Agadir

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

Agadir (Arabic: أكادير, Berber (Amazigh): ) is a city in southwest Morocco, capital of the Souss-Massa-Dra region.

Contents 1 Etymology 2 Description 3 History 4 Museums 5 Hotels 6 Education 7 Economy 8 Christian Community of Agadir 9 Jewish Community of Agadir 10 Beaches 11 Parks and Gardens 12 Trivia 13 Transportation 14 Sister cities 15 See also 16 External links

[edit] Etymology

The word Agadir means in Berber "Fortified Granary" and is probably derived from the semitic root "g-d-r" (meaning fence) through Punic or Hebrew.^[1]

[edit] Description

It 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°C/68°F) 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 & Fonty
• Les Amicales
• City Centre
• Nouveau Talborjt
• Cité Suisse
• Lakhiyam
• Dakhla
• Anza
• L'Erac (Bouargane).
• Quartier Industriel
• Quartier Residentiel

It is served by the Al Massira Airport.

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for 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.

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 establish a protectorate over 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

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[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] Hotels

• Hotel-Agadir.com : Hotels and Riads in Agadir...

[edit] Education

• Institut Supérieur d'Informatique Appliquée et de Management (ISIAM)
• Ecole Polytechnique Privée d'Agadir
• Ecole Supérieure de Tourisme et Technologie Hôtelière d'Agadir
• University of Agadir
• Ircam Institut Royal de La Culture Amazighe
• Institut Francais d'Agadir
• lycée français d'Agadir
• Ecole superieure de technologie d'Agadir
• Groupe scolaire Paul Gauguin Agadir
• Lycée Youssef Ben Tachefine
• ENSA L'Ecole Nationale des Sciences Appliquees d' Agadir
• ENCGA, École Nationale de Commerce et de Gestion de Agadir
• Faculté des Sciences Agadir

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

[edit] Economy

• CRI Agadir Regional Investment Office
• CCIS The Chamber of Commerce of Industry and Services in Agadir

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[edit] Christian Community of Agadir

Catholic Church

• ECAM: Eglise Sainte Anne : 115, rue de Marrakech, 80000 Agadir, Website

Evangelical Church

• EEAM: Eglise Evangélique: Rue Djorf (derrière le camping), Website

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[edit] Jewish Community of Agadir

• Conseil des Communautes Israelites du Agadir, La Paternal Building, Avenue Hassan II.

• Synagogue Beth El : Rue de la foire, Agadir Maroc

Website

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[edit] Beaches

• Agadir has sandy beaches. Its beaches are :dix-sept, Taghazout, Aghroud, Imiouadar, km25.
• Agadir Diving Ecole de Plongee au Maroc

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

[edit] Parks and Gardens

• Jardin Olhao
• Jardin Ibn Zaidoun

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

[edit] Trivia

• Agadir was mentioned in "Disappear," a 2001 song by R.E.M. in their album Reveal.
• Agadir has two sister cities (according to Sister Cities International) - Miami, Florida and Oakland, California.
• Agadir features in the Mike Batt song "Ride to Agadir" on the solo album "Schizophonia" featuring the London Symphony Orchestra.
• Agadir and its children and Jewish market are mentioned in the memoirs of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry "Wind, Sand and Stars".

[edit] Transportation

Agadir is served by Al Massira Airport, located 22 kilometers from the city.

[edit] Sister cities

Agadir has three sister cities :

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

[edit] See also

• Al Massira Airport

[edit] External links

• Agadir Portal
• Agadir berbers Portal
• Go Agadir
• Location Appartements Essaouira - hotels Essaouira - riads essaouira

1. ^ Kossmann Maarteen, Loanwords in Tarifiyt, a Berber language of Morocco, pg. 5

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Coordinates: 30°25′N, 9°35′W