Djelfa
title: "Djelfa" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-established-in-1852", "communes-of-djelfa-province", "cities-in-algeria", "province-seats-of-algeria", "1852-establishments-in-algeria", "djelfa-province"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djelfa" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Djelfa |
| native_name | الجلفة |
| settlement_type | City |
| image_skyline | {{multiple image |
| border | infobox |
| total_width | 280 |
| image_style | border:1; |
| perrow | 1/2/2/1 |
| image1 | Si Ahmed Ben Cherif Mosque.jpg |
| caption1 | Ben Cherif Mosque |
| image2 | Moudjabera Rock.png |
| caption2 | Moudjabera Rock Engravings |
| image3 | 133 GRAVURE RUPESTRE D'UN RHINOCÉROS AU MONTS DE ZACCAR A DJELFA.jpg |
| caption3 | Zaccar Rock Engravings |
| image4 | The jailed rock djelfa.png |
| caption4 | Al Musabiyah Rock |
| image5 | Errahman mosque djelfa.jpg |
| caption5 | Al-Rahman Mosque |
| image6 | Rock salt ain maabad.png |
| caption6 | Ain Maabad Salt Rock |
| image_map | Dz - 17 - Djelfa.svg |
| mapsize | 180px |
| pushpin_map | Algeria |
| pushpin_mapsize | 300 |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location in Algeria |
| coordinates | |
| subdivision_type | Country |
| subdivision_name | Algeria |
| subdivision_type1 | Province |
| subdivision_type2 | District |
| subdivision_name1 | Djelfa Province |
| subdivision_name2 | Djelfa District |
| area_total_km2 | 542.17 |
| elevation_m | 1,110 |
| population_total | 590,000 |
| population_as_of | 2024 |
| population_density_km2 | auto |
| postal_code_type | Postal code |
| postal_code | 170xx |
| area_code | +213 27 |
| demographics_type1 | GDP (PPP, constant 2015 values) |
| demographics1_title1 | Year |
| demographics1_info1 | 2024 |
| demographics1_title2 | Total (Metro) |
| demographics1_info2 | $10.9 billion |
| demographics1_title3 | Per capita |
| demographics1_info3 | $18,600 |
| timezone | CET |
| utc_offset | +1 |
| blank_name | Climate |
| blank_info | BSk |
| :: |
|name =Djelfa |native_name =الجلفة |other_name= |settlement_type=City | image_skyline = {{multiple image | border = infobox | total_width = 280 | image_style = border:1; | perrow = 1/2/2/1 | image1 = Si Ahmed Ben Cherif Mosque.jpg | caption1 = Ben Cherif Mosque | image2 = Moudjabera Rock.png | caption2 = Moudjabera Rock Engravings | image3 = 133 GRAVURE RUPESTRE D'UN RHINOCÉROS AU MONTS DE ZACCAR A DJELFA.jpg | caption3 = Zaccar Rock Engravings | image4 = The jailed rock djelfa.png | caption4 = Al Musabiyah Rock | image5 = Errahman mosque djelfa.jpg | caption5 = Al-Rahman Mosque | image6 = Rock salt ain maabad.png | caption6 = Ain Maabad Salt Rock |image_flag = |image_seal = |image_shield = |nickname = |motto = |image_map =Dz - 17 - Djelfa.svg |mapsize = 180px |map_caption = |pushpin_map=Algeria |pushpin_mapsize=300 |pushpin_map_caption=Location in Algeria |coordinates = |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = Algeria |subdivision_type1 = Province |subdivision_type2 = District |subdivision_name1 = Djelfa Province |subdivision_name2 = Djelfa District |established_title = |established_date = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |area_magnitude = |area_total_km2 = 542.17 |elevation_m = 1,110 |elevation_ft = |population_total = 590,000 |population_as_of = 2024 |population_density_km2 = auto |population_note = |postal_code_type = Postal code |postal_code = 170xx |area_code = +213 27 |website = |footnotes = | demographics_type1 = GDP (PPP, constant 2015 values) | demographics1_footnotes = | demographics1_title1 = Year | demographics1_info1 = 2024 | demographics1_title2 = Total (Metro) | demographics1_info2 = $10.9 billion | demographics1_title3 = Per capita | demographics1_info3 = $18,600 |timezone = CET |utc_offset = +1 |blank_name = Climate |blank_info = BSk Djelfa () is the capital city of Djelfa Province, Algeria and the site of ancient city and former bishopric Fallaba, which remains a Latin catholic titular see.
