Guelma Province

Guelma Province (Arabic: ولاية قالمة) is a province (wilaya) in eastern Algeria. Its namesake is its seat and most populous municipality: Guelma.

Guelma Province
ولاية قالمة
Province
Guelma Valley as seen from Ben Djerrah, partially showing the metropolitan area of Guelma with the cities of Boumahra Ahmed, Belkheir, and Guelma visible (from right to left/east to west)
Guelma Valley as seen from Ben Djerrah, partially showing the metropolitan area of Guelma with the cities of Boumahra Ahmed, Belkheir, and Guelma visible (from right to left/east to west)
Map of Algeria highlighting Guelma
Map of Algeria highlighting Guelma
Coordinates: 36°28′N 07°27′E
Country Algeria
CapitalGuelma
Area
 • Total4,101 km2 (1,583 sq mi)
Population
 (2008)[1]
 • Total482,261
 • Density120/km2 (300/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01 (CET)
Area Code+213 (0) 37
ISO 3166 codeDZ-24
Districts10
Municipalities34

History

Its civilians suffered heavy casualties during the 1945 Sétif massacre by the French Army. The province itself was established in 1974. Before that, it was part of Annaba Province.

In 1984 El Taref Province and Souk Ahras Province were carved out of its territory.

Demographics

It has 429,998 inhabitants as of the 1998 census, one of the lower populations in the country, which gives it 39 seats in the APW, the province's assembly. The population density is 105 inhabitants per square kilometre (272/sq mi). Of these, 54.4% live in urban areas and 87% have access to safe drinking water, lower than the national average of 89%. Archived 2007-09-11 at the Wayback Machine. Of the active population of the province, 23.3% work in agriculture, 17.9% in constructions, 9.9% in industry, and 48.9% in the services sector. 21.1% of the population is unemployed.]

Geography

The territory of the province (4,101 km2 (1,583 sq mi)) is mainly composed of arable land (about 49%) or 1,890 km2 (730 sq mi), of which about 100 km2 (39 sq mi) is irrigated, and the rest is rainfed. In the area surrounding Guelma, around 130 km2 (50 sq mi) is irrigable, 110 km2 (42 sq mi) in the area between Oued Zenati and Tamlouka, and 20 km2 (8 sq mi) around Bouchegouf. Forests cover about 31% of the total area, which equals 0.9 km2 (0 sq mi), composed mainly of Aleppo Pine, Algerian Oak and Cork Oak. Areas dedicated for future industrial development, called activity zones in Algeria cover 2 km2 (1 sq mi).]

Administrative divisions

The province is divided into 10 districts (daïras), which are further divided into 34 communes or municipalities.[2]

Districts
  1. Aïn Makhlouf
  2. Bouchegouf
  3. Guelaât Bou Sbaâ
  4. Guelma
  5. Hammam Debagh
  6. Hammam N'Bails
  7. Héliopolis
  8. Houari Boumédienne
  9. Khezaras
  10. Oued Zenati

Communes
  1. Aïn Ben Beida
  2. Houari Boumediene
  3. Aïn Larbi
  4. Aïn Makhlouf
  5. Aïn Reggada
  6. Aïn Sandel
  7. Belkheir
  8. Ben Djarah
  9. Beni Mezline
  10. Bordj Sabat
  11. Bou Hachana
  12. Bou Hamdane
  13. Bouati Mahmoud
  14. Boughouf
  15. Boumahra Ahmed
  16. Dahouara
  17. Djeballah Khemissi
  18. El Fedjoudj
  19. Guellat Bou Dbaa
  20. Guelma
  21. Hammam Debagh
  22. Hammam Nbail
  23. Héliopolis
  24. Kheraza
  25. Medjez Amar
  26. Medjez Sfa
  27. Nechmaya
  28. Oued Cheham
  29. Oued Fragha
  30. Oued Zenati
  31. Ras El Agba
  32. Roknia
  33. Salaoua Announa
  34. Tamlouka

Notable residents

See also
  • Khamissa — Ancient Roman ruins in province.

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.
  2. Journal Officiel de la Republique Algerienne, No. 41, Page 1307. 4 September 1991.
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