Adrar, Algeria


Adrar is the administrative capital of Adrar Province, the second largest province in Algeria. The commune is sited around an oasis in the Tuat region of the Sahara Desert. According to a 2008 census it has a population of 64,781, up from 43,903 in 1998, with an annual growth rate of 4.0%.
Adrar is mainly an agricultural town, characterized by its traditional irrigation system, the Foggara.

Geography

Adrar lies at an elevation of 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.

Nuclear Testing

Adrar was the site of one of the In Ekker series, French nuclear tests during the 1960s.

Climate

Adrar has a hot desert climate, with long, hot summers and short, warm winters, and averages just of rainfall per year. Summer temperatures are consistently high as they commonly approach 40 °C. temperatures at night are still hot at around 27 °C. Even in early May or in late September, daytime temperatures can rise to 45 °C. Adrar experiences the same kind of desert heat as Death Valley, California during summertime. Winter nights can be chilly and frost is by no means unknown but the days are pleasantly warm, sunny and dry. 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.

Culture

The settlement in the region 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.

Transportation

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

YearPopulation
1936800
196613,300
198728,600
199843,903
200864,781

Education

9.2% of the population has a tertiary education, and another 19.8% has completed secondary education. The overall literacy rate is 84.1%, and is 89.9% among males and 78.1% among females.

Localities

As of 1984, the commune was composed of the following eight localities: