Agadir

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Please expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in French Wikipedia. (March 2009) After translating, {{Translated|fr|Agadir}} must be added to the talk page to ensure copyright compliance. Translation instructions · Translate via Google

Agadir
Panorama of the seaside from the kasbah
Agadir Location in Morocco
Coordinates: 30°25′N 9°35′W / 30.417°N 9.583°W / 30.417; -9.583
Country	Morocco
Region	Souss-Massa-Draâ
Elevation	75 ft (23 m)
Population (2004)
- Total	678,596

Agadir (Arabic: أغادير‎ 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).

Contents 1 Etymology 2 Description 3 History 4 Climate 5 Museums 6 Economy 7 Transportation 8 Education 9 Beaches 10 Parks and gardens 11 Sister cities 12 See also 13 External links 14 References

[edit] Etymology

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

[edit] Description

Agadir has a population of 678,596 (2004; 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 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 neighbourhoods 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.

This section requires expansion.

[edit] History

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 Wattasid control and in 1572 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]

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. 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.

• Agadir Agreement
• Agadir Crisis of 1911
• 1960 Agadir earthquake

This section requires expansion.

[edit] 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 more rainfall, and the mid-year nights are less chilly than Nairobi.

Climate data for Agadir, Morocco (1961-1990)

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Average high °C (°F)	20.4 (69)	21.0 (70)	22.4 (72)	21.9 (71)	23.2 (74)	24.0 (75)	26.1 (79)	26.1 (79)	26.4 (80)	25.3 (78)	23.5 (74)	20.7 (69)
Average low °C (°F)	7.9 (46)	9.4 (49)	10.9 (52)	12.0 (54)	14.2 (58)	16.4 (62)	18.0 (64)	18.2 (65)	17.3 (63)	15.2 (59)	12.3 (54)	8.5 (47)
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)	0.2 (0.01)	3.0 (0.12)	25.8 (1.02)	52.6 (2.07)	60.7 (2.39)
Source: Hong Kong Observatory[3]

[edit] Museums

• Musee de Talborjt "La Casbah"
• Musee Bert Flint
• Le Musse des Arts Berberes
• Musee Municipal de Agadir
• Le Sicilien Coco Polizzi (Quartier)

[edit] Economy

Agadir's economy relies mainly on tourism and fisheries. Agricultural activities are based around the city.^[5]

[edit] Transportation

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

[edit] Education

• Ecole Supérieure de Tourisme et Technologie Hôtelière d'Agadir
• University of Agadir (IbnZohr)
• Faculté des Sciences d'Agadir
• Groupe scolaire Paul Gauguin Agadir
• Lycée Qualifiant Youssef Ben Tachfine

This section requires expansion.

[edit] Beaches

• 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]

This section requires expansion.

[edit] Parks and gardens

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

This section requires expansion.

[edit] Sister cities

Agadir has four sister cities :

• Miami, United States^{[citation needed]}
• Oakland, United States^{[citation needed]}
• Olhão, Portugal^{[citation needed]}
• Nantes, France^{[citation needed]}

