Zaria, Nigeria
| Zaria | ||
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| LGA and city | ||
Gate to the palace of the emir of Zazzau
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 Zaria
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| Coordinates: 11°04′N 7°42′E / 11.067°N 7.700°E | ||
| Country |
 Nigeria
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| State | Kaduna State | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 563 km2 (217 sq mi) | |
| Population (2006 Census) | ||
| • Total | 695,089 | |
| • Density | 1,200/km2 (3,200/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | WAT (UTC+01:00) | |
| Climate | Aw | |
Zaria is a major city in Kaduna State in northern Nigeria, as well as being a Local Government Area. Formerly known as Zazzau, it was one of the original seven Hausa city-states. Today it is known for housing Nigeria's largest university, Ahmadu Bello University, as well as being home to a number of prominent Nigerians.
The 2006 Census population was estimated as 406,990. It is home to the Zazzau Emirate.
Zaria, initially known as Zazzau, was the capital of the Hausa kingdom of Zazzau. Zazzau is thought to have been founded in 1536 and later was renamed after Queen Zaria. Human settlement predates the rise of Zazzau, as the region, like some of its neighbors, had a history of sedentary Hausa settlement, with institutional market exchange and farming.
Zaria was the most southern of the Hausa city-states. It was a trading destination for Saharan caravans as well as a prominent city in the Hausa slave trade. In the late 1450s, Islam arrived in Zaria by the way of its sister Habe cities, Kano and Katsina. Along with Islam, trade flourished between the cities as traders brought camel caravans filled with salt in exchange for slaves and grain.The city-state's power peaked under Queen Amina whose military campaigns established a tributary region including the kingdoms of Kano and Katsina. At the end of the 16th century, after Queen Amina's death, Zaria fell under the influence of the Jukun Kingdom and eventually became a tributary state itself. Between the fifteenth and sixteenth century the kingdom became a tributary state of the Songhai Empire. In 1805 it was captured by the Fulani during the Fulani Jihad. British forces led by Frederick Lugard took the city in 1901.
A French hostage of the Islamist group Ansaru, held captive at Zaria, escaped in 2013 and reached a police station in the city.
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Wikipedia