Maradi, Niger

Coordinates: 13°29′00″N 07°06′00″E / 13.48333°N 7.10000°E / 13.48333; 7.10000
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Maradi
UTC+1

Maradi is the second largest city in

Maradi Department
and an Urban Commune.

History

Originally part of

Voulet-Chanoine Mission
, but later the town recovered to become an important regional centre of commerce by the 1950s.

The expansion of the city in the first half of the 20th century was dynamic, albeit modest, with the population nearly doubling between 1911 and 1950.[3] Up until 1945, the ancient city of Maradi was located in the valley bordering the Goulbi N'Maradi, a seasonal waterway with its source in Nigeria. The urban area, roughly circular in shape, was protected by a mud wall with four doors; the ancient city was flooded by this river at the end of the rainy season of 1945. To avoid future inundation, the French colonial administration decided then to adjust the urban layout. In the process, the city lost its traditional, irregular layout in favour of a grid system.[3] The French sought to create cash-crop agriculture, mostly groundnuts, which increasingly made the city an important regional commercial centre. Aided by economic growth after the 1950s, Maradi experienced a demographic boom, with the population increasing from 8,661 in 1950 to 80,000 by 1983.[3] By the time of Niger's independence in 1960, Maradi was a centre of Hausa culture, vying with the larger traditional Hausa centre of Zinder to the east.

In 2000 a riot broke out in the town by Muslim groups opposed to the staging of the Festival International de la Mode en Afrique (FIMA) in Niamey, resulting in the destruction of various buildings deemed un-Islamic, such as brothels and bars.[2][4]

Geography

The city is divided into three urban municipalities: Maradi I, Maradi II and Maradi III. Maradi is centred on the Grand-marché, a large daily market of wholesale, retail, and agricultural goods from across south central Niger and also the cross-border trade with Nigeria.[5] Some of the districts in the town include Zaria and Sabon Gari in the north, and to the west Mokoya, Dan Gouleye, Bagalam, Yandaka, Maradawa, Hassao and Limantchi.[2]

Climate

Maradi experiences oppressive, mostly cloudy wet seasons, windy, partly cloudy dry seasons, and hot temperatures all year long ranging from 58°F to 104°F, rarely falling below 53°F or above 107°F.[6][7][8][9][10]

Demographics

Year Population
(Census)[11]
1977 44,458
1988 110,005
2001 148,017
2012 267,249

At the 2012 census, the official population of Maradi was 267,249, making it the second largest city in the country,

Tuaregs living there as well. Various ethnic groups from Nigeria, particularly Ibo and Yoruba, can also be found in skilled trades or in small shops.[citation needed
]

Places of worship

The Sultanate Mosque

There are several large mosques in the town. There are also some

Protestant churches and the Assemblies of God having a presence.[13]

Economy

Maradi is the major transport trade and agricultural hub of Niger's south central Hausa region.

Naira for currency in Maradi.[citation needed
] The city lies in a region known for groundnut cultivation.

Education

Université Dan Dicko Dankoulodo UDDM Institut Universitaire de Technologie IUT

The Free University of Maradi

The Free University of Maradi was founded in 2004.[citation needed] There is a Maryam Abacha American University Niger located in the city of Maradi.

Culture

Notable people

Gallery

  • Regional government building
    Regional government building
  • Street scene in Maradi
    Street scene in Maradi
  • A mosque in Maradi
    A mosque in Maradi
  • Worshippers at the Tchana Mosque
    Worshippers at the Tchana Mosque
  • Traditional-style Hausa architecture buildings
    Traditional-style Hausa architecture buildings

References

  1. ^ Abdourahmane Idrissa, Samuel Decalo, Historical Dictionary of Niger, Scarecrow Press, USA, 2012, p. 316
  2. ^ a b c Geels, Jolijn, (2006) Bradt Travel Guide – Niger, pgs. 203–212
  3. ^ a b c Les alhazai de Maradi – l’histoire d’une groupe de riche marchands saheliens. Emmanuel Gregoire. Éditions de I'ORSTOM. 1990.
  4. ^ Saidou Arji; Noel Tadegnon (15 November 2000). "NCULTURE-NIGER: Government to Ban Islamic Groups Opposed to Fashion Festival". Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  5. ^ Information on Maradi grand-marché Archived 27 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine. RESIMAO West-African Market Information Network. Price Statistics from the official West African Market Price Agencies -online
  6. ^ "Maradi Climate, Weather By Month, Average Temperature (Niger) - Weather Spark". weatherspark.com. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Maradi, NE Climate Zone, Monthly Weather Averages and Historical Data". tcktcktck.org. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  8. ^ "Maradi climate: weather by month, temperature, rain - Climates to Travel". www.climatestotravel.com. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Simulated historical climate & weather data for Maradi". meteoblue. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  10. ^ "Climate & Weather Averages in Maradi, Niger". www.timeanddate.com. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Niger: Regions, Cities & Urban Centers - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Niger: Regions, Cities & Urban Centers – Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". citypopulation.de. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  13. ^ J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann, ‘‘Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices’’, ABC-CLIO, USA, 2010, p. 2103
  14. ^ Britannica, Maradi, britannica.com, USA, accessed on July 7, 2019

External links

  • Maradi travel guide from Wikivoyage

13°29′00″N 07°06′00″E / 13.48333°N 7.10000°E / 13.48333; 7.10000