Tourism

Arts and culture

<h3><a href="javascript:void(0);">Prehistory:</a></h3>

Middle Paleolithic: 
Aterian Civilization (sites of Bir el Ater, south of Annaba, and in the Nementcha at 70 km south of Tebessa, to the extremity of djebel Onk).

Ancient Neolithic: 
Sites of snail shell mounds near Constantine and in the Sahara: Capsians were escargot eaters.

Recent Neolithic in Sahara (humid): 
Brilliant Civilization (engravings and cave paintings of the Tassili n&rsquo;Adjjer).

16th Century to 9th Century BC: 
Probable descendants of the Capsians came into contact with &quot; people of the Sea &quot; and learned Aegean and Anatolian techniques: the Sahara became barren and empty.

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<h3><a href="javascript:void(0);">Carthaginian Period, Kingdom of Numidia and Roman Period:</a></h3>

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<ul>
	<li>About 1250 BC :Arrival of the Phoenician and foundation of the merchant colonies of Hippo-regius and Utica.</li>
	<li>About-510 BC :Treaty between Rome and Carthage, Rome recognized the commercial monopoly of Carthage in the western Mediterranean.</li>
	<li>From 348 BC to 306 BC :Commercial Treaties between the Punics and Romans.</li>
	<li>From 264 BC to 146 BC :Punic wars (264 BC to 241 BC/ 218BC to 201 BC/ 149 BC to 146 BC).</li>
	<li>3rd and 2nd century BC :Kingdoms of Numidia : Syphax, Massinissa and Jugurtha</li>
	<li>From 111 BC to 105 BC :Jugurthine Wars between Jugurtha, king of the Numidians, and the Romans</li>
	<li>46 BC :Numidia became a Roman province</li>
	<li>From 1 AD to 429 AD :Romanization of North Africa</li>
	<li>From 429 AD to 430 AD :Invasion of the Vandals</li>
	<li>From 533 AD to 646 AD :Byzantine Conquests of North Africa</li>
</ul>

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<h3><a href="javascript:void(0);">The advent of Islam:</a></h3>

<ul>
	<li>647 AD : Arrival of the Arabs: Led by Oqba Ibn-Nafaa;</li>
	<li>From 776 to 909 :Rostomid dynasty</li>
	<li>From 908 to 972 :Fatimid Dynasty</li>
	<li>From 972 to 1148 :Zirid dynasty</li>
	<li>From 1007 to 1152 :Hammadit dynasty</li>
	<li>From 1052 to 1147 :Almoravid Dynasty</li>
	<li>From 1121 to 1235 :Almohad dynasty</li>
	<li>From 1235 to 1556 :Zianid dynasty</li>
</ul>

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<h3><a href="javascript:void(0);">Ottoman Period:</a></h3>

<ul>
	<li>1518 :fight against the threat of Spanish occupation, Kheireddine Barberousse placed Algiers under protection of the ottoman Sultan of Istanbul.</li>
	<li>1534-1587 :Reign of the &quot;Beylerbeys&quot; (23 Beylerbeys took power).</li>
	<li>1587-1659 :Reign of the Pachas (about 40 pachas took power).</li>
</ul>

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<ul>
	<li>1659-1671 :Reign of the &quot;Aghas&quot;(about 4 aghas took power).</li>
	<li>1671-1710 : Authority of the deys-pachas (11 deys took power) Algiers withstood English and French aggressions (1678,1680,1682,1688).</li>
	<li>1710-1830 :Authority of the Dey (18 deys took power, the latest was Dey Hocine).</li>
</ul>

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<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

