Agadir (, ; ) is a major

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...

, on the shore of the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

near the foot of the

Atlas Mountains The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range in the Maghreb in North Africa. They separate the Sahara Desert from the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean; the name "Atlantic" is derived from the mountain range, which stretches around through M ...

, just north of the point where the Souss River flows into the ocean, and south of

Casablanca Casablanca (, ) is the largest city in Morocco and the country's economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Chaouia (Morocco), Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a populatio ...

. Agadir is the capital of the Agadir Ida-U-Tanan Prefecture and of the

Souss-Massa Souss-Massa () is one of the twelve regions of Morocco, regions of Morocco. It covers an area of 51,642 km² and had a population of 2,676,847 as of the 2014 Moroccan census. The capital of the region is Agadir. Geography Souss-Massa bord ...

economic region. Agadir is one of the major urban centres of Morocco. The municipality of Agadir recorded a population of 924,000 in the

2014 Moroccan census The 2014 Moroccan census was held in Morocco between 1 September and 20 September 2014. The census was conducted by the High Planning Commission.General Census of the population and habitat 2004, Commisariat of Planning
Website: www.lavieeco.com, consulted on 7 February 2012 ; and the population of the Prefecture of Agadir-Ida Outanane was 487,954 inhabitants. Agadir is known for being the capital of

Amazigh Berbers, or the Berber peoples, also known as Amazigh or Imazighen, are a diverse grouping of distinct ethnic groups indigenous to North Africa who predate the arrival of Arabs in the Maghreb. Their main connections are identified by their u ...

culture in Morocco. It is one of the few big Moroccan cities where

Tamazight The Berber languages, also known as the Amazigh languages or Tamazight, are a branch of the Afroasiatic language family. They comprise a group of closely related but mostly mutually unintelligible languages spoken by Berber communities, who ar ...

, one of Morocco's two official languages, is spoken by more than half of the population. The native variety to the region,

Tachelhit ( ; from its name in Moroccan Arabic, ), now more commonly known as Tashelhiyt or Tachelhit ( ; from the endonym , ), is a Berber language spoken in southwestern Morocco. When referring to the language, anthropologists and historians prefer the ...

, is spoken by 222,000 speakers, representing 53.7% of the entire population. Agadir is also a place for many festivals related to Amazigh culture, such as The New Amazigh Year, celebrated on 13 January every year throughout the city, especially in the downtown area. The Bilmawen Festival is another old Berber tradition celebrated in the suburbs of the city. Additionally, the Issni N’Ourgh International festival is a festival for Amazigh films. Agadir is also the birthplace of many of the pillars of

Shilha Shilha (from Colloquial Arabic ''Šəlḥa'') is a term used to refer to a number of Berber languages spoken across northern Africa. In international usage, it most commonly refers to Shilha language, Tashelhiyt (Tašlḥiyt), the language of the Sh ...

and

music, such as Izenzaren, Oudaden, and many others. It was the site of the 1911

Agadir Crisis The Agadir Crisis, Agadir Incident, or Second Moroccan Crisis, was a brief crisis sparked by the deployment of a substantial force of French troops in the interior of Morocco in July 1911 and the deployment of the German gunboat to Agadir, ...

that exposed tensions between France and Germany, foreshadowing World War I. The city was destroyed by an earthquake in 1960; it has been completely rebuilt with mandatory seismic standards. It is now the largest

seaside resort A seaside resort is a city, resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requi ...

in Morocco, where foreign tourists and many residents are attracted by an unusually mild year-round climate. Since 2010 it has been well served by low-cost flights and a motorway from

Tangier Tangier ( ; , , ) is a city in northwestern Morocco, on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The city is the capital city, capital of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, as well as the Tangier-Assilah Prefecture of Moroc ...

. The mild winter climate (January average midday temperature 20.5 °C/69 °F)"Climate (Average Weather) Data", from NOAA Station Id FM60250, Latitude: 30° 23'N Longitude: 9° 34'W Elevation: 23m
. and good beaches have made it a major "winter sun" destination for northern Europeans.

Etymology

The name ''

Agadir Agadir (, ; ) is a major List of cities in Morocco, city in Morocco, on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean near the foot of the Atlas Mountains, just north of the point where the Sous River, Souss River flows into the ocean, and south of Casabla ...

'' is a common Berber noun, meaning 'wall, enclosure, fortified building, citadel'. This noun is attested in most Berber languages. It may come from the

Tuareg The Tuareg people (; also spelled Twareg or Touareg; endonym, depending on variety: ''Imuhaɣ'', ''Imušaɣ'', ''Imašeɣăn'' or ''Imajeɣăn'') are a large Berber ethnic group, traditionally nomadic pastoralists, who principally inhabit th ...

word ''aǧādir'' ('wall' or 'bank') or from Phoenician ('wall' or 'fortress'). The former word may also be a loanword from the latter. The Phoenician etymology, if correct, would be the same as that of

Cádiz Cádiz ( , , ) is a city in Spain and the capital of the Province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. It is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula off the Atlantic Ocean separated fr ...

in Spain. There are many more towns in Morocco called Agadir. The city of Agadir's full name in

Tashelhit ( ; from its name in Moroccan Arabic, ), now more commonly known as Tashelhiyt or Tachelhit ( ; from the endonym , ), is a Berber language spoken in southwestern Morocco. When referring to the language, anthropologists and historians prefer the ...

is ''Agadir Ighir'' or ''Agadir-n-Irir'', literally 'the fortress of the cape', referring to the nearby promontory named Cape Ighir on maps (a

pleonastic Pleonasm (; , ) is redundancy in linguistic expression, such as "black darkness", "burning fire", "the man he said", or "vibrating with motion". It is a manifestation of tautology by traditional rhetorical criteria. Pleonasm may also be used f ...

name, literally 'Cape Cape').

