Wilaya de Ghardaïa

Please tell us which country and city you'd like to see the weather in.

Ghardaïa

Ghardaïa (Arabic: غرداية , Mzab-Berber: Ɣerdayt, Taɣerdayt, ⵜⴰⵖⴻⵔⴷⴰⵢⵜ) is the capital city of Ghardaïa Province, Algeria. The commune of Ghardaïa has a population of 93,423 according to the 2008 census, up from 87,599 in 1998, with an annual growth rate of 0.7%. It is located in northern-central Algeria in the Sahara Desert and lies along the left bank of the Wadi Mzab. The M'zab valley in the Ghardaïa Province (Wilaya) was inscribed under the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1982, as a cultural property evaluated under the criteria II ( for its settlement having an impact on urban planning even to the present century), III (for its Ibadi cultural values), and V (a settlement culture which has prevailed to the present century).

Ghardaïa is part of a pentapolis, a hilltop city amongst four others, built almost a thousand years ago in the M’Zab valley. It was founded by the Mozabites, a Muslim Ibadi sect of non-Arabic Muslims, including the Berbers. It is a major centre of date production and the manufacture of rugs and cloths. Divided into three walled sectors, it is a fortified town. At the centre is the historical Mʾzabite area, with a pyramid-style mosque and an arcaded square. Distinctive white, pink, and red houses, made of sand, clay and gypsum, rise in terraces and arcades. In her 1963 book, La force des choses the French existentialist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir described Ghardaïa as "a Cubist painting beautifully constructed".

Ghardaïa Province

Ghardaïa (Arabic: ولاية غرداية, Mozabite: / ⵜⴰⵖⴻⵔⴷⴰⵢⵜ) is a province (wilaya) in eastern Algeria, named after its capital Ghardaïa. The M'Zab Valley, located there, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Administrative divisions

The province is made up of 9 districts, which are divided into 13 communes or municipalities.

Districts

  • Métlili
  • El Ménia
  • Bounoura
  • Mansourah
  • Ghardaïa
  • Dhayat Ben Dhahoua
  • Zelfana
  • Bérianne
  • El Guerara
  • Communes

  • Berriane
  • Bounoura
  • Dhayet Bendhahoua
  • El Atteuf
  • El Guerrara
  • El Menia
  • Ghardaia
  • Hassi Fehal
  • Hassi Gara
  • Mansoura
  • Metlili
  • Sebseb
  • Zelfana
  • References

  • Office National des Statistiques, Recensement General de la Population et de l’Habitat 2008 Preliminary results of the 2008 population census. Accessed on 2008-07-02.
  • External links

  • (French) Official website
  • Podcasts:

    PLAYLIST TIME:

    Pity For A Dime

    by: Creed

    An artificial season
    Covered by summer rain
    Losing all my reason
    Cause there's nothing left to blame
    Shadows paint the sidewalk
    A living picture in a frame
    See the sea of people
    All their faces look the same
    So I sat down for awhile
    Forcing a smile
    In a state of self-denial
    Is it worthwhile
    Sell my pity for a dime
    Yeah, Just one dime
    Sell my pity for a dime
    Yeah, Just one dime
    Plain talk can be the easy way
    Signs of losing my faith
    Losing my faith
    Plain talk can be the easy way
    Signs of losing my faith
    Losing my faith
    So I sat down for awhile
    Yeah, Forcing a smile
    In a state of self-denial
    Yeah, Is it worthwhile
    Sell my pity for a dime
    Yeah, Just one dime
    Sell my pity for a dime
    Yeah, Just one dime
    So I sat down for awhile
    Yeah, Forcing a smile
    In a state of self-denial
    Yeah, Is it worthwhile
    Sell my pity for a dime
    Yeah, Just one dime
    Sell my pity for a dime




    ×