Béchar

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title: "Béchar" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["communes-of-béchar-province", "cities-in-algeria", "province-seats-of-algeria"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Béchar" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

FieldValue
nameBéchar
official_nameCity Béchar
native_nameبشار
native_name_lang
typeCity
image_skylineBechar - Place 1er Novembre بشار.jpg
imagesize300px
image_caption1st of November Square
image_mapDZ-08-01-Bechar.svg
mapsize180px
map_captionLocation of Béchar commune within Béchar Province
pushpin_mapAlgeria
pushpin_mapsize300
pushpin_map_captionLocation of Béchar within Algeria
coordinates
subdivision_typeCountry
subdivision_nameAlgeria
subdivision_type1Province
subdivision_name1Béchar Province
subdivision_type2District
subdivision_name2Béchar District
established_title
seat_typeDistrict seat
leader_titlePMA Seats
leader_name23
leader_title1
leader_title2
unit_prefMetric
area_footnotes
area_total_km25050
elevation_m747
population_footnotes
population_total165,627
population_as_of2008
population_density_km2auto
timezone1CET
utc_offset1+1
postal_code_typePostal code
postal_code08000
area_code_type
area_code
blank_nameONS code
blank_info0801
blank1_nameClimate
blank1_infoBWh
website
::

| name = Béchar | official_name = City Béchar | native_name = بشار | native_name_lang = | type = City | image_skyline =Bechar - Place 1er Novembre بشار.jpg | imagesize =300px | image_alt = | image_caption = 1st of November Square | image_shield = | nickname = | image_map = DZ-08-01-Bechar.svg | mapsize = 180px | map_caption = Location of Béchar commune within Béchar Province | pushpin_map = Algeria | pushpin_mapsize = 300 | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Béchar within Algeria | coordinates = | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Algeria | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Béchar Province | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Béchar District | established_title = | established_date = | seat_type = District seat | seat = | government_footnotes = | leader_title = PMA Seats | leader_name = 23 | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 = | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 5050 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 747 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 165,627 | population_as_of = 2008 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_demonym = | timezone1 = CET | utc_offset1 = +1 | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 08000 | area_code_type = | area_code = | blank_name = ONS code | blank_info = 0801 | blank1_name = Climate | blank1_info = BWh | website = | footnotes =

Béchar () is the capital city of Béchar Province, Algeria. It is also a commune, coextensive with Béchar District, of Béchar Province. In 2008 the city had a population of 165,627, up from 134,954 in 1998, with an annual growth rate of 2.1%. The commune covers an area of 5050 km2.

Béchar thrived on the activity of the coal mines until petroleum production seized the market.

Leatherwork and jewellery are notable products of Béchar. Dates, vegetables, figs, cereals and almonds are produced near Béchar. There are bituminous coal reserves near Béchar, but they are not exploited to their greatest potential because of transportation costs are too high relative to that from the oil and gas fields of eastern Algeria. The city was once the site of a French Foreign Legion post.

The Kenadsa longwave transmitter, whose masts are the tallest structures in Algeria at 357 m, is found near Béchar.

Geography

Béchar is located in the northwestern region of Algeria roughly 58 km south of the Moroccan border. ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ed/BASA-3K-7-350-47.jpg" caption="Shore of Oued Béchar in January 1913."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/BASA-3K-7-350-48.jpg" caption="Shore of Oued Béchar in January 1913."] ::

Béchar lies at an elevation of 747 m on the banks of Oued Béchar, which runs through the city from northeast to southwest. The rocky highlands of the Djebel Béchar overlook the city from the southeast, reaching 1206 m to the east of the city. Further to the northeast the Djebel Antar range rises even higher, to 1953 m. The northwest, by contrast, is a flat rocky reg.

Climate

Béchar has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh),{{cite web |url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/3697/ |title=Climate: Bechar – Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table (altitude: 779m) |publisher=Climate-Data.org |access-date=5 November 2013}} with extremely hot summers and warm winters despite the high elevation. There is very little rain throughout the year, and summers are especially dry.