History

Early occupation

The oldest known map that includes an indication of Agadir is from 1325: at the approximate location of the modern city, it names a place it calls ''Porto Mesegina'', after a Berber tribe name that had been recorded as early as the 12th century, the ''Mesguina'' (also known as the ''Ksima''). At the end of the medieval period, Agadir was a town of some renown. The first known mention of its name, ''Agadir al-harba'', was recorded in 1510.

Portuguese occupation

In the late 15th century the Portuguese began to occupy positions along the Moroccan coast. In 1505 the Portuguese nobleman João Lopes de Sequeira occupied the area. He built a wooden castle at the foot of a hill, near a spring, and a Portuguese colony named ''Santa Cruz do Cabo do Gué'' was created. The site still bears the name of Funti or Founti (from the Portuguese word ''fonte,'' meaning "fountain"). The castle was later bought by the King of Portugal on 25 January 1513. The Portuguese presence elicited growing hostility from the local population of the

Sous The Sous region (also spelt Sus, Suss, Souss or Sousse) (, ) is a historical, cultural and geographical region of Morocco, which constitutes part of the region administration of Souss-Massa and Guelmim-Oued Noun. The region is known for the en ...

region, who initiated a years-long economic and military blockade of the port. In 1510 Muhammad al-Qa'im, the leader of a Sharifian family in that had established themselves in the Sous, was declared leader of the local military efforts against the Sous. His descendants went on to found the Sa'di dynasty which rose to power over the following decades and eventually established their capital at

Marrakesh Marrakesh or Marrakech (; , ) is the fourth-largest city in Morocco. It is one of the four imperial cities of Morocco and is the capital of the Marrakesh–Safi Regions of Morocco, region. The city lies west of the foothills of the Atlas Mounta ...

. In 1540 the Sa'di sultan

Muhammad al-Shaykh ''Mawlay'' Mohammed al-Shaykh al-Sharif al-Hassani (), known as Mohammed al-Shaykh () (b. 1490 – d. 23 October 1557), was the first sultan of the Saadian dynasty of Morocco (1544–1557). He was particularly successful in expelling the Portugue ...

occupied the main hill (now

Agadir Oufla The Kasbah of Agadir Oufla (, ''Agadir Uflla'') is a historical landmark in Agadir, Morocco that housed the old city of Agadir, much of which was affected by the earthquake that struck the city. The fort is located on the top of a mountain rising ...

) above the Portuguese and installed

artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

to prepare an attack on the fortress below. The siege of the colony began on 16 February 1541 and was successfully concluded on 12 March of the same year. Six hundred Portuguese survivors were taken prisoner, including the governor, Guterre de Monroy, and his daughter, Dona Mecia. The captives were redeemed by the holy men, who were mostly from Portugal. Dona Mecia, whose husband was killed during the battle, became the wife of Sheikh Mohammed ash-Sheikh but died in childbirth in 1544. In the same year, Mohammed ash-Sheikh released Guterre de Monroy, whom he had befriended. After this, the Portuguese were forced to abandon most of the Moroccan areas that they had acquired control of between 1505 and 1520, including Agadir, Safi and

Azemmour Azemmour or Azammur () is a Moroccan city, lying at the Atlantic ocean coast, on the left bank of the Oum Er-Rbia River, 75 km southwest of Casablanca. Etymology The word Azemmour comes from the Berber word ''Azemmur'' ("wild olive tree" ...

. By 1550, Portugal's only holding in Morocco was Mazagan (now

El Jadida El Jadida (, ) is a major port city on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, located south of the city of Casablanca, in the province of El Jadida and the region of Casablanca-Settat. It has a population of 170,956 as of 2023. The fortified city, b ...

and

Ceuta Ceuta (, , ; ) is an Autonomous communities of Spain#Autonomous cities, autonomous city of Spain on the North African coast. Bordered by Morocco, it lies along the boundary between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ceuta is one of th ...

. Following defeat in Morocco, the Portuguese turned their attention to India and Brazil, nations that they had more success pacifying. The story of the Portuguese presence (from the installation in 1505 until their defeat on 12 March 1541) is described in a manuscript (published for the first time, with a French translation by Pierre de Cenival, in 1934) entitled "Este He O Origem e Comeco e Cabo da Villa de Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gue D'Agoa de Narba", written by an anonymous author who was captured in 1934 and was imprisoned for five years in

Taroudannt Taroudant (, ) is a city in the Sous in southwestern Morocco. It is situated east of Agadir on the road to Ouarzazate and south of Marrakesh. Today, it is a small market town and a tourist destination. History The Almoravid dynasty, Almoravids o ...

