Agadir

Agadir (Tachelhit: ⴰⴳⴰⴷⵉⵔ) 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 kilometres (316 mi) south of Casablanca. Agadir is the capital of the Agadir-Ida Ou Tanane Prefecture and of the Souss-Massa economic region. Agadir is one of the major urban centres of Morocco. The commune of Agadir recorded a population of 504,768 in the 2024 Moroccan census. The greater Agadir area also includes the communes of Dcheira (110k), Inezgane (137k), Ait Melloul (210k), Drargua (107k), Lqliaa (101k), Temsia (52k) and Aourir (45k) and counts well over 1.2 million inhabitants overall. Agadir is known for being the capital of Amazigh culture in Morocco. It is one of the few big Moroccan cities where Tamazight, one of Morocco's two official languages, is spoken by more than half of the population. The native variety to the region, Tachelhit, 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 and Amazigh music, such as Izenzaren, Oudaden, and many others. 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.

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