Agadir, Agadir Ida-U-Tanan Prefecture, Souss-Massa Region, Morocco

Economy | New Talborjt | Residential districts | The Casbah | Old Talborjt | Souk El Had | La Médina

🇲🇦 Agadir is a major city in Morocco, 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, and 509 km (316 mi) south of Casablanca. Agadir is the capital of the Agadir Ida-U-Tanan Prefecture and of the Souss-Massa economic region. The majority of its inhabitants speak Berber, one of Morocco's two official languages.

Agadir is one of the major urban centres of Morocco. Three languages are spoken in the city: Tashelhit (first language of the majority), Moroccan Arabic, and French.

It was the site of the 1911 Agadir Crisis 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 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.

The mild winter climate (January average midday temperature 20.5 °C/69 °F) and good beaches have made it a major "winter sun" destination for northern Europeans.

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 Al Ahad).

The fishing port is a major sardine port. The commercial port is also known for its exports of cobalt, manganese, zinc 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 which is in process of being transferred to a new plant 40 km (25 mi) 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, 23 km (14 mi) from the city.

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 Ben Sergao and • 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 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 February 29. There is also the Mohammed V mosque, the Olhão garden (Olhão 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 faculty of Ibnou Zohr, it has a great 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 neighborhoods: Amsernat, Lakhyam, Erac Bouargane, Massira, Alhouda, Tilila, Tassila, Ben Sergao, Riad Assalam, Islane, Ihchach (Yachech) Nahda, Anza, Assaka, Bir Anzarane, Tikouine, Zaitoune and Tadart.

The Casbah The Casbah (Agadir Oufella, 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 Casbah was built in 1572 by Abdallah al-Ghalib. 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 Casbah 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 2 km (1.2 mi) 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 organised 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 4.5 km (2.8 mi) 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.

Agadir, Agadir Ida-U-Tanan Prefecture, Souss-Massa Region, Morocco 
<b>Agadir, Agadir Ida-U-Tanan Prefecture, Souss-Massa Region, Morocco</b>
Image: Adobe Stock Savvapanf Photo © #193313366

Agadir was ranked #483 by the Nomad List which evaluates and ranks remote work hubs by cost, internet, fun and safety. Agadir has a population of over 487,954 people. Agadir also forms the centre of the wider Agadir Ida-U-Tanan Prefecture which has a population of over 924,000 people. Agadir is ranked #554 for startups with a score of 0.313.

To set up a UBI Lab for Agadir see: https://www.ubilabnetwork.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/UBILabNetwork

Twin Towns, Sister Cities Agadir has links with:

🇬🇼 Bissau, Guinea-Bissau 🇵🇸 Gaza City, Palestine 🇨🇳 Hangzhou, China 🇬🇷 Kavala, Greece 🇫🇷 Marseille, France 🇫🇷 Nantes, France 🇧🇬 Pleven, Bulgaria 🇺🇸 Portsmouth, USA
Text Atribution: Wikipedia Text under CC-BY-SA license | Nomad | StartupBlink

Antipodal to Agadir is: 170.401,-30.417

Locations Near: Agadir -9.59925,30.4171

🇲🇦 Inezgane -9.538,30.366 d: 8.2  

🇲🇦 Aït Melloul -9.483,30.333 d: 14.5  

🇲🇦 Biougra -9.371,30.214 d: 31.4  

🇲🇦 Tiznit -9.733,29.708 d: 79.9  

🇲🇦 Essaouira -9.767,31.51 d: 122.5  

🇲🇦 Chichaoua -8.767,31.533 d: 147.3  

🇲🇦 Marrakesh -8,31.63 d: 203.5  

🇲🇦 Ben Guerir -7.95,32.233 d: 255.6  

🇲🇦 Ouarzazate -6.917,30.917 d: 262.5  

🇲🇦 El Jadida -8.516,33.248 d: 331  

Antipodal to: Agadir 170.401,-30.417

🇳🇿 Whangārei 174.326,-35.725 d: 19320.9  

🇳🇿 Hibiscus Coast 174.698,-36.606 d: 19220.2  

🇳🇿 North Shore City 174.75,-36.8 d: 19199.3  

🇳🇿 Auckland 174.763,-36.853 d: 19193.6  

🇳🇿 Hamilton 175.28,-37.788 d: 19080.8  

🇳🇿 Cambridge 175.467,-37.883 d: 19063.3  

🇳🇨 Nouméa 166.45,-22.267 d: 19027.3  

🇳🇿 Tauranga 176.154,-37.7 d: 19047.8  

🇳🇿 Rotorua 176.25,-38.133 d: 19003.2  

🇳🇿 Stratford 174.283,-39.333 d: 18962.6  

Bing Map

Option 1