(cf. "Santa Cruz do Cabo de Gue d'Agoa de Narba – Estudo e Crónica", Joao Marinho e Santos, José Manuel Azevedo e Silva e Mohammed Nadir, bilingual edition, Viseu 2007).

Moroccan rule

After the Sa'di victory the site was then left unoccupied for years until Muhammad al-Shaykh's successor,

Abdallah al-Ghalib Abdallah al-Ghalib Billah (; b. 1517 – d. 22 January 1574, 1557–1574) was the second Saadian sultan of Morocco. He succeeded his father Mohammed al-Shaykh as Sultan of Morocco. Biography Early life With his first wife Sayyida Rabia, ...

(r. 1557–1574), built a new fortress (or

kasbah A kasbah (, also ; , , Maghrebi Arabic: ), also spelled qasbah, qasba, qasaba, or casbah, is a fortress, most commonly the citadel or fortified quarter of a city. It is also equivalent to the term in Spanish (), which is derived from the same ...

) on the hilltop. It was now called ''Agadir N'Ighir'' (literally: "fortified granary of the hill" in

. In the 17th century, during the reign of the Berber dynasty of Tazerwalt, Agadir was a harbour of some importance, expanding its trade with Europe. There was, however, neither a real port nor a wharf. Agadir traded mainly in sugar, wax, copper, hides and skins. In exchange, Europeans sold their manufactured goods there, particularly weapons and textiles. Under the reign of Sultan

Moulay Ismail Moulay Ismail Ibn Sharif (, – 22 March 1727) was a Sultan of Morocco from 1672 to 1727, as the second ruler of the 'Alawi dynasty. He was the seventh son of Moulay Sharif and was governor of the province of Fez and the north of Morocco from ...

(1645–1727) and his successors, the trade with France, which had previously been an active partner, diminished, and trade with the English and Dutch increased. In 1731, the town was completely destroyed by an earthquake. After that, Agadir's harbour was ordered to be closed, and an alternative,

Essaouira Essaouira ( ; ), known until the 1960s as Mogador (, or ), is a port city in the western Moroccan region of Marrakesh-Safi, on the Atlantic coast. It has 77,966 inhabitants as of 2014. The foundation of the city of Essaouira was the work of t ...

, was established farther north. After a long period of prosperity during the reigns of the Saadian and Alawite dynasties, Agadir declined from 1760 because of the pre-eminence given to the competing port of Essaouira by the Alawite Sultan

Mohammed ben Abdallah ''Sidi'' Mohammed ben Abdallah ''al-Khatib'' (), known as Mohammed III (), born in 1710 in Fez, Morocco, Fes and died on 9 April 1790 in Meknes, was the List of rulers of Morocco, Sultan of Morocco from 1757 to 1790 as a member of the 'Alawi dyna ...

who wanted to punish the Souss for rebelling against his authority. This decline lasted a century and a half. In 1789, a European traveler gave a brief description of Agadir: "It is now a ghost town, there are no more than a few houses and these are crumbling into ruins". In 1881, Sultan Moulay Hassan reopened the harbour to trade in order to supply the expeditions he planned in the south. These expeditions, which were to reassert his authority over the Souss tribes and counter the plans of English and Spanish, were held in 1882 and 1886. In 1884,

Charles de Foucauld Charles Eugène, vicomte de Foucauld de Pontbriand, (15 September 1858 – 1 December 1916), commonly known as Charles de Foucauld, was a French soldier, explorer, geographer, ethnographer, Catholic priest and hermit who lived among the Tuare ...

described in ''Reconnaissance au Maroc'' (Reconnaissance in Morocco) his rapid passage to Agadir from the east: On the pretext of a call for help from German companies in the valley of the Souss, Germany decided on 1 July 1911, to extend its interests in Morocco and assert a claim on the country. It sent to the bay of Agadir, (which harbour was, until 1881, closed to foreign trade) the which was quickly joined by the cruiser ''Berlin''. Very strong international reaction, particularly from Great Britain, surprised Germany and triggered the

between France and Germany. War threatened. After tough negotiations, a Franco-German treaty was finally signed on 4 November 1911, giving a free hand to France, who would be able to establish its

protectorate A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a State (polity), state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over ...

over Morocco in return for giving up some colonies in Africa. It was only then that the gunboat ''Panther'' and the cruiser ''Berlin'' left the bay of Agadir. Due to a miscalculation, the German sales representative

Hermann Wilberg Hermann Wilhelm Wilberg (1880 – 24 November 1946) was a German mining engineer. Born in 1880 in Dortmund, Germany, the son of a butcher, Wilberg studied mine engineering. From 1899 to 1910 he worked for the ''Oberbergamt'' (mining office) ...

