Tessalit

Tessalit is a city in Mali's Kidal Region. The town is both a Commune and the capital of its own Cercle (district).

With a population of about 9,800, Tessalit is an oasis in the Sahara desert and a frequent stop for trans-Saharan travelers. A gypsum deposit and a plaster factory also contribute to the city's economy, though all of these activities have been disrupted in recent decades by the Tuareg Rebellion and terrorism in neighboring Algeria.

Tessalit is situated in the mountain range "Adrar des Ifoghas" at 1° 00' 54.08" East and 20° 12' 00.05" North. Tessalit is primarily populated by Tuaregs and is the home city of the musical group Tinariwen as well as the poet Souéloum Diagho. The city possesses an airstrip, but it is rarely used. Its twin city is Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne, France.

The cercle of Tessalit contains the communes of Tessalit, Terist, Abanco, Taghlit, Tadjnut, Telakak, Ubankort, Awil, Tadjodjamet, In Khalil, as well as the Aguel'hoc-sector communes of Aguel'hoc, Tassidjimt, Ukinik, Telabit, Inakafel, Tamuscat, Matalmen, Tagharabat, Soran, Laway laway, Aslagh, and Inamzil.

References

External links

* [http://www.tessalit.info/ Tessalit Info] (in French)
* [http://users.swing.be/swelum/ Souéloum Diagho, Desert Poet] (in French)