[edit] See also

• Al Massira Airport

[edit] External links

• Agadir berbers Portal

[edit] References

• FallingRain Map - elevation = 30m

Coordinates: 30°24′00″N 09°36′00″W / 30.4°N 9.6°W / 30.4; -9.6

v • d • e Portuguese Empire North Africa  15th century 1415–1640  Ceuta 1458–1550  Alcácer Ceguer (El Qsar es Seghir) 1471–1550  Arzila (Asilah) 1471–1662  Tangier 1485–1550  Mazagan (El Jadida) 1487– middle 16th century  Ouadane 1488–1541  Safim (Safi) 16th century 1505–1769  Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gué (Agadir) 1506–1525  Mogador (Essaouira) 1506–1525  Aguz (Souira Guedima) 1506–1769  Mazagan (El Jadida) 1513–1541  Azamor (Azemmour) 1577–1589  Arzila (Asilah) Sub-Saharan Africa  15th century 1455–1633  Arguin 1470–1975  São Tomé1 1474–1778  Annobón 1478–1778  Fernando Poo (Bioko) 1482–1637  Elmina (São Jorge da Mina) 1482–1642  Portuguese Gold Coast 1496–1550  Madagascar (part) 1498–1540  Mascarene Islands 16th century 1500–1630  Malindi 1500–1975  Príncipe1 1501–1975  Portuguese E. Africa (Mozambique) 1502–1659  St. Helena 1503–1698  Zanzibar 1505–1512  Quíloa (Kilwa) 1506–1511  Socotra 1557–1578  Accra 1575–1975  Portuguese W. Africa (Angola) 1588–1974  Cacheu2 1593–1698  Mombassa (Mombasa) 17th century 1642–1975  Cape Verde 1645–1888  Ziguinchor 1680–1961  São João Baptista de Ajudá 1687–1974  Bissau2 18th century 1728–1729  Mombassa (Mombasa) 1753–1975  São Tomé and Príncipe 19th century 1879–1974  Portuguese Guinea 1885–1975  Portuguese Congo (Cabinda) 1 Part of São Tomé and Príncipe from 1753.   2 Part of Portuguese Guinea from 1879. Southwest Asia  16th century 1506–1615  Gamru (Bandar-Abbas) 1507–1643  Sohar 1515–1622  Hormuz (Ormus) 1515–1648  Quriyat 1515–?   Qalhat 1515–1650  Muscat 1515?–?   Barka 1515–1633? Julfar (Ras al-Khaimah) 1521–1602  Bahrain (Muharraq and Manama) 1521–1529?  Qatif 1521?–1551? Tarut Island 1550–1551  Qatif 1588–1648  Matrah 17th century 1620–?   Khor Fakkan 1621?–?   As Sib 1621–1622  Qeshm 1623–?   Khasab 1623–?   Libedia 1624–?   Kalba 1624–?   Madha 1624–1648  Dibba Al-Hisn 1624?–?   Bandar-e Kong Indian subcontinent  15th century 1498–1545  Laccadive Islands (Lakshadweep) 16th century Portuguese India    1500–1663  Cochim (Kochi)    1502–1661  Quilon (Coulão/Kollam)    1502–1663  Cannanore (Kannur)    1507–1657  Negapatam (Nagapatnam)    1510–1962  Goa    1512–1525  Calicut (Kozhikode)    1518–1619  Paliacate (Pulicat)    1521–1740  Chaul    1523–1662  Mylapore    1528–1666  Chittagong    1534–1601  Salsette Island    1534–1661  Bombay (Mumbai)    1535–1739  Baçaím (Vasai-Virar)    1536–1662  Cranganore (Kodungallur)    1540–1612  Surat    1548–1658  Tuticorin (Thoothukudi)    1559–1962  Daman and Diu    1568–1659  Mangalore    1579–1632  Hugli    1598–1610  Masulipatnam (Machilipatnam) 1518–1521  Maldives 1518–1658  Portuguese Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1558–1573  Maldives 17th century Portuguese India    1687–1749  Mylapore 18th century Portuguese India    1779–1954  Dadra and Nagar Haveli East Asia and Oceania  16th century 1511–1641  Portuguese Malacca 1512–1621  Banda Islands 1512–1621  Moluccas (Maluku Islands)    1522–1575  Ternate    1576–1605  Ambon    1578–1650  Tidore 1512–1665  Makassar 1553–1999  Macau 1533–1545  Ningbo 1571–1639  Decima (Dejima, Nagasaki) 17th century 1642–1975  Portuguese Timor (East Timor)1 19th century Macau    1864–1999  Coloane    1849–1999  Portas do Cerco    1851–1999  Taipa    1890–1999  Ilha Verde 20th century Macau    1938–1941  Lapa and Montanha (Hengqin) 1 1975 is the date of East Timor's Declaration of Independence and subsequent invasion by Indonesia. In 2002, the independence of East Timor was recognized by Portugal and the rest of the world. North America and the North Atlantic Ocean  15th century 1420           Madeira 1432           Azores 16th century 1500–1579?  Terra Nova (Newfoundland) 1500–1579?  Labrador 1516–1579?  Nova Scotia Central and South America  16th century 1500–1822  Brazil 1536–1620  Barbados 17th century 1680–1777  Nova Colônia do Sacramento 19th century 1808–1822  Cisplatina (Uruguay) Portuguese colonization of the Americas Theory of Portuguese discovery of Australia

v • d • e Prefectures and provinces of Morocco Prefectures Agadir-Ida Ou Tanane · Casablanca · Fahs-Anjra · Fès-Dar-Dbibegh · Inezgane-Aït Melloul · Marrakech · Meknès-El Menzeh · Mohammédia · Oujda-Angad · Rabat · Salé · Skhirat-Témara · Tangier-Assilah Provinces Al Haouz · Al Hoceïma · Aousserd · Assa-Zag · Azilal · Ben Slimane · Béni-Mellal · Berkane · Boujdour · Boulemane · Chefchaouen · Chichaoua · Chtouka Aït Baha · El Hajeb · El Jadida · El Kelaa des Sraghna · Errachidia · Es Semara · Essaouira · Figuig · Guelmim · Ifrane · Jerada · Kénitra · Khémisset · Khénifra · Khouribg · Laâyoune · Larache · Médiouna · Moulay Yacoub · Nador · Nouaceur · Ouarzazate · Oued Eddahab · Safi · Sefrou · Settat · Sidi Kacem · Tan-Tan · Taounate · Taourirt · Taroudant · Tata · Taza · Tétouan · Tiznit · Zagora