, who was sent to provide the pretext for the intervention, only arrived at Agadir three days after the ''Panther'' arrived. In 1913, the cities (Agadir N'Ighir and Founti) totaled less than a thousand inhabitants. On 15 June 1913 French troops landed in Agadir. In 1916, the first pier was built near Founti – a simple jetty, later known as the "Portuguese jetty", which remained until the end of the 20th century. After 1920, under the French protectorate, a port was built and the city saw its first development with the construction of the old Talborjt district located on the plateau at the foot of the hill. Two years later, beside Talborjt along the faultline of the river Tildi construction of the popular district of Yahchech began. Around 1930, Agadir was an important stop for the French airmail service Aéropostale and was frequented by Saint-Exupéry and Mermoz. In the years from 1930, a modern central city began to be built according to the plans of the urban planner

Henri Prost Henri Prost (February 25, 1874 – July 16, 1959) was a French architect and urban planner born in Saint-Denis. He was noted in particularly for his work in Morocco and Turkey, where he created a number of comprehensive city plans for Casab ...

, director of the Urban Planning Department of the Protectorate, and his deputy Albert Laprade: a horseshoe layout based on the waterfront around a large avenue perpendicular to the waterfront – the Avenue Lyautey, since renamed Avenue du Général Kettani. In the 1950s, urban development continued under the direction of the Director of Urban Planning Morocco, Michel Ecochard. After 1950 and the opening of the new commercial port, the city grew with fishing, canning, agriculture, and mining. It also began to open up to tourism due to its climate and hotel infrastructure. Several years later from 1950 to 1956 Agadir organized the and, from 1954 to 1956, the

Moroccan Grand Prix The Moroccan Grand Prix () was a Grand Prix first organised in 1925 in Casablanca, Morocco with the official denomination of "Casablanca Grand Prix". History In 1930, the race was held at the new Anfa Circuit (official denomination "Anfa Gran ...

. In 1959, the port was visited by the yacht of the Greek shipping magnate

Aristotle Onassis Aristotle Socrates Onassis (, ; , ; 20 January 1906 – 15 March 1975) was a Greek and Argentine business magnate. He amassed the world's largest privately-owned shipping fleet and was one of the world's richest and most famous men. He was marri ...

and his guest,

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...

. By 1960, Agadir numbered over 40,000 residents when at 15 minutes to midnight on 29 February 1960, it was again almost totally destroyed by an

earthquake An earthquakealso called a quake, tremor, or tembloris the shaking of the Earth's surface resulting from a sudden release of energy in the lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from those so weak they ...

of magnitude 5.7 on the Richter scale that lasted 15 seconds, burying the city and killing more than a third of the population.Documentary film, Jacques Bensimon, Once Agadir
,

National Film Board of Canada The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; ) is a Canadian public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary films, animation, web documentaries, and altern ...

, consulted 1 November 2010 The death toll was estimated at 15,000. The earthquake destroyed the old Kasbah.

Agadir after 1960

The current city was rebuilt further south, led by the architects associated with

GAMMA Gamma (; uppercase , lowercase ; ) is the third letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 3. In Ancient Greek, the letter gamma represented a voiced velar stop . In Modern Greek, this letter normally repr ...

, including Jean-François Zevaco, Elie Azagury, Pierre Coldefy, and

Claude Verdugo Claude may refer to: People and fictional characters * Claude (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Claude (surname), a list of people * Claude Callegari (1962–2021), English Arsenal supporter * Claude Debussy (1862–1918), F ...

, with consultation from

Le Corbusier Charles-Édouard Jeanneret (6 October 188727 August 1965), known as Le Corbusier ( , ; ), was a Swiss-French architectural designer, painter, urban planner and writer, who was one of the pioneers of what is now regarded as modern architecture ...

. Agadir became a large city of over half a million by 2004, with a large port with four basins: the commercial port with a draft of 17 metres, triangle fishing, fishing port, and a pleasure boat port with marina. Agadir was the premier sardine port in the world in the 1980s and has a beach stretching over 10 km with fine seafront promenades. Its climate has 340 days of sunshine per year which allows for swimming all year round. The winter is warm and in summer, haze is common. With Marrakech, Agadir is a very important centre for tourism to Morocco, and the city is the most important fishing port in the country. Business is also booming with the export of citrus fruit and vegetables produced in the fertile valley of

Souss The Sous region (also spelt Sus, Suss, Souss or Sousse) (, ) is a historical, cultural and geographical region of Morocco, which constitutes part of the region administration of Souss-Massa and Guelmim-Oued Noun. The region is known for the ende ...

. On 12 December 2022, an earthquake of magnitude 4.5 hit Agadir Province. The earthquake struck at a depth of three kilometres beneath the epicentre, off the coast of Agadir.

Geography

The current conurbation of Agadir is actually a combination of four communes: * the former town of Agadir city * the urban commune of Anza * the rural town of Bensergao * the rural town of Tikiwine

New Talborjt

This area is named after the old district of Talborjt (meaning "small fort" in local Berber, in remembrance of the

water tower A water tower is an elevated structure supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system, distribution system for potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. Water towe ...

which was first built on the plateau in the former Talborjt). Lively, the New Talborjt which has been rebuilt away from the Old Talborjt, has as the main artery the Boulevard Mohammed Sheikh Saadi, named after the victor against the Portuguese in 1541. Other major avenues are the Avenue President Kennedy and the Avenue 29 February. There is also the Mohammed V mosque, the Olhão garden (

Olhão Olhão (), officially known as Olhão da Restauração, is a city and concelho, municipality in the Algarve region of southern Portugal. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 45,396, in an area of . Located near the regional capital Faro, ...

is a coastal city in southern Portugal that is twinned with Agadir), and its memorial museum and the Garden Ibn Zaydoun. Some good hotels and restaurants have been built on the main arteries.