<h3><a href="javascript:void(0);">French colonization:</a></h3>

<ul>
	<li>June 14, 1830 :Disembarkation of French forces on the coast of Sidi Fredj.</li>
	<li>July 5, 1830 :Signature of the agreement of submission by the Dey of Algiers.</li>
	<li>1832-1847 :Resistance of Emir Abd el-Kader who made his authority recognized on the center and the west of Algeria as the Algerian State.</li>
	<li>1830-1848 :Resistance of Ahmed Bey in the East of Algeria.</li>
	<li>February 26, 1834 :Desmichels Treaty concluded between France and Emir Abd El Kader.</li>
	<li>May 3, 1837 :Treaty of Tafna concluded between General Bugeaud and Emir Abd El Kader.</li>
	<li>1846 :Revolt of Benacer Ben Chohra in the Center and the Southeast of Algeria.</li>
	<li>1845-1850 : Revolt of the oasis of Zaatcha and Zibane conducted by Sheik Bouziane.</li>
	<li>1851-1860 :Revolt of Cherif Boubeghla and Fatma N&#39;soumer in Djurdjura and in Kabylia​</li>
	<li>1864-1884 :Revolt of Ouled Sidi-Cheikh</li>
	<li>1871-1872 :Revolt of Hadj Mohamed El Mokrani Boumezrag and Cheikh El Haddad</li>
	<li>1877-1912 :Revolt of the Touareg in the Hoggar under the lead of Sheik Amoud Ben Mokhtar</li>
	<li>&nbsp;1912 :Creation of the &ldquo;Movement of the Algerian youth&rdquo;,(in French :&ldquo;Mouvement de la Jeunesse Algerienne) directed by the &eacute;mir Khaled. 
	Creation in Algiers of &ldquo;The association of the Muslim Students of North Africa&rdquo;( in French: &ldquo;L&rsquo;Association des Etudiants Musulmans de l&rsquo;Afrique du Nord&rdquo;(A.E.M.A.N.)</li>
	<li>March 1926 :Creation in Paris of &ldquo; The North African star&rdquo;,( in French: &ldquo;l&#39;&Eacute;toile Nord Africaine&rdquo;) by El-hadj Ahmed Messali</li>
	<li>1927 :Creation in Paris of &ldquo;The association of the North African Muslim Students&rdquo;,( in French &ldquo;L&rsquo;Association des Etudiants Musulmans Nord Africains -A.E.M.A.N.F)</li>
	<li>May 5, 1931 :Creation of &ldquo;L&rsquo;Association des Oulamas Musulmans&rdquo; by Sheik Abdelhamid Ben Badis.</li>
	<li>March 1937 :Creation in Algiers of &ldquo;the Party of the People of Algeria&rdquo;,( in French: &ldquo; Le Parti du Peuple Algerian P.P.A) by El-hadj Ahmed Messali.</li>
	<li>1943 :Ferhat Abbas presented to the allies in WW2 the &ldquo;Manifesto of the Algerian people&rdquo; requesting the equality between the Muslim and European communities.</li>
	<li>May 8, 1945 :&nbsp;Massacres of S&eacute;tif, Guelma and Kherrata, about 45,000 people killed.</li>
	<li>1946 : Ferhat Abbas created &ldquo;The Democratic Union of the Algerian Manifesto&rsquo;) In French. &ldquo;l&rsquo;Union Democratique du Manifeste Algerien (U.D.M.A) 
	El-hadj Ahmed Messali created &ldquo;the Movement for the Triumph of The Democratic Liberties&rdquo;(in French: &ldquo; Le Mouvement pour le Triomphe des Libert&eacute;s D&eacute;mocratiques (M.T.L.D)</li>
	<li>1947 :Creation of &ldquo;the Special Organization&rdquo;. (in French : &ldquo;l&rsquo;Organisation Sp&eacute;ciale)</li>
	<li>November 1, 1954 :Starting of the Algerian revolution.</li>
	<li>September 1955 :The Algerian issue placed on the agenda of the U.N.</li>
	<li>August 20, 1956 :Congress of the Soummam and Creation of the &ldquo;National Council of the Algerian Revolution &ldquo; ( In French : le Conseil national de la R&eacute;volution alg&eacute;rienne C.N.R.A.) and &ldquo;the committee of coordination and application &rdquo; (In French: le Comit&eacute; de coordination et d&#39;ex&eacute;cution C. C. E)</li>
	<li>September 19, 1958 :Creation of the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic. &ldquo; in French: Le Gouvernement Provisoire de la Republique Algerienne (G.P.R.A.)&rdquo; presided by Ferhat Abbas.</li>
	<li>August 09, 1961&nbsp; :Benyoucef Ben Khedda became the 3rd President of the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic.</li>
	<li>March 18, 1962 :Signature of the Evian agreements between the F.L.N. and the French Government.</li>
	<li>March 19, 1962 : Proclamation of the cease-fire.</li>
	<li>April 1962 :Installation of the Provisional Executive in &ldquo;Rocher Noir&rdquo; (Boum&egrave;rdes)</li>
	<li>July 01, 1962 :Referendum on self-determination, (99.7% in favour of independence).</li>
	<li>July 05, 1962 :Proclamation of the independence of Algeria.</li>
</ul>

