint
  • Le Musse des Arts Berberes
  • Musee Municipal de Agadir
  • Le Sicilien Coco Polizzi (Quartier)

Economy

Agadir's economy relies mainly on tourism and fisheries. Agricultural activities are based around the city.[7]

Transportation

Agadir is served by Al Massira Airport, located 22 kilometers from the city. Agadir has the biggest Souk in Morocco (Souk Lhed)

Famous people associated with the city

  • Abbes Kabbage (died May 1, 1984), leader of the Istiqlal Party before independence before joining the UNFP
  • Abdelaziz Lahrech (died March 14, 1994), leader of the Party for Democracy and Independence
  • Mohammed Khair-Eddine (1941–1995), Moroccan writer
  • Aourik Abdellah, painter
  • Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud

Education

Universities and postgraduates schools :

  • University of Agadir (IbnZohr)
  • Faculté des Sciences d'Agadir
  • École supérieure de technologie d'Agadir

High schools :

  • Groupe scolaire Paul Gauguin Agadir
  • Lycée Qualifiant Youssef Ben Tachfine

Beaches

Agadir beach
  • The most beautiful beaches in Morocco are

North of Agadir entourage Taghazout village, dozens of clean, great beach and Smaller ones along the costs agadir-essaouira: Agadir beach,Tamaounza ( 12 km), aitswal-beach, imouran(km 17), Taghazout (km 19), bouyirdn( km 20), timzguida 3lal (km 22), Aghroud (30 km), Imiouadar(27 km),Aghroud (30 km). [1]

Parks and gardens

  • Valée des oiseaux (Birds park & valley )
  • Jardin Olhao
  • Jardin Ibn Zaidoun

Sister cities

Agadir has four sister cities :

See also

References

  1. ^ E.J. Brill's First Encyclopaedia of Islam, 1913-1936 (Brill, 1987), p. 179.
  2. ^ Jabal al-Lughat.
  3. ^ a b "Climatological Information for Agadir, Morocco", Hong Kong Observatory, 2003, web: HKO-Agadir.
  4. ^ Historic Earthquakes
  5. ^ Bensimon, Jacques. "Once ... Agadir". Documentary film. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 1 November 2010. {{cite web}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
  6. ^ "Climatological Information for Agadir, Morocco" - Hong Kong Observatory
  7. ^ "Agadir". UN-Habitat. Retrieved 2009-08-06.

External list

30°24′00″N 09°36′00″W / 30.40000°N 9.60000°W / 30.40000; -9.60000