Zinder (locally, ''Damagaram''), formerly also spelled Sinder, is the third largest city in

Niger ) , official_languages = , languages_type = National languagesPopulation figures from citypopulation.de
citin
(2001) Institut National de la Statistique du Niger
by the 2012 census its population reached 235,605. It is situated east of the capital Niamey and north of the Nigerian city of Kano.

History

Early history

Zinder was originally the site of the small Hausa village of Zengou.Geels, Jolijn, (2006) ''Bradt Travel Guide - Niger'', pgs. 213-26 The town grew dramatically in importance following the arrival of Kanuri aristocrats in 1736, who built a new fortified quarter called Birni to the south and declared the town of Zinder as the capital of the Sultanate of Damagaram in 1736. Thereafter Zinder became an important centre of the

Trans-Saharan trade Trans-Saharan trade requires travel across the Sahara between sub-Saharan Africa and North 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 d ...

and a major hub for trade south through Kano and east to Bornu." The sultanate remained nominally subject to the

Borno Empire Borno may refer to: Places Italy * Borno, Lombardy, a municipality in the Province of Brescia Africa * Borno State, Nigeria * Borno Emirate, a traditional Nigerian state formed at the start of the 20th century * Bornu Empire, a state whic ...

until the reign of Sultan Tanimoune Dan Souleymane in the mid-to-late 19th century, who declared independence and initiated a phase of vigorous expansion. Europeans began exploring the region in the 19th century, beginning with German explorer Heinrich Barth, who stayed in Zinder in 1851, and later the

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

explorer

Marius Gabriel Cazemajou Marius-Gabriel Cazemajou (10 December 1864 – 5 May 1898) was a French officer who died during an expedition in West Africa. Early years Marius Gabriel Cazemajou was born on 10 December 1864 in Marseille. He studied at the Polytechnique. Caz ...

, who was killed in the city in 1897. It was then, after a brief resistance, occupied in July 1899 by Lt. Pallier of the Voulet-Chanoine mission. The French barracks was called Fort Cazemajou and it served as the capital of the Niger Military Territory upon its creation in 1911. In 1926, following fears of Hausa revolts and improving relations with the Djerma of the west, the capital was transferred back to the village of Niamey. Upon Niger's independence from France, the town's fort was renamed for Sultane Tanimoune.

Recent history

In 2003, telecommunications company

Celtel Celtel was a telecommunications company that operated in several African countries. It was founded by Sudanese-born Mo Ibrahim. History Originally known as "MSI Cellular Investments", the company began operating in 1998. In January 2004, the ...

arrived in Zinder, building a mobile phone tower and selling prepaid phone cards to residents. This arrival of the mobile phone drastically changed the predominant modes of communication in the city, allowing traders to have a faster and more affordable means of communicating with buyers and sellers. This is an example of how cellular towers in the developing world have begun to transform the market.

Geography

The centre of Zinder consists of three main areas: in the north is ''Zengou or Zango'', the old

Tuareg The Tuareg people (; also spelled Twareg or Touareg; endonym: ''Imuhaɣ/Imušaɣ/Imašeɣăn/Imajeɣăn'') are a large Berber ethnic group that principally inhabit the Sahara in a vast area stretching from far southwestern Libya to southern A ...

suburb, is known for its vernacular architecture, and in the south lies ''Birni'', the old Hausa town, which is home to Zinder Great Mosque, Fort Tanimoune and the Sultan's Palace, as well as a museum. ''Sabon Gari'' (the new town), lies between Birni and Zengou, and is the commercial centre, known for its large market (the ''Grand Marché''). The city now sprawls to the north and west, extending to the Karkada section, in the north; other neighbourhoods include Garin Mallam and Gawon Kollia. The city has many distinctive granite rocks which can result in standing water during the rainy season, though the city has a long history of water shortages. Recently water was piped by a Chinese-owned company from the north to provide water to most of the city, however, this problem is likely to continue due to expected population growth. The city is divided into 5 urban municipalities:

Zinder I Zinder I is an urban commune in Niger. It is a commune of the city of Zinder Zinder (locally, ''Damagaram''), formerly also spelled Sinder, is the third largest city in Niger, with a population of 170,574 (2001 census);Zinder II Zinder II is an urban commune in Niger. It is a commune of the city of Zinder Zinder (locally, ''Damagaram''), formerly also spelled Sinder, is the third largest city in Niger, with a population of 170,574 (2001 census);Zinder III Zinder III is an urban commune in Niger. It is a commune of the city of Zinder Zinder (locally, ''Damagaram''), formerly also spelled Sinder, is the third largest city in Niger, with a population of 170,574 (2001 census);Zinder IV Zinder IV is an urban commune in Niger. It is a commune of the city of Zinder Zinder (locally, ''Damagaram''), formerly also spelled Sinder, is the third largest city in Niger, with a population of 170,574 (2001 census);Zinder V Zinder V is an urban commune in Niger. It is a commune of the city of Zinder Zinder (locally, ''Damagaram''), formerly also spelled Sinder, is the third largest city in Niger, with a population of 170,574 (2001 census);Zinder Airport Zinder International Airport is a civil airport serving Zinder, Niger. Owned and formerly managed by the Agence nationale de l'aviation civile du Niger, from 11 February 2020 management has been under the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in ...

(code: ZND) is located a few kilometres southwest of the town.Zinder (ZND) Niger: world-airport-codes.com
/ref> Aéroport International de Zinder-2020-2

Economy

The economy of the city is still largely based on the agricultural activities of the surroundings. Today, the city counts four officially recognised industries: Tannerie Malam Yaro (leather tanning), Gidan Alkaki (cake production), Sahara Sahel Foods (processing of non-wood forest produce) and SORAZ (petrol refinery located 50km North of the city). In November 2011, Niger Republic's first oil refinery was commissioned in Zinder.

Notable residents

* Moussa Hamadou Djingarey (born 1973), film director

Gallery

File:Zinder centre ville.jpg, Zinder city center File:Marché Dolé.jpg, Dolé Market in Zinder File:Zinder Old Town Niger 2007.jpg, Traditional

Hausa architecture Hausa architecture is the architecture of the Hausa people of Northern Nigeria. Hausa architectural forms include mosques, walls, common compounds, and gates. Hausa traditional architecture is an integral part of how Hausa people construct a sense ...

in Zinder File:Université de Zinder.JPG, Zinder University File:Zinder DSC 4486 (6328130115).jpg, Many buildings in the town are decorated with traditional symbols File:Zinder DSC 4499 (6328132379).jpg, The Grand Mosque in Zinder

References

Bibliography

* James Decalo. Historical Dictionary of Niger. Scarecrow Press/ Metuchen. NJ – London (1979) * Finn Fuglestad. A History of Niger: 1850–1960. Cambridge University Press (1983) * Jolijn Geels. Niger. Bradt UK/ Globe Pequot Press USA (2006)

External links

{{Authority control Zinder Region Populated places in Niger