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<h3>&nbsp;</h3>

<h3><a href="javascript:void(0);">Independent Algeria:</a></h3>

<ul>
	<li>September 20, 1962 :Election of the first constituent assembly.</li>
	<li>September 25, 1962 :Proclamation of the People&rsquo;s Democratic Republic of Algeria.</li>
	<li>September 29, 1962 :Constitution of the first government of Algeria.</li>
	<li>October 08, 1962 :Admission of Algeria to the U.N.</li>
	<li>May 08, 1963 :Adoption by referendum of the first constitution of Algeria</li>
	<li>September 15, 1963&nbsp; :Election of Mr. Ahmed Ben Bella to the Presidency of the Republic.</li>
	<li>April 1964 :Adoption of the Charter of Algiers by the 3rd congress of the F. L. N. (National Liberation Front)</li>
	<li>June 19, 1965 :Creation of the Council of the Revolution presided by Mr. Houari Boumediene.</li>
	<li>May 07, 1966 :Nationalization of mines.</li>
	<li>February 05, 1967 :First local election (A.P.C (Municipalities) and A.P.W. (Provinces/Regions)</li>
	<li>May 1967 :French army left the bases of Reggane and Bechar.</li>
	<li>February 1st, 1968 :Withdrawal of the French army from the naval base of Mers El-Kebir.</li>
	<li>February 24, 1971:Nationalization of hydrocarbons.</li>
	<li>June 27, 1976 :Adoption by referendum of the National Charter.</li>
	<li>November 19, 1976 :Adoption by referendum of the second constitution of Algeria.</li>
	<li>December 10, 1976 :Election of Mr. Houari Boumediene as President of the Republic.</li>
	<li>December 27, 1978 :Death of President Houari Boumediene.</li>
	<li>February 07, 1979 :Election of Mr. Chadli Bendjedid as President of the Republic.</li>
	<li>January 13, 1983 :Reelection of Mr. Chadli Bendjedid as President of the Republic (2nd term).</li>
	<li>October 05, 1988 :Protests in several cities of Algeria.</li>
	<li>November 03, 1988 :Adoption by referendum of the revision of the Constitution</li>
	<li>December 22, 1988 :Reelection of Mr. Chadli Bendjedid as President of the Republic (3rd term).</li>
	<li>February 23, 1989&nbsp; :Adoption by referendum of the fourth constitution of Algeria</li>
	<li>June 05, 1991 :Proclamation of the state of siege.</li>
	<li>January 04, 1992 :Dissolution of the People&rsquo;s National Assembly (Parliament).</li>
	<li>January 12, 1992 :Resignation of President Chadli Bendjedid.</li>
	<li>January 14, 1992 :Creation of the Higher State Council (in French :Haut Conseil de l&rsquo;Etat -H.C.E.) under the presidency of Mr. Mohamed Boudiaf.</li>
	<li>February 02, 1992 :Declaration of the state of emergency.</li>
	<li>February 04, 1992 :Creation of a National Consultative Council.</li>
	<li>June 29, 1992 :Assassination of the President of the Higher State Council, Mr. Mohamed Boudiaf.</li>
	<li>July 02, 1992 :Mr. Ali Kafi became President of the Higher State Council.</li>
	<li>January 30, 1994 :End of the Higher State Council, Mr. Liamine Zeroual is designated as Head of State.</li>
	<li>May 18, 1994 :Creation of the National Council of Transition (in French: Conseil National de Transition).</li>
	<li>November 16, 1995 :Mr. Liamine Zeroual elected President of the Republic.</li>
	<li>November 28, 1996 :Referendum on the fifth Constitution of Algeria.</li>
	<li>June 05, 1997 :Pluralist legislative election.</li>
	<li>October 23, 1997 :Pluralist local Election.</li>
	<li>September 11, 1998 :Mr. Liamine Zeroual announced early presidential election.</li>
	<li>April 15, 1999 :Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika elected President of the Republic.</li>
	<li>September 16, 1999 :Adoption by referendum of the Law on the civil concord.</li>
	<li>April 10, 2002 :Constitutionalisation of Tamazight (Berber Language) as national language.</li>
	<li>May 30, 2002 :Second pluralist legislative election.</li>
	<li>April 08, 2004 :Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika re-elected President of the Republic.</li>
	<li>September 23, 2005 :Adoption, by referendum, of the National Charter for Peace and Reconciliation.</li>
	<li>November 12, 2008 :Revision of the Constitution of Algeria.</li>
	<li>April 09, 2009 :Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika re-elected President of the Republic.</li>
	<li>April 17, 2014 :Mr. Abdelaziz Bouteflika re-elected President of the Republic.</li>
	<li>March 2016 :Revision of the constitution.</li>
	<li>22 February 2019 :Start of the peaceful popular movement (Hirak).</li>
	<li>2 April 2019 :Resignation of President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA.</li>
	<li>12 December 2019 :Election of Mr. Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE as President of the Republic.</li>
</ul>

