Kidal
{{Other uses|Kidal (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = Kidal
|other_name =
|native_name = ⴾⴸⵍ
|nickname =
|settlement_type = Commune and town
|motto =
|image_skyline =Maison artisans.JPG
|imagesize =300px
|image_caption =A craftsmen's house
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|pushpin_map = Mali
|pushpin_label_position =bottom
|pushpin_map_caption =Location in Mali
|pushpin_mapsize =300
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = Mali
|subdivision_type1 = Region
|subdivision_name1 = Kidal Region
|subdivision_type2 = Cercle (district):
|subdivision_name2 = Kidal Cercle
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|area_total_km2 =9913
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|population_as_of =2009
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|population_total =25617
|population_density_km2 =auto
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|coordinates = {{coord|18|26|20|N|1|24|30|E|region:ML|display=inline,title}}
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Kidal (Tuareg Berber: ⴾⴸⵍ, KDL, Kidal) is a town and commune in the desert region of northern Mali. The town lies {{convert|285|km|abbr=on}} northeast of Gao and is the capital of the Kidal Cercle and the Kidal Region. The commune has an area of about {{convert|9910|km2|abbr=on}} and includes the town of Kidal and 31 other settlements.{{citation|title=Les Communes de la Région de Kidal |publisher=Ministère de l'administration territoriale et des collectivités locales, République du Mali |url=http://www.matcl.gov.ml/pdf/ComRegKidal.pdf |language=fr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309074222/http://www.matcl.gov.ml/pdf/ComRegKidal.pdf |archive-date=9 March 2012 }}.
History
On 30 March 2012, Kidal and its military base were captured by the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad as part of the Tuareg rebellion for the independence of Azawad. A spokesman for the Malian military junta said "To preserve the life of the people of Kidal, the military command decided not to prolong the battle".{{cite news |author= |title=Mali coup: Rebels seize desert capital Kidal |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17562066 |publisher=BBC News |date=30 March 2012 |access-date=30 March 2012}} Gao and Timbuktu were captured within the next 48 hours, and on 6 April, the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad declared the independence of Azawad from Mali.{{cite news |author= |title=Tuareg rebels declare the independence of Azawad, north of Mali |url=http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/04/06/205763.html |publisher=Al Arabiya |date=6 April 2012|access-date=6 April 2012}}.{{cite press release |author=Billal Ag Acherif |author-link=Bilal Ag Acherif |date=6 April 2012 |title=Déclaration D'Indépendance De L'Azawad |trans-title=Declaration of Independence of Azawad |url=http://www.mnlamov.net/component/content/article/169-declaration-dindependance-de-lazawad.html |language=fr |location=Gao |publisher=National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad |access-date=28 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018123246/http://www.mnlamov.net/component/content/article/169-declaration-dindependance-de-lazawad.html |archive-date=18 October 2012 }} In the course of the conflict the MNLA lost their control to Islamist militias.{{cite news |last=Morgan |first=Andy |date=23 October 2012 |title=Mali: no rhythm or reason as militants declare war on music |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/oct/23/mali-militants-declare-war-music |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |access-date=30 January 2013}} On 30 January 2013 French and Malian forces moved into the town to bring it back under government control.{{cite news |author= |title=Mali conflict: French 'enter last rebel town of Kidal' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21256781 |publisher=BBC News |date=30 January 2013 |access-date=30 January 2013}}
On 14 December 2013, a car bombing in Kidal killed two United Nations peacekeepers.{{cite news |author= |title=Mali unrest: Kidal attack kills two UN peacekeepers |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25379618 |publisher=BBC News |date=14 December 2013 |access-date=15 February 2014}}
On 21 May 2014, MNLA forced government troops in Kidal to retreat after heavy fighting, capturing the military base.{{cite news |author= |title=Mali: Tuareg rebels 'defeat government army in Kidal' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27511448 |publisher=BBC News |date=22 May 2014 |access-date=22 May 2014}}
On 13 February 2020 Mali government forces were sent to Kidal for the first time in six years.{{cite web |author= |date=10 February 2020 |title=Malian army begins deployment to Kidal in long-awaited display of govt control |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20200210-malian-army-begins-deployment-to-kidal-in-long-awaited-display-of-govt-control |website=France 24 |access-date=24 February 2025}} In late 2023, the ruling junta carried out an offensive along with Wagner Group fighters. They managed to bring the city back under government control in the Battle of Kidal in November 2023.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-14 |title=Mali: l'armée prend Kidal, fief des rebelles du Cadre stratégique permanent |url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20231114-mali-l-arm%C3%A9e-affirme-avoir-pris-le-contr%C3%B4le-de-kidal-fief-des-rebelles-du-cadre-strat%C3%A9gique-permanent |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=RFI |language=fr}}
Demographics
=Historical population=
{{historical populations|11=1998|12=11,159|13=2009|14=25,969|percentages=pagr|footnote=sources:{{cite web |url=http://www.instat-mali.org/contenu/rgph/rastr09_rgph.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819064921/http://www.instat-mali.org/contenu/rgph/rastr09_rgph.pdf |archive-date=19 August 2019 |title=4ème RECENSEMENT GENERAL DE LA POPULATION ET DE L'HABITAT DU MALI (RGPH-2009): ANALYSE DES RESULTATS DEFINITIFS: THEME 2: ETAT ET STRUCTURE DE LA POPULATION |website=Mali Institut National de la Statistique |language=fr |date=December 2011}}|align=right}}
The population of the city of Kidal has grown from 11,159 in 1998 to 25,969 in 2009, raising its percentage in the Kidal Region from 26.3% to 38.3%.
=Languages=
{{bar box
|titlebar=#ddd
|left1=Languages
|right1=percent
|float=right
|bars=
{{bar percent|Tamasheq|darkgreen|79.13}}
{{bar percent|Songhai|purple|7.18}} {{bar percent|Bambara|pink|5.51}}
{{bar percent|Arabic|orange|3.78}}
{{bar percent|Other|red|4.4}}
}}
Kidal city is mainly Tamasheq speaking with 79.13% of the city speaking it in 2009. The second most spoken language in Kidal city is Songhai with 7.18% of the city speaking it. Other minority languages include Bambara spoken by 5.51% of the city, Arabic spoken by 3.78% of the city, and other minority languages spoken by 4.4%.
Notable inhabitants
- Ahmed Ag Kaedy (born 1979) - musician
- Nina Wallet Intalou (born 1963) - businesswoman and politician
Climate
Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies it climate as hot desert (BWh), with extremely hot weather most of the year.
{{Weather box
|location = Kidal (1950–2000)
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan high C = 28.0
|Feb high C = 31.1
|Mar high C = 34.8
|Apr high C = 38.8
|May high C = 41.5
|Jun high C = 41.9
|Jul high C = 39.9
|Aug high C = 38.4
|Sep high C = 39.1
|Oct high C = 38.0
|Nov high C = 33.4
|Dec high C = 28.9
|year high C = 36.2
|Jan low C = 12.5
|Feb low C = 14.8
|Mar low C = 18.7
|Apr low C = 23.0
|May low C = 27.0
|Jun low C = 28.6
|Jul low C = 27.2
|Aug low C = 26.2
|Sep low C = 26.0
|Oct low C = 23.2
|Nov low C = 18.0
|Dec low C = 13.7
|year low C = 21.6
|rain colour = green
|Jan rain mm = 0.6
|Feb rain mm = 0.1
|Mar rain mm = 0.2
|Apr rain mm = 1.0
|May rain mm = 5.3
|Jun rain mm = 11.6
|Jul rain mm = 36.8
|Aug rain mm = 45.9
|Sep rain mm = 23.1
|Oct rain mm = 3.0
|Nov rain mm = 0.2
|Dec rain mm = 0.2
|year rain mm = 128.0
|unit rain days = 0.1 mm
|Jan rain days = 0.2
|Feb rain days = 0.1
|Mar rain days = 0.2
|Apr rain days = 0.2
|May rain days = 1.0
|Jun rain days = 3.0
|Jul rain days = 6.1
|Aug rain days = 6.9
|Sep rain days = 3.9
|Oct rain days = 0.6
|Nov rain days = 0.1
|Dec rain days = 0.3
|year rain days = 22.6
|Jan sun = 274.5
|Feb sun = 267.3
|Mar sun = 286.1
|Apr sun = 283.9
|May sun = 294.0
|Jun sun = 230.8
|Jul sun = 269.8
|Aug sun = 276.9
|Sep sun = 271.6
|Oct sun = 296.4
|Nov sun = 286.6
|Dec sun = 275.5
|year sun = 3313.4
|source 1 = World Meteorological Organization{{cite web
|url = http://worldweather.wmo.int/en/city.html?cityId=136
|title = World Weather Information Service – Kidal
|publisher = World Meteorological Organization
|access-date = 12 October 2015}}
|source 2 = NOAA (sun 1961–1990)
{{cite web
|url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG__I/M1/61214.TXT
|title = Kidal Climate Normals 1961–1990
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201101011710/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG__I/M1/61214.TXT
|archive-date = 2020-11-01
|url-status = dead
|access-date = 12 October 2015
}}}}
Gallery
File:Kidal.jpg|Entry to the town
File:Kidal Colonial Fortress 2005.jpg|French colonial fortress at Kidal
References
{{Contains special characters|Tifinagh}}
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{citation | title=Plan de Sécurité Alimentaire Commune Urbaine de Kidal 2007–2011 | publisher=Commissariat à la Sécurité Alimentaire, République du Mali, USAID-Mali | year=2007 | url=http://www.aec.msu.edu/fs2/mali_fd_strtgy/plans/kidal/kidal/psa_kidal.pdf | language=fr | access-date=30 March 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826111133/http://www.aec.msu.edu/fs2/mali_fd_strtgy/plans/kidal/kidal/psa_kidal.pdf | archive-date=26 August 2012 | url-status=dead }}.
- {{citation | title=Programme de renforcement des capacités nationales pour une gestion stratégique du développement (PRECAGED): Schéma d'aménagement et de développement de la commune urbaine de Kidal | publisher=République du Mali: Ministère de l'économie programme des nations unies et des finances | date=March 2002 | url=https://dnat.gouv.ml/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Schema-amenagement-developpement-cercle-Kidal-PRECAGED.pdf | language=fr }}.
{{Communes of the Kidal Region}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Populated places in Kidal Region