Adrar (Berber: ⴰⴷⵔⴰⵔ Adrar; Arabic: أدرار) is the administrative capital of Adrar Province, the second largest province in Algeria. The commune is sited around an oasis in the Touat region of the Sahara Desert. According to a 2008 census, it has a population of 64,781,[1] up from 43,903 in 1998,[2] with an annual growth rate of 4.0%.[1]
Adrar
أدرار | |
|---|---|
 Martyrs' Square | |
_location_map.svg) Location of Adrar commune within Adrar Province | |
  Adrar Location of Adrar within Algeria | |
| Coordinates: 27°52′N 0°17′W / 27.867°N 0.283°W | |
| Country |  Algeria |
| Province | Adrar Province |
| District | Adrar District |
| Area | |
• Total | 633 km2 (244 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 258 m (846 ft) |
| Population (2008)[1] | |
• Total | 64,781 |
| • Density | 100/km2 (270/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| Area code | 0101 |
| Climate | BWh |
Adrar is mainly an agricultural town, characterized by its traditional irrigation system, the Foggara.
History
editAdrar is located in the Touat region, which was historically an important trade region for caravans crossing the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Around the 17th century, the Adrar area became part of Morocco, remaining so for about three hundred years.
The oasis was captured by the French from Moroccan forces in 1900.[3][4] In 1906, the city was founded by the French. Since Algerian independence, the city has witnessed much growth due to infrastructure, social, and housing projects.
Geography
editAdrar lies at an elevation of 258 metres (846 ft) above sea level. A large oasis lies to the southwest of the town; this oasis lies in the Tuat region, a string of oases running from Bouda in the north to Reggane in the south. A vast area of sand dunes, the Erg Chech, lies to the west, while a large rocky plateau, the Tademaït, lies to the east.
Climate
editAdrar has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh), with severely long and hot summers and short, mild winters, and averages just 15 millimetres (0.59 in) of rainfall per year. Summer temperatures are consistently high as they commonly approach 46°C (114 °F). temperatures at night are still hot at around 27 °C (81 °F). Even in early May or in late August, daytime temperatures can rise to 48 °C (118 °F). Winter nights can be chilly and frost is by no means unknown but the days are pleasantly warm, sunny and dry.[5] During the summer, the Sahara region of Algeria is the source of a scorching, sometimes dusty and southerly wind called the Sirocco. These winds parch the plateaus of northern Algeria up to 40 days and reach the Tell coastal region for as many as 20 days.[6]
| Climate data for Adrar | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 31.2 (88.2) |
39.1 (102.4) |
40.7 (105.3) |
43.8 (110.8) |
49.8 (121.6) |
49.4 (120.9) |
51.0 (123.8) |
49.8 (121.6) |
46.8 (116.2) |
43.7 (110.7) |
37.2 (99.0) |
33.5 (92.3) |
51.0 (123.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 20.6 (69.1) |
24.5 (76.1) |
28.0 (82.4) |
32.1 (89.8) |
36.7 (98.1) |
42.5 (108.5) |
46.0 (114.8) |
44.3 (111.7) |
40.0 (104.0) |
33.1 (91.6) |
26.1 (79.0) |
20.9 (69.6) |
32.8 (91.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 12.4 (54.3) |
16.0 (60.8) |
19.4 (66.9) |
23.6 (74.5) |
28.1 (82.6) |
33.6 (92.5) |
36.0 (96.8) |
35.4 (95.7) |
31.6 (88.9) |
25.0 (77.0) |
18.2 (64.8) |
12.9 (55.2) |
24.3 (75.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 4.1 (39.4) |
7.5 (45.5) |
10.7 (51.3) |
15.1 (59.2) |
19.4 (66.9) |
24.7 (76.5) |
26.9 (80.4) |
26.6 (79.9) |
23.2 (73.8) |
16.8 (62.2) |
10.2 (50.4) |
4.9 (40.8) |
15.8 (60.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −4.2 (24.4) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
0.5 (32.9) |
4.8 (40.6) |
8.9 (48.0) |
15.2 (59.4) |
18.2 (64.8) |
20.0 (68.0) |
15.2 (59.4) |
6.0 (42.8) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
−4.2 (24.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 2.3 (0.09) |
1.3 (0.05) |
2.6 (0.10) |
4.1 (0.16) |
0.3 (0.01) |
0.1 (0.00) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.01) |
0.2 (0.01) |
1.5 (0.06) |
0.6 (0.02) |
1.4 (0.06) |