History of Algeria

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Algeria (Arabic: الجزائر Tamazight:Dzayer), officially the People&rsquo;s Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a State of North Africa which is a part of the Maghreb. It is the biggest country lining the Mediterranean Sea and the vaster first one of Africa. It shares ground borders in the northeast with Tunisia, in the East with Libya, in the South with Niger and Mali, in the southwest with Mauritania and territory of the Western Sahara, and on the West with Morocco.

Algeria is a member of the United Nations (UN), of the African Union (AU) and the League of Arab States almost since independence in 1962. It joined the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 1969. In February 1989, Algeria took part, along with the other Maghreb states, in the creation of the organization of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU).

The Algerian Constitution defines &quot;Islam, Arabity and Amazighness&quot; as &quot;fundamental components&quot; of the identity of the Algerian people and the country as &quot;land of Islam, an integral part of the Greater Maghreb, Mediterranean and African&quot;.

Area : 2 381 741 km&sup2;. 
Population : 43,9 million inhabitants (estimate January 2020). 
Density : 18people / Km&sup2;. 
Capital city: Algiers. 
Languages : Arabic and Tamazight. 
Religion : Sunni Islam. 
Currency : Algerian dinar. 
Political regime : Democratic and popular republic. 
Head of the State : Mr Abdelmadjid Tebboune.

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The climate is of Mediterranean type on all the northern fringe which includes the Littoral and Tell Atlas (hot and dry summers, wet and cool winters), semi-arid on the highlands in the center of the country, and desert as soon as one crosses the chain of the Saharan Atlas. The temperature differences in the same day can be considerable, this is the case in the Sahara where the mercury can oscillate from one extreme to the other in the space of only a few hours (beyond 40 &deg; C the day, below 5 &deg; C at night!).

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The relief of Algeria consists of three large groups: Tell in the North, the highlands and the Saharan Atlas in the center, and the Sahara in the South.

The Tell

 
Is a narrow coastal strip 1200 km long and 100 to 200 km wide. It is bounded on the south by a mountain range, more or less parallel to the coast, and which extends from the Tlemcen region to the west, to the Tunisian border to the east. It is made up of fertile plains (like the one of Mitidja south of Algiers) where the majority of the Algerian population, valleys and a succession of mountains (the Tellian Atlas) are concentrated, which regularly exceed 2,000 m. in the East, especially in Kabylie where the peaks of the Djurdjura massif are covered with snow in winter.

The highlands and the Saharan Atlas

 
A set of semi-arid plains and highlands running diagonally from the Moroccan border to North-eastern Algeria. Summers are heavy and dry and winters are very cold and humid. The ground is dug by many depressions, the chotts, which turn into salt lakes after the rainy season. The vegetation is quite poor and sparse. It is limited to tufts of grass (very useful for flocks of sheep), as well as alfa, a graminaceous plant that is used to make ropes, baskets, carpets, etc. 
These steppes are delimited in the South by a mountainous barrier (the Saharan Atlas) which is in fact only the extension in Algeria of the Moroccan High Atlas. From west to east follow the mountains of Ksour, Ouled-Na&iuml;l, Zibans and Aur&egrave;s which culminate at more than 2,300 m. at the bottom of these mountains are a string of oases that mark the threshold of the Sahara: Biskra Boussa&acirc;da Laghouat, or Gharda&iuml;a, further south, in the M&#39;zab Valley.

The Sahara

 
It covers about 85% of the Algerian territory (2,000 km from East to West, 1,500 km from North to South). The Great South of Algeria alternates between volcanic landscapes (Hoggar massif) and lunar (Tassili N&#39;Ajjer), plains of stones and (the Regs) and sandy plains (the Ergs) from which sometimes emerge beautiful oases.

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The Fauna 
In the countryside and the mountains in the north of the country, we meet sheep, monkeys magots in the gorges of Chiffa (south of Algiers), goats, horses, hares, foxes and even wild boars. Looking up to the sky, we can see the ball of migratory birds that move south in the winter (starlings, storks, etc.). Further south, we meet gazelles, fennecs, some striped hyenas, small desert rodents (gerboises, gerbils ...), some scorpions and of course camels. Lions, ostriches and other crocodiles have left the country for more than a century.

