Oran

Oran (Arabic: وهران‎, Wahrān; Berber: ⵡⴻⵀⵔⴰⵏ) is an important coastal city that is located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city after the capital Algiers, due to its commercial, industrial, and cultural importance. It is 432 km (268 mi) far from Algiers. The total population of the city was 759,645 in 2008 (2008), while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest city in Algeria.

The name "Wahran" (Oran in Arabic) is derived from the Berber word "uharan" (two lions).

Legend says that in 900 AD, lions still lived in the area. The last two lions were hunted on a mountain near Oran and are elsewhere referred to as "mountain lions".

History

During the Roman empire, a small settlement called Unica Colonia existed in the area of current Oran. but this settlement disappeared after the Arab conquest of the Maghreb.

Present-day Oran was founded in 903 by Moorish Andalusi traders. It was captured by the Castilians under Cardinal Cisneros in 1509, Spanish sovereignty lasted until 1708, when the city was conquered by the Ottomans. Spain recaptured the city in 1732. However, its value as a trading post had decreased greatly, so King Charles IV sold the city to the Turks in 1792. Ottoman rule lasted until 1831, when it fell to the French.

Oran Province

Oran (Arabic: ولاية وهران‎) is a province (wilaya) in Algeria whose seat is the city of the same name.

Geography

It is located in the northwestern part of the country. Its population is 1,584,607 and it covers a total area of 2,114 km². The province is bordered to the east by the provinces of Mostaganem, to the south east by Mascara, to the south west by Sidi Bel Abbes, and to the west by Aïn Témouchent Province.

History

The province was formed from the former French department of Oran, which was maintained after independence and was transformed into a wilaya (province) by the ordnance of 1968. It inherited its current structure after the re-organization of 1974, when it lost its western and southern parts in favor of the creation of Sidi Bel Abbès Province.

Administrative divisions

As of 1984, the province is divided into 9 districts (daïras), which are further divided into 26 communes or municipalities.

Districts

Oran (department)

Oran is a former French département in Algeria existing from 1848 until 1962.

Originally a French province, it was departmentalised on 9 December 1848. Its principal town, Oran, was made the prefecture of the département. There were three French départements in Algeria: Oran in the west, Alger in the center, and Constantine in the east. Oran covered 67,262 km², encompassing five sub-prefectures of Mascara, Mostaganem, Sidi Bel Abbès, Tiaret and Tlemcen.

It was only in the 1950s that the Sahara was annexed into departmentalised Algeria, which explains why the département of Oran limited itself to what is the northwest of Algeria today. However, prior to departmentalisation, the two eastern territories of the south were managed by the department of Oran.

In 1956 an administrative reform aimed at taking into account the strong demographic growth in Algeria split the province into four parts, Oran, Mostaganem, Tiaret and Tlemcen, taking place on 20 May 1957.

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