Agadez

urban commune in Niger

Agadez is a city in Niger. It is the capital of Agadez Region. As of the 2012 census, 110,497 people lived there which makes it the fifth largest city in the country by population. It is in the Sahara desert. In 2013, the historic centre of Agadez was added as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 1449 Agadez became a sultanate, while around 1500 it was conquered by the Songhai Empire. The city is still caravan traffic bringing salt from Bilma.

A view of Agadez from a minaret, 1997