Bardera (, ) is a city in Jubaland State of Somalia. It is the second largest and most populous city in Jubaland with Kismayo being the largest and most densely populated city in the region. Bardera sits on the Jubba River around 250 km west of the city of Baidoa and is in a highland area with fertile soil. The city experiences extremely hot temperatures from December to April and heavy rainfalls from April to May knowns as Gu (spring) The city was formerly known as the "Onion capital of the World" for its production of the vegetable, the name Bardera means tall palm trees. The palms were cut to construct native homes or midille. Bardhere is also known as the centre of Islamic scholarship, as it is for agricultural production. The climate is ideally suited for year-round crop production and boasts of farms of sorghum, corn, onions, beans, sesame plants, tobacco, and fruits such as bananas, watermelon, oranges, papayas, and mangoes. Etymology Bardera is an important agricultural centre living up to its name Bar meaning “palm tree”, and Dhere meaning “tall” a reference to the ubiquitous palm trees that have grown expansively in the area. The river banks are lined by beautiful palm trees and so are the farms of this town that lies at an intersection of all major roads that links Somalia to Elwak and Mandera in Kenya, Kismayo, Baidoa, Barawe and Dinsoor within Somalia. History Medieval During the Middle Ages, Bardera and its surrounding area was part of the Ajuran Empire that governed much of southern Somalia and eastern Ethiopia, with its domain extending from Hobyo in the north, to Qelafo in the west, to Kismayo in the south. Bardera was one of the most important cities in the Jubba river during the Ajuran period. It was an agricultural and commercial center. It had roads that connected the Benadir ports built by Ajuran. Bardhere provided many goods to the coastal provinces and many merchants across the region came to Bardera for trade. Early Modern Bardera continued its agricultural and commercial legacy under Geledi Sultanate rule where it was surrounded by a citadel and with increased link between the coast and interior, both the Benadir ports and Bardera flourished with the city serving as the key ivory hub in the southern part of the Horn. In the 1830s, a new militant extremist group rose in the citadel