Residential districts

* Swiss Village: the oldest district of villas bordered by the Avenue of FAR (Royal Armed Forces), Avenue Mokhtar Soussi, Cairo Avenue, and the Avenue of the United Nations. * Mixed Sector District (THE NEW IHCHACH): the French and Spanish Consulates are in this district. * Founty or "Bay of palm trees": a seaside area with residential villas, large hotels, holiday homes, and the royal palace. * High Founty: a new district of buildings and residential villas, located in the new city centre between the new Court of Appeal and the Marjane supermarket. * Illigh: to the east in front of the Hassan II hospital, is a residential area of large villas, housing the "new bourgeoisie". * Charaf: The Hassan II hospital is in this district. * Les Amicales: also known as the "city of government employees" * Dakhla: close to the Ibn Zohr University, it has a mix between modern buildings, ordinary villas, and studio apartments. This new town created in 1979 was the last work before his death of the renowned French urbanist, Gérald Hanning. * Hay Mohammadi: a new urbanization zone in Agadir with a villa zone and a zone for large groups of buildings to frame the extension of the Avenue des FAR in the northwest. * Adrar City: a new district next to the Metro hypermarket. * Other neighbourhoods: Amsernat, Lakhyam, Erac Bouargane, Massira, Essalam, Tilila, Tassila, Bensergao, Riad Assalam, Islane, Ihchach (Yachech) Nahda, Anza, Assaka, Bir Anzarane, Tikouine, Zaitoune, Taddart and El Houda.

The Kasbah

The K''asbah'' (''

'', ''Agadir le haut'', ''Agadir N'Ighir'', or ''Agadir de la colline'') was, along with Founti by the sea, the oldest district of Agadir. An authentic fortress with winding streets and lively, the Kasbah was built in 1572 by

. Above the front door; today, the original inscription in Arabic and in English reads: "God, the Nation, the King." Of this fortress there remains, after the earthquake of 29 February 1960, a restored long high wall that surrounds land that is not buildable. There is, however, a view over the bay of Agadir and the ports. The old people of Agadir remember the "Moorish café" of the Kasbah and its panoramic view. The hill bears the inscription in Arabic: "God, Country, King" which, like the walls, is illuminated at night.

Old Talborjt

Overlooking the waterfront and Wadi Tildi, this old district (whose name is sometimes spelled ''Talbordjt'') was once a shopping area and very lively with its large square where there was a weekly market, hotels, schools, mosque. 90% of the buildings in Old Talborjt were destroyed or severely damaged by the earthquake in 1960. Razed to the ground after the earthquake and now overgrown, it is classified as non-buildable area. Its main thoroughfare, the Avenue El Moun stretches over and serves only for driving schools that teach their students to drive.

Souk El Had

This is the largest market in the region. It has about 6,000 small shops. It is surrounded by walls and has several entrances. It is organized into different sectors: furniture, crafts, clothing, vegetables, meat, spices etc. It is possible to find all kinds of handicrafts and traditional decorations. The walls have been restored and the interior design is being finished.

La Médina

''La Médina'' is a handicrafts space created in 1992 by the Italian artist Coco Polizzi, at Ben Sergao, a district close to Agadir from the city centre. Built using techniques of traditional Berber construction, it is a kind of small open-air museum, on five hectares and home to artisan workshops, a museum, individual residences, a small hotel, and an exotic garden.

Subdivisions

The prefecture is divided administratively into communes.

Climate

Agadir has a

semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of se ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

: ''BSh'') with warm summers and mild winters. Located along the Atlantic Ocean, Agadir has a very mild climate. The daytime temperature generally stays in the 20s °C (70s °F) every day with averages around , with the winter highs typically reaching in January. Rainfall is almost entirely confined to the winter months and is heavily influenced by the NAO, with negative NAO indices producing wet winters and positive NAO correlating with drought. For instance, in the wettest month on record of December 1963, as much as fell, whereas in the positive NAO year from July 1960 to June 1961 a mere occurred over the twelve months.Climate Explorer
AGADIR monthly precipitation
/ref> The wettest year has been from July 1955 to June 1956 with . Occasionally however, the region experiences winds from the Sahara called '' Chergui'', which may exceptionally and for two to five days raise the heat above . The confirmed record high temperature was set on 12 August 2023. This makes Agadir one of few coastal locations in the world to have recorded a temperature above 50 °C. The record of 51.7 °C degrees, which was on 19 August 1940, is disputed. In 1950, a poster from the Navigation Company Pacquet proclaimed: "Winter or summer, I bathe in Agadir".