14.6 (0.57) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 3.6 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 52 | 52 | 40 | 34 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 36 | 48 | 59 | 57 | 42 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 269.7 | 257.1 | 310.0 | 318.0 | 325.5 | 333.0 | 344.1 | 328.6 | 288.0 | 279.0 | 261.0 | 263.5 | 3,577.5 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 8.7 | 9.1 | 10.0 | 10.6 | 10.5 | 11.1 | 11.1 | 10.6 | 9.6 | 9.0 | 8.7 | 8.5 | 9.8 |
| Source 1: NOAA[7][8] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (extremes, humidity and sun)[9] | |||||||||||||
Culture
edit
The settlement in the region (also known as Touat) is quite ancient and the area provides for several different cultures and includes several historic monuments. This intermingling gave birth to a body of traditions and of cultural and hand-crafted practices that are still present today in the life of its inhabitants, translating into a wealth of the folklore and cultural heritage.[vague]
Transportation
editTouat Cheikh Sidi Mohamed Belkebir Airport (or simply Adrar Airport)[10] is located 10 kilometers away from center of the city. Airlines include Air Algérie flight to Algiers, Bordj Badji Mokhtar, Oran and Ouargla in addition to Tassili Airlines flights to In Aménas.
Adrar is on the N6 national highway, which leads north to Béchar and south to Reggane and Timiaouine.
Demographics
edit| Year | Population[1][2][11] |
|---|---|
| 1936 | 800 |
| 1966 | 13,300 |
| 1987 | 28,600 |
| 1998 | 43,903 |
| 2008 | 64,781 |
Education
edit9.2% of the population has a tertiary education, and another 19.8% has completed secondary education.[12] The overall literacy rate is 84.1%, and is 89.9% among males and 78.1% among females (the second highest among all the communes in the province).[13]
Nuclear testing
editAdrar was the site of one of the In Ekker series, French nuclear tests during the 1960s.[14]
Localities
editAs of 1984, the commune was composed of the following eight localities:[15]
References
edit
- ^ a b c d "Population: Wilaya d'Adrar" (PDF) (in French). Office National des Statistiques Algérie. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2011. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
- ^ a b "Algeria Communes". Statoids. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
- ^ "Adrar | Sahara Desert, Berber, Nomads | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
- ^ Everett-Heath, John (2019-09-19). The Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-260254-1.
- ^ The Times Books World Weather Guide, E.A Pearce and C.G. Smith, TIMES BOOKS, The New York Times Book Co., Inc.
- ^ The World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: Scott Fetzer Co., 2007.
- ^ "Adrar Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ "Adrar Climate Normals 1991–2020" (CSV). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
- ^ "Klimatafel von Adrar / Algerien" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
- ^ "Touat Cheikh Sidi Mohamed Belkebir Airport". OurAirports. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
- ^ populstat.info Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Structure relative de la population résidente des ménages ordinaires et collectifs âgée de 6 ans et plus selon le niveau d'instruction et la commune de résidence" (PDF) (in French). Office National des Statistiques Algérie. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 November 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ^ "Taux d'analphabétisme et taux d'alphabétisation de la population âgée de 15 ans et plus, selon le sexe et la commune de résidence " (PDF) (in French). Office National des Statistiques Algérie. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 November 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2013.
- ^ Agency, International Atomic Energy (2005). Radiological Conditions at the Former French Nuclear Test Sites in Algeria: Preliminary Assessment and Recommendations. International Atomic Energy Agency. ISBN 978-92-0-113304-5.
- ^ "Décret n° 84-365, fixant la composition, la consistance et les limites territoriale des communes. Wilaya d'Adrar" (PDF) (in French). Journal officiel de la République Algérienne. 19 December 1984. p. 1472. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
External links
edit
Media related to Adrar, Algeria at Wikimedia Commons
- (in English) Adrar Province