|location = Béchar (1991–2020, extremes 1906–present) |metric first = yes |single line = yes |Jan record high C = 27.2 |Feb record high C = 31.2 |Mar record high C = 38.0 |Apr record high C = 37.5 |May record high C = 41.2 |Jun record high C = 43.4 |Jul record high C = 45.8 |Aug record high C = 47.8 |Sep record high C = 43.5 |Oct record high C = 37.7 |Nov record high C = 30.5 |Dec record high C = 27.8 |year record high C = 47.8 |Jan high C = 16.6 |Feb high C = 18.8 |Mar high C = 22.8 |Apr high C = 27.0 |May high C = 31.7 |Jun high C = 36.9 |Jul high C = 40.9 |Aug high C = 39.6 |Sep high C = 34.4 |Oct high C = 28.2 |Nov high C = 21.3 |Dec high C = 17.2 |year high C = 28.0 |Jan mean C = 9.9 |Feb mean C = 12.2 |Mar mean C = 16.4 |Apr mean C = 20.7 |May mean C = 25.4 |Jun mean C = 30.3 |Jul mean C = 34.3 |Aug mean C = 33.3 |Sep mean C = 28.3 |Oct mean C = 22.1 |Nov mean C = 15.2 |Dec mean C = 10.9 |year mean C = 21.6 |Jan low C = 3.3 |Feb low C = 5.7 |Mar low C = 10.0 |Apr low C = 14.4 |May low C = 19.0 |Jun low C = 23.7 |Jul low C = 27.7 |Aug low C = 26.9 |Sep low C = 22.1 |Oct low C = 16.0 |Nov low C = 9.1 |Dec low C = 4.7 |year low C = 15.2 |Jan record low C = -4.8 |Feb record low C = -4.2 |Mar record low C = 0.1 |Apr record low C = 4.0 |May record low C = 7.7 |Jun record low C = 10.1 |Jul record low C = 17.8 |Aug record low C = 17.0 |Sep record low C = 12.0 |Oct record low C = 5.8 |Nov record low C = -0.2 |Dec record low C = -3.9 |year record low C = -4.8 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 5.8 |Feb precipitation mm = 7.2 |Mar precipitation mm = 10.8 |Apr precipitation mm = 6.0 |May precipitation mm = 6.1 |Jun precipitation mm = 4.4 |Jul precipitation mm = 2.0 |Aug precipitation mm = 4.8 |Sep precipitation mm = 12.2 |Oct precipitation mm = 16.1 |Nov precipitation mm = 18.7 |Dec precipitation mm = 7.9 |year precipitation mm = |unit precipitation days = 1 mm |Jan precipitation days = 1.3 |Feb precipitation days = 1.3 |Mar precipitation days = 1.6 |Apr precipitation days = 1.1 |May precipitation days = 1.1 |Jun precipitation days = 0.8 |Jul precipitation days = 0.6 |Aug precipitation days = 1.3 |Sep precipitation days = 2.0 |Oct precipitation days = 2.0 |Nov precipitation days = 1.7 |Dec precipitation days = 1.2 |year precipitation days = 16.0 |Jan humidity = 43 |Feb humidity = 34 |Mar humidity = 28 |Apr humidity = 25 |May humidity = 21 |Jun humidity = 19 |Jul humidity = 15 |Aug humidity = 17 |Sep humidity = 24 |Oct humidity = 31 |Nov humidity = 40 |Dec humidity = 45 |year humidity = 29 |Jan sun = 261.8 |Feb sun = 253.5 |Mar sun = 290.9 |Apr sun = 309.9 |May sun = 342.7 |Jun sun = 348 |Jul sun = 361 |Aug sun = 310.7 |Sep sun = 274.1 |Oct sun = 274.5 |Nov sun = 256.1 |Dec sun = 251.8 |year sun = |source 1 = NOAA{{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230826215631/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/4.4/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Algeria/CSV/Bechar_60571.csv | archive-date = 26 August 2023 | url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/4.4/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Algeria/CSV/Bechar_60571.csv | title = Chlef Climate Normals 1991–2020 | work = World Meteorological Organization Climatological Standard Normals (1991–2020) | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | access-date = 26 August 2023}} |source 2 = Danish Meteorological Institute (sun june, july and humidity 1931–1960){{cite web | last1 = Cappelen | first1 = John | last2 = Jensen | first2 = Jens | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130427173827/http://www.dmi.dk/dmi/tr01-17.pdf | archive-date = 27 April 2013 | url = http://www.dmi.dk/dmi/tr01-17.pdf | work = Climate Data for Selected Stations (1931–1960) | title = Algeriet – Bechar | page = 10 | publisher = Danish Meteorological Institute | language = da | access-date = 16 October 2016}} Meteo Climat (record highs and lows) | url = http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=1921 | title = Station Bechar | publisher = Meteo Climat |language = fr | access-date = 16 October 2016}}

Economy

Agriculture is an important industry in Béchar. The commune has a total of 8384 ha of arable land, of which 5100 ha is irrigated. There are a total of 109,000 date palms planted in the commune, occupying 910 ha. Other crops include vegetables, figs, cereals and almonds. As of 2009 there were 19,067 sheep, 16,664 goats, 1,766 camels, and 444 cattle. There were also 126,000 chickens in 20 buildings.