Economy

The city had an annual growth rate of over 6% per year in housing demand while housing production barely exceeds 3.4%. Agadir's economy relies mainly on tourism and fisheries. Agricultural activities are based around the city. Agadir has one of the biggest souks in Morocco (Souk El Had). The fishing port is a major sardine port. The commercial port is also known for its exports of

cobalt Cobalt is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Co and atomic number 27. As with nickel, cobalt is found in the Earth's crust only in a chemically combined form, save for small deposits found in alloys of natural meteoric iron. ...

manganese Manganese is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal, often found in minerals in combination with iron. Manganese was first isolated in the 1770s. It is a transition m ...

zinc Zinc is a chemical element; it has symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodic tabl ...

and citrus products. The Avenue du Port, the main artery of the Anza district, is surrounded by canneries and has many popular small restaurants adjacent to the fish market. The city has a cement company called Ciments du Maroc (CIMAR), a subsidiary of the Italian group

Italcementi Italcementi is an Italian multinational company, quoted on the Borsa Italiana, which produces cement, ready-mix concrete and construction aggregates. In 2015, 45% of Italcementi was acquired by HeidelbergCement, together forming the world's se ...

which is in process of being transferred to a new plant from the city. There is also a shipyard in the port and the only merchant marine school in Morocco. Agadir is served by Al Massira Airport, from the city.

Culture

The Timitar festival, a festival of

culture and music from around the world, has been held in Agadir every summer since its inception in July 2004. The ''Morocco Movement'' association is involved in the arts and organizes concerts, exhibitions and meetings in the visual arts, design, music, graphic design, photography, environment and health. Other cultural events in Agadir are: * Noiz Makerz concert of urban music. * Breaking South national break-dancing championship * International Documentary Film Festival in November (FIDADOC) * Film Festival for immigration * International Festival of University Theatre of Agadir * Concert for Tolerance (November) * Festival of Laughter * International Salon of Art of Photography (Clubphoto d'Agadir)

Museums

* Musée de Talborjt "La Casbah" * Musée Bert Flint * Le Musée des Arts Berberes * Musee Municipal de Agadir * La Medina d'Agadir

Education

The city of Agadir has a university: the University Ibn Zohr which includes a Faculty of Science, Faculty of medicine and pharmacy, Faculty of Law, Economics and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, and the multi-disciplined Faculty of Ouarzazate. There are also establishments of higher education such as: * the National School of Applied Sciences (ENSA) * the National School of Business and Management (ENCG) * the Graduate School of Agadir technology (ESTA). There is an international French school: the French School of Agadir and also public schools: Youssef Ben Tachfine School, Mohammed Reda-Slaoui School, and the Al-Idrissi Technical College. High schools in the city include: * Groupe Scolaire Paul Gauguin Agadir (CLOSED in 2014) * Groupe Scolaire LE DEFI * Lycée Lala Meryem Agadir * Lycée Qualifiant Youssef Ben Tachfine * Lycée Technique Al Idrissi * Lycée Al Qalam * Lycée Al Hanane * Lycée Français d'Agadir * Lycée Anoual * Lycée Zerktouni * Lycée Mohamed Derfoufi * Lycée Bader Elouefaq * Lycée Ibn Maja * Lycée Mounib * Lycée Al Inbiaat

Sports

The city of Agadir has a football club known as

Hassania Agadir Hassania Union Sport d'Agadir () commonly referred to as Hassania Agadir and known as l'Hassania, or simply as HUSA, is a Moroccan football club based in Agadir. The club was founded on 22 December 1946. It plays its home games at Adrar Stadium ...

and the city has built the new Adrar Stadium, which the team plays its home matches at. The city also hosts the Royal Tennis Club of Agadir. It could host matches in the

2030 FIFA World Cup The 2030 FIFA World Cup will be the 24th FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament contested by the men's national teams of the member associations of FIFA. Three countries will host the competition, representing, for the ...

. The

Hassan II Golf Trophy The Hassan II Golf Trophy is a golf tournament in Morocco hosted by Prince Moulay Rachid. The tournament was founded by, and is now named for, his father, Hassan II, who served as King of Morocco. The tournament is currently played on PGA Tou ...

and

Lalla Meryem Cup The Lalla Meryem Cup is a women's professional golf tournament in Morocco under the high patronage of His Majesty Mohammed VI of Morocco, King Mohammed VI. It was held in Rabat until it moved to Agadir in 2011. It moved back to Rabat in 2016. The ...

golf tournaments of the

European Tour The European Tour, currently titled as the DP World Tour for sponsorship reasons, and legally the PGA European Tour or the European Tour Group, is the leading men's professional golf tour in Europe. The organisation also operates the European ...

and

Ladies European Tour The Ladies European Tour is a professional golf tour for women which was founded in 1978. Most of the players on the tour are European, with members from more than 40 countries internationally. Despite its name, the tour also has tournaments in A ...

are held at the Golf du Palais Royal in Agadir since 2011.

Football

Taekwondo

* Association club El johara * Association club central

Other sports

* Royal Tennis Club Agadir * Najah Souss Agadir * Cité Suisse Basket * Agadir Surf Academy * Water Skiing Club Agadir

People

Mohamed Bensaid Ait Idder Mohamed Bensaid Ait Idder (, , 1 July 1925 – 6 February 2024) was a Moroccan politician and activist. Ait Idder started his activism first against the French Protectorate in Morocco, and was one of the founders and leaders of the Moroccan Army ...

