Agadez Region

Agadez Region is one of the seven regions of Niger. At , it covers more than half of Niger's land area, and is the largest region in the country, as well as the largest African state subdivision. The capital of the department is Agadez. The region is a centre for palaeontology, with numerous dinosaur skeletons being found here, including the Ouranosaurus nigeriensis. Cave painting and the remains of ancient human settlements are also located here. Tuareg peoples began migrating to the region from the mid-8th century. From the mid-15th century to the early 20th, much of the region was under the control of the Sultanate of Agadez, except for a period when the area came under the rule of the Songhai Empire in the 1500s. The region suffered with the advent of French colonialism as power shifted away to the southwest; Tuareg disaffection with French rule resulted in the Kaocen revolt in 1916–17. This process continued following Niger's independence in 1960; local Tuareg saw little recompense from the uranium mining boom in Arlit in the 1970s, and Agadez Region was struck by repeated droughts and famines. Since then there have been two Tuareg rebellions: from 1990–95 and 2007–09. In recent years the region has also been affected by an insurgency in the Maghreb by Islamist groups. The Agadez Region borders Algeria (Tamanrasset Province and Illizi Province) and Libya (Murzuq District) to the north, Chad (Tibesti Region) to the east, Diffa Region, Zinder Region, Tahoua Region and Maradi Region to the south, and Mali (Kidal Region) to the west. It is by far the largest region of the country, representing 52% of the total area of Niger. The region is dominated by the Sahara desert, and includes the vast Ténéré portion of that desert, as well as dune seas such as the Erg of Bilma. The Aïr Mountains, the tallest peaks in Niger, are also located here. The Djado Plateau is located in the far north. Agadez is the regional capital; other major settlements include Aderbissinat, Arlit, Assamakka, Bilma, Dirkou, Iferouane, In-Gall, Madama, Séguedine, Tchirozerine, Tegguiada In Tessoum and Timia.

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Related concepts (3)

Toubou people

The Toubou or Tubu (from Old Tebu, meaning "rock people") are an ethnic group native to the Tibesti Mountains that inhabit the central Sahara in northern Chad, southern Libya and northeastern Niger. They live either as herders and nomads or as farmers near oases. Their society is clan-based, with each clan having certain oases, pastures and wells. The Toubou are generally divided into two closely related groups: the Teda (or Téda, Toda, Tireh) and the Dazagara (or Dazzaga, Dazagada, Daza).

Niger

Niger or the Niger (niːˈʒɛər,_ˈnaɪdʒər , niʒɛʁ), officially the Republic of the Niger (République du Niger; Jamhuriyar Nijar), is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state bordered by Libya to the northeast, Chad to the east, Nigeria to the south, Benin and Burkina Faso to the southwest, Mali to the west, and Algeria to the northwest. It covers a land area of almost , making it the largest landlocked country in West Africa. Over 80% of its land area lies in the Sahara.

Trans-Saharan trade

Trans-Saharan trade requires travel across the Sahara between West, Central, Eastern and Northern Africa. While existing from prehistoric times, the peak of trade extended from the 8th century until the early 17th century. The Sahara once had a very different environment. In Libya and Algeria, from at least 7000 BC, there was pastoralism, the herding of sheep, goats, large settlements, and pottery. Cattle were introduced to the Central Sahara (Ahaggar) from 4000 to 3500 BC.