There is some tourism in the city, with 10 hotels and tourist attractions including sand dunes, palm groves, the old ksar, and an ancient fort.

Other industries in the city include coal mining, and the production of leatherwork and jewellery.

Infrastructure and housing

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/BASA-3K-7-350-45.jpg" caption="Béchar in January 1913."] ::

98% of Béchar's population is connected to drinking water, 95% is connected to the sewerage system, and 99% (including 33,180 houses) have access to electricity. There are 6 fuel service stations in the town.

Béchar has a total of 33,245 houses, of which 25,499 are occupied, giving an occupation rate of 6.5 inhabitants per occupied building.

Transportation

The main road through Béchar is the N6 highway; it connects to Mecheria, Saida, Mascara and Oran to the north, and to Adrar and Timiaouine to the south. There is a total length of 207.5 km of roads in the commune.

It is served by SNTF by a standard gauge railway converted in 2010 from narrow gauge (1,055mm). From 1941 to 1963 it was reached by the standard gauge Mediterranean-Niger-Railway.

Béchar is served by Boudghene Ben Ali Lotfi Airport, 4 km to the northwest of the city.

Education

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/BASA-3K-7-350-44-Bechar.jpg" caption="Béchar in January 1913."] ::

The city is home to the University of Béchar.

There are 68 elementary schools in Béchar, with 777 classrooms including 581 in use. There are a total of 33,511 school students.

8.3% of the population has a tertiary education, and another 23.0% has competed secondary education. The overall literacy rate is 86.4%, and is 91.4% among males and 81.4% among females.

Health

Béchar has 2 hospitals, 4 polyclinics, 17-room care facilities, a maternity ward, 36 private pharmacies, 5 medical operating theatres, and a psychiatric service.

Culture

Béchar has a cinema with 850 seats, as well as a museum.

Religion

Béchar has 27 operational mosques, with another 19 under construction.

Historical population

::data[format=table] | Year | url=http://www.populstat.info/Africa/algeriat.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303175036/http://www.populstat.info/Africa/algeriat.htm|url-status= dead|title=populstat.info|archive-date=3 March 2016}} | |---|---| | 1936 | 5,100 | | 1954 | 43,300 | | 1966 | 46,500 | | 1977 | 56,600 (town) 72,800 (municipality) | | 1987 | 107,300 | | 1998 | 134,500 | | 2008 | 165,627 | ::

Localities

The commune is composed of 8 localities:

  • Béchar Centre
  • Debdaba
  • Béchar Djedid
  • Ouakda
  • Benzireg
  • Hassi Haouari
  • Zouzfana
  • Gharassa
  • Manouarar Nekheila Béchar Djedid is located 5 km south of the city and was constructed as housing for coal miners working in Kénadsa.

References

References

  1. "Population: Béchar Wilaya". Office National des Statistiques Algérie.
  2. "Algeria Communes". Statoids.
  3. "Population, Area and Density per Commune". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  4. "Historical". Official Website of the Wilaya of Béchar.
  5. "Bechar (Algeria)". Encyclopædia Britannica.
  6. "Kenadsa Long Wave Transmission Masts". Structurae.
  7. "Distribution of Agricultural Land". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  8. "Plant Productions". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  9. "Animal Production". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  10. "Census of Hotels". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  11. "Tourism Sites and Monuments". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  12. "Drinking Water". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  13. "Sewerage Networks". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  14. "Electrification". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  15. "Fuel Distribution". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  16. "Housing". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  17. "Density Kilometres". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  18. "School Infrastructure". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  19. "Number of Pupils". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  20. "Structure relative de la population résidente des ménages ordinaires et collectifs âgée de 6 ans et plus selon le niveau d'instruction et la commune de résidence.". Office National des Statistiques Algérie.
  21. "Taux d'analphabétisme et taux d'alphabétisation de la population âgée de 15 ans et plus, selon le sexe et la commune de résidence .". Office National des Statistiques Algérie.
  22. "Health Facilities by Commune". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  23. "Cinemas and Museums". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  24. "Mosques and Koranic Rooms". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
  25. "populstat.info".
  26. (19 December 1984). "Décret n° 84–365, fixant la composition, la consistance et les limites territoriale des communes. Wilaya d'El Oued". Journal officiel de la République Algérienne.

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