, Moroccan politician and activist *

Sion Assidon Sion Assidon (born in 1948) is a Morocco, Moroccan human rights activist. Biography Zion Assidon was born in 1948 to a Moroccan Berber Jews, Berber Jewish family in Safi. His family moved to Agadir shortly after, and then to Casablanca after ...

, Moroccan activist * Walid Azaro, Moroccan footballer * Abdelkrim Baadi, Moroccan footballer *

Soufiane El Khalidy Soufiane El Khalidy (born July 22, 1987) is a Moroccan actor, filmmaker, and writer. Born in Agadir, Morocco, he has acted in films and television series such as '' Ghosts of Beirut'' (2023), '' NCIS: Los Angeles'' (2017), ''Shockwave: Countdown ...

, Moroccan actor, writer and filmmaker, was born in Agadir * Jacques Bensimon, Canadian filmmaker, was born in Agadir *

Issam Chebake Issam Chebake (; born 12 October 1989) is a Moroccan professional association football, footballer who plays as a right-back for the Morocco national football team, Morocco national team Club career On 23 July 2021 Chebake joined Cypriot Firs ...

, Moroccan footballer * Mohamed Choua, Basketball player * Jalal Daoudi, Moroccan footballer * Karim El Berkaoui, Moroccan footballer * Hicham El Majhad, Moroccan footballer * Omar Hilale, permanent ambassador of Morocco to the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

Pokimane Imane Anys (; Arabic: إِيمَان أَنِيس, born 14 May 1996), known professionally as Pokimane ( or ), is a Canadian online streamer, YouTuber and influencer. She is best known for gameplay and commentary livestreams on Twitch, most no ...

, Moroccan-Canadian Internet personality and streamer * Saadia Himi, Miss Netherlands Earth 2004, born in the Netherlands, has roots in Agadir. * Hassan Kachloul, former

Morocco national football team The Morocco national football team (Arabic: المنتخب المغربي لكرة القدم) represents Morocco in men's international Association football, football, and is controlled by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, the governing ...

player, most notably playing for

Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...

Aston Villa Aston Villa Football Club (commonly referred to as simply Villa) is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club, founded in 1874, compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The team have p ...

and

Wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the grey wolf or gray wolf, is a canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, including the dog and dingo, though gr ...

* Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine (1941–1995), Moroccan writer *

Dominique Strauss-Kahn Dominique Gaston André Strauss-Kahn (; born 25 April 1949), also known as DSK, is a French economist and politician who served as the tenth managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and was a member of the French Socialist P ...

, spent his childhood there from 1951 to 1960 * Michel Vieuchange, French adventurer and explorer, died in Agadir in 1930 *

Moncef Slaoui Moncef Mohamed Slaoui (; ; , ; born July 22, 1959) is a Moroccan-born Belgian- American researcher who served as the head of Operation Warp Speed (OPWASP) under President Donald Trump from 2020 to 2021. Slaoui is the former head of the vacci ...

, Moroccan-Belgian doctor and researcher.

Nearby beaches

Some of the most popular beaches in Morocco are located to the north of Agadir. Areas known for surfing are located near Taghazout village to Cap Ghir. Many smaller and clean beaches are located along this coast. Some of them between Agadir and Essaouira are: Agadir Beach, Tamaounza (12 km), Aitswal Beach, Imouran (17 km), Taghazout (19 km), Bouyirdn (20 km), Timzguida (22 km), Aghroud (30 km), Imiouadar (27 km).

Main sights

* Agadir Crocodile park * The view of the city and the bay from

(Casbah) * Valley of the Birds, a pleasant bird park stretching along the Avenue of Administrations, between Boulevard Hassan II and 20 August * The garden of Ibn Zaidoun * Mohammed V Mosque, on the Boulevard President Kennedy * Souk el Had (The biggest Market in Africa ) *

(Berber) Heritage Museum at the Ayt Souss Square * The garden of Olhão or "Garden of Portugal" and its memorial museum in Talborjt * The marina with its Moorish architecture and shops * Loubnane Mosque * Wall of commemoration * Memory of Agadir Museum; mostly photographic exhibits which concentrate on the Agadir earthquake on 29 February 1960

Nearby attractions

* The city of

80 km to the east, along the Souss valley * Palm Oasis of Tiout 20 km to the east of

and 100 km from Agadir *

Imouzzer Ida Ou Tanane Imouzzer Ida Ou Tanane (Berber: Imuzzar Ida Utanan, ) is a small town and rural commune in Agadir-Ida Ou Tanane Prefecture, Souss-Massa, Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Afri ...

a small town 60 km northeast of Agadir where Paradise Valley is located * The beaches of

Taghazout Taghazout (Berber languages, Berber: ⵜⴰⵖⴰⵣⵓⵜ, ''Taɣazut''; Arabic: تاغازوت) is a small Berber people, Berber fishing village north of the city of Agadir in southwestern Morocco. The inhabitants are mostly of Berber people, B ...

and Tamraght. Taghazout-Argana Bay, a large tourism development, was launched in 2007 * The city of

Tiznit Tiznit or Tiznet (, ) is a town in the west coast of the Moroccan region of Souss-Massa, founded in 1881 by Alawi Sultan Hassan I. It is the capital of Tiznit Province and recorded a population of 74,699 in the 2014 Moroccan census. Internati ...

