Balléyara, Niger

Balléyara is a town in the Tillabéri Region of Niger. In 1988 the population was 6,042 in 1,058 households. In 2001 the population was 10,868 in 1,261 households, and in 2012 the population was 16,063, with 2,375 households.

Geography
Balléyara is slightly less than 100 kilometers from Niamey. The travel time between the two is just an hour and a half, and they have close ties to one another.

Climate
Balléyara has a hot semi-arid climate (BSh in the Köppen climate classification). In Balléyara, the precipitation has halved since the 1980s. The 2017 rainy season was particularly harsh, with numerous crop failures due to pests thriving.

History
Balléyara is known across West Africa for its animal market. The animal market was founded in the 1940s by some Ikelan people who were regularly robbed and beaten at other markets. In 1971, an administrative post was built. A few years later, Balléyara was made capital of Tagazar.

Demographics
In 2012, the population of 16,063 consisted of 8,546 women (53.2%) and 7,517 men (46.8%).