M'Sila Province

M'Sila (Berber languages: ⵎⵙⵉⵍⴰ Msila) is a province (wilaya) of northern Algeria. It has a population of 1 million people and an area of 18,718 km², while its capital, also called M'Sila, home to M'Sila University, has a population of about 100,000.

M'Sila Province
ولاية المسيلة
Province
Map of Algeria highlighting M'Sila
Map of Algeria highlighting M'Sila
Coordinates: 35°42′N 4°33′E
Country Algeria
CapitalM'Sila
Area
 • Total18,718 km2 (7,227 sq mi)
Population
 (2008)[1]
 • Total991,846
 • Density53/km2 (140/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01 (CET)
Area Code+213 (0) 35
ISO 3166 codeDZ-28
Districts15
Municipalities47

Localities include Bou Saada and Maadid. Chott El Hodna, a salt lake, crosses into M'Sila. However, most of the region is semi-arid and undeveloped.

Additionally, M'Sila was the location of the first village constructed as part of a government-run program to transition nomadic Algerians to sedentary life using local materials.

The village, now complete, was dubbed Maader and consists of houses, public and trading areas, and a mosque.

History

The province was created from parts of Batna (département), Médéa (département) and Sétif (département) in 1974.

Administrative divisions

The province is divided into 15 districts (daïras), which are further divided into 47 communes or municipalities.

Districts
  1. Aïn El Hadjel
  2. Aïn El Melh
  3. Ben S'Rour
  4. Bou Saâda
  5. Chellal
  6. Djebel Messaâd
  7. Hammam Dhalaâ
  8. Khoubana
  9. M'sila
  10. Magra
  11. Medjedel
  12. Ouled Derradj
  13. Ouled Sidi Brahim
  14. Sidi Aïssa
  15. Sidi Ameur

Communes
The districts and communes of the province of M'Sila
1. Aïn El Hadjel
2. Aïn El Melh
3. Aïn Errich
4. Aïn Fares
5. Aïn Khadra
6. Belaïba
7. Ben Srour
8. Beni Ilmane
9. Benzouh
10. Berhoum
11. Bir Foda
12. Bou-Saâda
13. Bouti Sayeh
14. Chellal
15. Dehahna
16. Djebel Messaad
17. El Hamel
18. El Houamed
19. Hammam Dhalaa
20. Khoubana
21. Khatouti Sed Eldjir
22. Maadid
23. Maarif
24. Magra
25. M'cif
26. Medjedel
27. M'sila
28. M'Tarfa
29. Menaa
30. Mohamed Boudiaf
31. Ouanougha
32. Ouled Addi Guebala
33. Ouled Derraj
34. Ouled Madhi
35. Ouled Mansour
36. Ouled Sidi Brahim
37. Ouled Slimane
38. Oultene
39. Sidi Aïssa
40. Sidi Ameur
41. Sidi Hadjeres
42. Sidi M'hamed
43. Slim
44. Souamaa
45. Tamsa
46. Tarmount
47. Zarzour

Zawiya
Main article: Zawiyas in Algeria
See also: Rahmaniyya, Algerian Islamic reference, Malikism in Algeria, and Sufism in Algeria
  • Zawiyet El Hamel

The creation of the Zaouïa complex dates back to the 19th century, founded by Sidi Mohammed Ben Belqacem born in 1823 in the vicinity of Hassi Bahbah in the Djelfa Province. After he died in 1897, his daughter Lalla Zaynab succeeded him until 1904.

The zaouïa consists of a mosque, a Koranic school, and the mausoleum where the founder and his successors rest.

See also

References
  1. Office National des Statistiques, Recensement General de la Population et de l’Habitat 2008 Archived 2008-07-24 at the Wayback Machine Preliminary results of the 2008 population census. Accessed on 2008-07-02.
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