90 km to the south and Tafraout 80 km from Tiznit, a magnificent site of pink granite rocks * The

Souss-Massa National Park The Souss-Massa National Park (''Parc National de Souss-Massa'') is a 33,800 hectare national park on the Atlantic coast of Morocco which was created in 1991. It lies between Agadir to the north and Sidi Ifni to the south. The estuary of the ...

and Oued Massa, about 70 km to the south and the fishing village of Tifnit * Legzira beach with spectacular natural arches, 150 km south of Agadir *

Sidi Ifni Sidi Ifni (Berber: ''Ifni'', ⵉⴼⵏⵉ, ) is a city located on the west coast of Morocco, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, with a population of 20,051 people. The economic base of the city is fishing. It is located in Guelmim-Oued Noun regio ...

, 160 km south of Agadir on the coast * The city of

175 km north of Agadir on the coast * Dephinarium Agadir Dolphin World Morocco

Movies filmed in Agadir

* 1934: '' Le Grand Jeu'' by

Jacques Feyder Jacques Feyder (; 21 July 1885 – 24 May 1948) was a Belgian film director, screenwriter and actor who worked principally in France, but also in the US, Britain and Germany. He was a director of silent films during the 1920s, and in the 193 ...

* 1954–1955: ''

Oasis In ecology, an oasis (; : oases ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment Yves Allégret Yves Allégret (13 October 1905 – 31 January 1987) was a French film director, often working in the film noir genre. He was born in Asnières-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine and died in Paris. He was an assistant to film directors such as his brothe ...

* 1969: '' Du soleil plein les yeux'' by

Michel Boisrond Michel Jacques Boisrond (9 October 1921 – 10 November 2002) was a French film director and screenwriter. His work spanned five decades, from the 1950s to the 1990s. Career A former apprentice of Jean Delannoy, Jean Cocteau, and René Clair ...

* 1988: ''Y'a bon les blancs'' by

Marco Ferreri Marco Ferreri (11 May 1928 – 9 May 1997) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and actor, who began his career in the 1950s directing three films in Spain, followed by 24 Italian films before his death in 1997. He is considered one of t ...

* 2006: '' Days of Glory'' by

Rachid Bouchareb Rachid Bouchareb (born 1 September 1953) is a French film director and producer. His films are based on the complex history of France and its relationship with its former colony, Algeria. His films also examine racial discrimination and conflict ...

* 2009: "Les Filles du désert" by Hubert Besson, an episode of the television series ''

Plus belle la vie ''Plus belle la vie'' (More beautiful life) is a French television soap opera based on an idea by Hubert Besson and characters created by Georges Desmouceaux, Bénédicte Achard, Magaly Richard-Serrano and Olivier Szulzynger. On air from 30 August ...

'' * 2011: ''Agadir Bombay'' by Myriam Bakir

In literature and art

*''Agadir'': literary work by Moroccan writer Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine *''Ride to Agadir'': song by

Mike Batt Michael Philip Batt (born 6 February 1949) is an English singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, record producer, director, and conductor. He served as the Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry. Batt created the novelty pop band T ...

, that also has a cover by

Boney M. Boney M. is a German reggae, funk and disco music group founded in 1974. It achieved popularity during the disco era in the second half of the 1970s. The band was created by German record producer Frank Farian, who was the group's primary song ...

Sister cities

Agadir has eight

sister cities A sister city or a twin town relationship is International relations, a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there ar ...

Mar del Plata Mar del Plata is a city on the coast of the Argentine Sea, Atlantic Ocean, in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the seat of General Pueyrredón Partido, General Pueyrredón district. Mar del Plata is the second largest city in Buenos Aires ...

, Argentina *

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

, United States *

Oakland Oakland is a city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. It is the county seat and most populous city in Alameda County, with a population of 440,646 in 2020. A major West Coast port, Oakland is ...

, United States *

Portsmouth, New Hampshire Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census it had a population of 21,956. A historic seaport and popular summer tourist destination on ...

, United States *

, Portugal *

Nantes Nantes (, ; ; or ; ) is a city in the Loire-Atlantique department of France on the Loire, from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. The city is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, sixth largest in France, with a pop ...

, France *

Stavanger Stavanger, officially the Stavanger Municipality, is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Norway. It is the third largest city and third largest metropolitan area in Norway (through conurbation with neighboring Sandnes) and the ...

, Norway *

Shiraz Shiraz (; ) is the List of largest cities of Iran, fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars province, which has been historically known as Pars (Sasanian province), Pars () and Persis. As of the 2016 national census, the popu ...

, Iran *

Vigan Vigan, officially the City of Vigan (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...

, Philippines Cooperation Pact: *

Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...

, France

Explanatory notes

References

External links

Official Visit Morocco website
{{Authority control Berber populated places Populated places destroyed by earthquakes Municipalities of Morocco Phoenician colonies in Morocco Populated places established in 1505 Port cities and towns on the Moroccan Atlantic Coast Ports and harbours of Morocco Prefectural capitals in Morocco Regional capitals in Morocco