The Flora 
The vegetation is Mediterranean in the north of the country. The forest (cork oaks, carob trees, pines ...) and the maquis dominate all along the coast and on the flanks of the Tellien Atlas and different kinds of flowers and plants grow in gardens and orchards (jasmine, rose, geranium, rosemary ...). Apart from alfa, very few plants grow on the highlands in the center of the country. In the oases of the Sahara, ingenious irrigation systems allow peasants to cultivate, apart from date palms, all kinds of fruits and vegetables in their plantations.

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The coastline

 
The Algerian coastline is 1,200 kilometers of sandy beaches bordered by a turquoise sea. Grouping all the major cities on its territory, abounding with magnificent natural sites, the region is today one of the most touristic of the country. From Algiers the white to Oran the radiant, via Annaba and the wild creeks of Kabylie, the coastline make certainly the happiness of hikers, swimmers, and lovers of fishing and water sports. The tourist activity of this part of Algeria does not prevent the preservation of the marine fauna and flora. A true place of relaxation, the Algerian coast is also a place rich in history, the seaside being dotted with several archaeological sites of the ancient or Ottoman era.

The center

 
Nicknamed &quot;El Bahdja&quot; (the joyful) or Algiers the White, the capital is now the first agglomeration of the Maghreb. Founded in the year 960 on the ruins of the ancient Roman city Icosium by Bologhine Ibn Ziri, the old Ottoman city stretches for about thirty kilometers. It is bordered to the north and east by the Mediterranean Sea forming the famous bay of Algiers, and dominated by the Kasbah - the old Muslim city. The many foreign influences (Roman, Turkish and French) have shaped the region of Algiers, making it a cosmopolitan region open to the world. 
From the mythical Kasbah to the traditional bouqalettes, through its gastronomy, the city of Mohamed Racim has taken advantage of its important cultural heritage. A few kilometers away is Tipaza the ancient Roman city and its incredible ancient museum, and further afield there is the Kabylie and its craggy coves that are definitely worth a visit. From Jijel to Bejaia, through Tizi Ouzou, everything here invites you to relax.

The East

 
The Constantine coast&rsquo;s is certainly less recognized than that of the West, with an atypical charm. Nicknamed the &quot;city of suspension bridges&quot;, Constantine (ancient Cirta) is built on a rock overlooking deep gorges at the bottom of which flows the river Rhummel, for lack of the sea. 
It was founded by Emperor Constantine I who gave it his name. City of the Mufuf, the famous Arab-Andalusian music, Constantine is a very important cultural and university center. Monuments like the great mosque of Emir Abdelkader or the Bey Palace bear witness to the architectural wealth of the city. However the real important city of the Constantine coast is Annaba, the old B&ocirc;ne. It is one of the cities that has the most beautiful coast of Algeria. Built on the ruins of the ancient city known as Hippone, the city is now the fourth largest city in the country. The main point of interest of the city, besides the ancient ruins, is the Basilica of St. Augustine, erected in memory of this priest born in Algeria in 354 BC. J-C, who gave his nobility to the city of Hippone. The other important town on the coast is Skikda, the city of strawberries. Formerly known as Philippeville, as a tribute to King Louis-Philippe, the city of Skikda was a small commercial port that has grown considerably today.

The west

 
Beautiful beaches and large ports, here is what summarizes the Oranie. Nicknamed &quot;El Bahia&quot; (the radiant), Oran is the second largest city in the country. Its coast is dotted with beaches some of which are among the wildest in the Mediterranean. The agglomeration now has nearly two million inhabitants. Coming from a turbulent colonial past (Spanish, Turkish and French), the region knew how to form its own identity. It is now recognized for its impressive cultural heritage, including ra&iuml;. This style of music, rebellious as sensual, has become the ambassador of the city around the world. 
The second city of Oranie, Tlemcen, situated in 800 m of height, is the only city of Algeria to being able to boast to possess Moresque buildings of the quality of those of Andalusia. Nowadays, the one that we call &quot;the city of cherries&quot; is a place convenient to the relaxation and of the most pleasant to visit. 
Mostaganem kept, as for it, a old character, but also opened in a modern economy. For proof, it is enough to surrender to the new district of Tijdit, where the beautiful beaches surroundings allow to take advantage of the sun.

