Tera Department

Téra
Department
Tera Department location in the region
Country	Niger
Region	Tillabéri Region
Area
• Total	15,794 km2 (6,098 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	579,658
Time zone	GMT 1 (UTC+1)

Téra is a department of the Tillabéri Region in Niger. Its capital lies at the city of Téra. As of 2011, the department had a total population of 579,658 people.

Téra Department covers most of the historic territory of Liptako. Today primarily a home to speakers of the Southern Songhai language, prior to the Songhai Empire, the area was populated by Gourmantche and Mossi peoples. By the 16th century Tera was one of the many small states which survived the destruction of the Songhai Empire, with many Songhai communities resettling into what is today Niger from the north. The Dendi Songhai state of the 17th century ruled the area, before dividing into several small states, each ruled by an Askia of Songhai noble lineage. In the late 19th century, the Songhai city state around Tera was in almost continual conflict with Tuareg groups in the north and east, with the city of Tera sacked and destroyed as late as 1885. Forces from Usman dan Fodio's Sokoto Caliphate took the area several times in the early 19th century as well, but were pushed back by Djerma forces in the regions to the southeast, though semi-nomadic Fula communities were present in the area from at least the 18th century.

With a majority of Songhai - Djerma peoples, large Fula, Gourmantche and Buzu populations live in the area as well. Tera is one of the few places where the Kaado Southern Songhay dialect is still spoken, although peoples are more likely to call themselves (and their language) "Songhay" or "Zarma".

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Wikipedia