- Kidal Region
Demographic info|name=Kidal Region
capital=Kidal
population=85,000
census=2001
area=151,430
density=Kidal is the eighth administrative region of
Mali , covering 151,430 km². Its capital is the city ofKidal .Geography
The region is bordered on the west by Tomboctou Region, to the south by
Gao Region , to the east byNiger and to the north byAlgeria .Kidal has a desert climate with day-time temperatures that reach as high as 45°C (113°F).
The population numbers 85,000, mostly
Tuareg s andSonghai s.The largest cities of the region are Kidal,
Tessalit , andAguel'hoc .Transportation and economy
The primary trades of Kidal Region include livestock breeding, craft-making, and commerce. Commercial farming has been developed in some areas. The region is extremely isolated, with no paved highways or rivers for transportation.
History
The region saw Tuareg rebellions in
1963 -64 and in1990 -91. The accords of Tamanresset followed onJanuary 6 , 1991, creating the Kidal Region by decree onAugust 8 ,1991 .Culture
Each year the
Desert Music Festival is held atEssouk .The region is peopled primarily by Tuaregs, a nomadic ethnicity of Berber origin. Their writing is the
Tifinagh alphabet.Though
nomad ism remains the lifestyle best adapted to the difficult environment of the region, several settlements have emerged at Kidal,Aguel'hoc ,Tessalit , andTinzawatène .Administrative subdivisions
Kidal Region is divided into four Cercles encompassing 11 communes:
*Abéibara
*Kidal
*Tin-Essako
*Tessalit ee also
*
Regions of Mali
*Cercles of Mali References
*This article is based on a translation of the corresponding article from the French Wikipedia, retrieved on
July 8 2005 .External links
* [http://www.kidal.info/index.php Kidal info (French)]
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