Laghouat

For the Second World War detention centre, see Laghouat prison camp.

Laghouat الأغواط
City
Laghouat
Location of Laghouat in Laghouat Province
Laghouat Location of Laghouat in Algeria
Coordinates:
Country	Algeria
Province	Laghouat Province
District	Laghouat District
APC	2012-2017
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Mayor	Benbehaz béchir
Area
• Total	400 km2 (200 sq mi)
Elevation	769 m (2,523 ft)
Population (2008 census)
• Total	134,372
• Density	340/km2 (870/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
Postal code	03000
ISO 3166 code	CP
Website	www.laghouat-dz.org

Laghouat in the Algerian Sahara (1879)

Street in Laghouat, by Gustave Achille Guillaumet.

Laghouat (English: Laghwat French: Laghouat Arabic: الأغواط‎‎) is the capital city of the Laghouat Province, Algeria, 400 km south of the Algerian capital Algiers. As of 2005, the population of the city was 126,291 inhabitants. Nearby, in Hassi R'Mel, there is the largest natural gas reserve in Africa.

The city was founded in the 11th century. In 1852, the French captured the city. Since 1974, it is a province.

Laghwat town in the Amour Range of the Saharan Atlas is an oasis on the north edge of the Sahara Desert. It is an important administrative and military center and marketplace and is known for rug and tapestry weaving. There are natural gas deposits in the region. The town has a meteorological station. Laghouat traces its history at least to the 11th century. It paid tribute to Morocco in the 17th century. The Turks captured Laghouat in 1786, and the French conquered the city in 1852.

The city is served by Laghouat Airport (IATA: LOO, ICAO: DAUL).

In January 2012 Laghouat was the site of anti-government protests over housing, infrastructure, and treatment of the elderly by police. The police used tear gas to disperse the protesters.

appellations

The city and the region as a whole nicknamed several titles, including the capital of the steppe, gateway to the Sahara, Laghouat is the known ....

The location and nature

Laghouat steppe's capital : an oasis south of Algiers and away from the Algiers about 400 km lined with gardens and buildings on the bank of "Wade Mzee" which takes its course from west Amour Mountains and heading towards the east where bears another name is Wade "serious" Mara number of Alziban's oases that hurt in Chott Melrhir.

And it extends orchards and antique buildings and mosques across the steppes and wide and tall mountains and green pastures.

It is bordered to the north municipality of Sidi Makhlouf, all west of Tadjemout and kheneg, east the municipality of El Assafia, and south municipality of Mekhareg.

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See also

• Laghouat prison camp