The Oasis

 
No oasis is similar to another one, they are maintained with a big art and an exceptional science at the threshold of the Algerian desert. Oases are colored and paradisiac spaces which make wonder all the visitors &hellip; They are the islands of the desert, where wadis dig a furrow of happiness, Palm trees draw up themselves staying up the prosperity of his inhabitants. 
The Algerian oases are impressive and mythical. It is the profit of a distinctive agricultural and architectural know-how. Among these oases, Bou Saada &quot; the estate of the Happiness &quot;, Biskra, &quot; the queen of the Zibans &quot;, El Oued, the &quot; city in thousand domes &quot;, Touggourt, the region of dunes (the North of the Big oriental erg), Ouargla, the immense oasis the palm grove of which counts more than a million date palms, Gharda&iuml;a, the city in pyramidal shape (Established in 1053) and Laghouat the authentic door of the desert (400 km from the capital Algiers). Result of certain know-how and exceptional science of the irrigation, the Algerian oases are the most beautiful of the world. It is the cool and crystal clear water which springs from bowels of the Earth, and which the ingenious hands of the Algerian farmers lead to the surface to transform the desert of sand into a paradisiac landscape. Several big cities are considered as their oases. It is in particular the case of Tolga, that is the most important oasis of Zibans. The city owes its fame to the quality of its dates, the &quot;DegletNour&quot; (the fingers of light). However, the most famous palm grove of the country remains unquestionably that of Taghit, real jewel of the desert.

The M&#39;zab

 
Situated in the center of Algeria, The M&#39;zab is a rocky tray the height of which varies between 300 and 800 meters. It is a set of five oases, which groups five ksours ( strengthened villages): Gharda&iuml;a - Melika-Beni-Isguen - Bounoura and El-Atteuf; and two isolated oases further north: Berriane and Guerrara. 
In, its foot, houses, in the tiny windows and low doors (to protect itself from the wind of sand and from the heat) hang on the some to the others and the narrow alleys form a real labyrinth. Every city is protected by ramparts and doors which allow the access. Palm groves are inseparable of these cities because they shelter the summer residences which welcome the population during the big hot season. Gardens are there luxuriant and plentiful fruits thanks to the ancestral system of irrigation. The valley of Mzab been a part of the world heritage and was represented in paint by numerous Orientalist painters.

The desert

 
Sahara, desert situated in the North of Africa, extends over ten countries (from Morocco to Mauritania, including Sudan and Niger), however it is on the Algerian territory that it occupies most surface. The term Sahara is of Arabic origin (As-Sahara) which means desert or steppe. Thus it is the pleonasm that to say the &quot;desert of Sahara&quot;. 
It is a hot and dry desert: in summer, it is more than 50 degrees during the day; in winter, he can be 5 degrees at high altitude. Previously, Sahara was swampy. Place setting of steppe and savanna, its fauna was very rich. Today there are only fossils lost in the sand and the rock paintings left by our ancestors in caves. It is a place where the time seems not to have grip anymore on the life so much dunes, changing according to the wind, are short-lived and the unchanging and eternal rocks. The silence is master of a kingdom where the beauty of the landscapes of the rise and the sunset, taking colors seen nowhere else, takes the breath away of the spectator.

The Big Erg

 
Ergs are big massifs of dunes which occupy approximately 20 % of the surface of Sahara. They evolve according to prevailing wind. Weather conditions are extremely severe there. The rare tracks of vegetation concentrate in small oases situated in the perimeter of the desert. Among the biggest, we find in the North that of El Oued. However it is in the Big western Erg that we find the gardens of Saoura. Of the name of the oued which crosses it, the valley of Saoura is really one of the most attractive regions of the Algerian South. 
Gourara is a region of Algeria formed of a set of oasis. Encircled by the Big Western Erg (in the North), Touat and Saoura (on the West) and plateau of Tadma&iuml;t (in the South and in the East), an immense flat and rocky area which separates it from Tidikelt ( A&iuml;n Salah). Just like Touat ( Adrar) and Tidikelt, this region uses the system of irrigation of Foggaras (system of captation of waters of infiltrations). The Big Erg, it is also Beni Abb&egrave;s, Guirzim, Kerzaz, Timoudi, the oases of Gourara and the closeness of the cities of Laghouat, Gharda&iuml;a and B&eacute;char. This apparently impassable barrier was always crossed by the caravans which make the connection between oases spread in the waves of sand. The main cities, lining the Big Western Erg, are El Meniaa (so called El Gol&eacute;a), Timimoun ( Gourara) and Adrar ( Touat).

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