Araouane is a village in the Malian Sahara, lying north of Timbuktu on the road to Taoudenni. It is a former oasis and is still a station on trans-Saharan trade routes. Formerly known for its scholars, particularly Ahmad Baba al Massufi, who was born there, it has declined in recent centuries. Its mosque is now buried in sand to its minaret. Restoration of the town began in the early 1990s, but was severely disrupted by the Tuareg Rebellion. Timbuktu, Timbuctu or Timbuctoo (Koyra Chiini: Tumbutu, French: Tombouctou) is a city populated by the Songhay, Tuareg, Fulani, and Moorish people in the West African country of Mali. ... Taoudenni is a remote oasis in northern Mali known for its salt mines. ... Oasis in the Libyan part of the Sahara For other uses of this word, see Oasis (disambiguation). ... Djenné, founded in 800, an important trading base, now a World Heritage Site Trans-Saharan trade, between Mediterranean countries and West Africa, was an important trade route from the eighth century until the late sixteenth century. ... A scholar is either a student or someone who has achieved a mastery of some academic discipline, perhaps receiving financial support through a scholarship. ... Ahmad Baba Al Massufi (1556-1627) was a writer and political leader in what is now western Sudan. ... The Badshahi Masjid in Lahore, Pakistan with an iwan at center, three domes, and five visible minarets A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ... Minarets (Arabic manara منارة, but more usually مئذنة) are distinctive architectural features of Islamic mosques. ... See also 1990s, the band The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive, sometimes informally including popular culture from the very late 1980s and from 2000 and beyond. ... The Tuareg Rebellion was an uprising of the 1990s by various Tuareg groups in Niger and Mali with the aim of achieving autonomy or forming their own nation. ...

Coordinates: 18°54′N 3°33′W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...