Stairtin oot as a saisonal dounset, Timbuktu became a permanent dounset early in the 12t century. Efter a shift in tradin routes, Timbuktu flourished frae the trade in salt, gowd, ivory an slaves, an it became pairt o theMali Empire early in the 13t century. In the first hauf o the 15t century theTuareg tribes teuk control o the ceety for a short period till the expandinSonghay Empire absorbit the ceety in 1468. AMoroccan airmy defeatit the Songhay in 1591, an made Timbuktu, rather thanGao, thair stranghauld. The invaders established a new rulin class, thearma, who efter 1612 became independent o Morocco. Housomeivver, the gowden age o the ceety wis ower an it entered a lang period o decline. Different tribes govrened till the French teuk ower in 1893, a situation that lastit till it became pairt o the current Republic oMali in 1960. Presently Timbuktu is impoverished an suffers fraedesertification. Several initiatives are bein unnertaken tae restore the historic manuscripts still kept in the ceety. Meanwhile, tourism forms an important soorce o income.
In its Gowden Age, the toun's numerous Islamic scholars and extensive trading network made possible an important beuk trade: thegither wi the campuses o the Sankoremadrassah, an Islamic varsity, this established Timbuktu as a scholarly centre in Africae.Several notable historic writers, sic as Shabeni anLeo Africanus, hae describit Timbuktu. Thir stories fuelled speculation in Europe, whaur the ceety's reputation shiftit frae bein extremely rich tae bein mysterious. This reputation owershadows the toun itsel in modren times, tae the pynt whaur it is best kent inWastren cultur as an expression for a distant or ootlandish place.
On 1 Aprile 2012, ane day efter the captur oGao, Timbuktu wis captured frae the Malian militar bi theTuareg rebels o theMNLA anAnsar Dine.[2] Five days later, the MNLA declared the region independent o Mali as the naition oAzawad.[3]The newly declared poleetical entity haes no been recognizit bi ony local naitions or the internaitional commonty.[4]
The wather is het an dry throughoot hintle o the year. Average daily maximum temperaturs in the hettest months o the year – Aprile, Mey an Juin – exceed 40 °C(104 °F). Lawest temperaturs occur durin theNorthren Hemisphere winter – December, Januar an Februar. Housomeivver, average maximum temperaturs dae no drop belaw 30 °C(86 °F). Thir "winter" months are characterizit bi a dry, dustytrade wind blowin frae the SaharanTibesti Region soothwaird tae theGuwf o Guinea: pickin up dust pairticles on thair wey, thir winds leemit visibility in wha haes been dubbit the 'Harmattan Haze'.[5] Additionally, when the dust settles in the ceety, saund builds up an desertification looms.[6] Timbuktu's climate is classifeed asBWhw accordin tae theKöppen Climate Classification:arid, wi nae month averagin belaw 0 °C (32 °F) an adry saison durin winter.