It has a population of 520,622 (2019 census). The city lies at the junction of the N1 and the N46 roads.
History
Main article: Rock art of the Djelfa region
The area is notable for its abundance of Neolithic rock carvings dating from 7000 to 5000 BC. North of Djelfa town there is an imposing physical feature known as Rocher de Sel (English: Salt Rock) that resulted from the erosion of rock salts and marls by rain. To the west of the town Megalithic funerary structures are found.
During the Roman Empire, a Roman town called Fallaba was built on the site of Djelfa. That town lasted unto late antiquity.
In the 11th century, the Fatimids sent the Banu Hilal to the Tripolitania, Tunisia and Constantine areas against the Zirids. The town became an important trading post during the Hafsid era.
During Philippe Pétain's period, a concentration camp was placed in Djelfa.
Geography
Djelfa is located at an elevation of 3,734 feet (1,138 m) in the Ouled Naïl Range of north-central Algeria, between the towns of Bousaada and Laghouat. It is situated in a transitional zone between the dry, steppe-like Hautes Plaines (high plateaus) of the north, characterized by chotts (intermittent salt lakes), and the Sahara to the south. The town was founded in 1852 as a French military post on a geometric plan. It serves as an important livestock market centre for the semi-nomadic Ouled Naïl confederation. Djelfa is on the 12,000 mile-long Africa Trail.
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Djelfa,_1.jpg" caption="[[Neolithic]] art in Djelfa"] ::
The surrounding region for centuries has been the meeting place of the Ouled Naïl people, who live in black-and-red striped tents and claim descent from the Islamic prophet, Muhammad.
Climate
Djelfa has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk), with more precipitation in winter than in summer. Snow is not unusual in winter.
|location = Djelfa (1991-2020) |metric first = yes |single line = yes |Jan record high C = 23.0 |Feb record high C = 25.5 |Mar record high C = 29.3 |Apr record high C = 33.2 |May record high C = 38.4 |Jun record high C = 39.6 |Jul record high C = 42.0 |Aug record high C = 39.2 |Sep record high C = 37.2 |Oct record high C = 33.2 |Nov record high C = 28.8 |Dec record high C = 24.5 |Jan high C = 9.8 |Feb high C = 12.0 |Mar high C = 15.1 |Apr high C = 18.3 |May high C = 23.5 |Jun high C = 29.9 |Jul high C = 33.8 |Aug high C = 32.9 |Sep high C = 27.5 |Oct high C = 21.1 |Nov high C = 14.4 |Dec high C = 10.8 |year high C = 20.8 |Jan mean C = 5.2 |Feb mean C = 6.2 |Mar mean C = 9.4 |Apr mean C = 12.6 |May mean C = 17.5 |Jun mean C = 22.8 |Jul mean C = 26.8 |Aug mean C = 26.0 |Sep mean C = 21.0 |Oct mean C = 15.7 |Nov mean C = 9.6 |Dec mean C = 6.2 |year mean C = 14.9 |Jan low C = 0.1 |Feb low C = 1.2 |Mar low C = 2.9 |Apr low C = 5.7 |May low C = 10.0 |Jun low C = 15.2 |Jul low C = 18.3 |Aug low C = 17.8 |Sep low C = 13.9 |Oct low C = 9.2 |Nov low C = 4.3 |Dec low C = 1.4 |year low C = 8.3 |Jan record low C = -12.0 |Feb record low C = -9.0 |Mar record low C = -7.2 |Apr record low C = -3.9 |May record low C = 0.3 |Jun record low C = 3.4 |Jul record low C = 9.0 |Aug record low C = 8.0 |Sep record low C = 2.0 |Oct record low C = 0.0 |Nov record low C = -5.3 |Dec record low C = -6.6 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 29.5 |Feb precipitation mm = 26.1 |Mar precipitation mm = 28.5 |Apr precipitation mm = 30.7 |May precipitation mm = 29.7 |Jun precipitation mm = 14.7 |Jul precipitation mm = 8.4 |Aug precipitation mm = 20.1 |Sep precipitation mm = 34.5 |Oct precipitation mm = 29.0 |Nov precipitation mm = 21.6 |Dec precipitation mm = 22.9 |year precipitation mm = 295.7 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 5.9 |Feb precipitation days = 4.8 |Mar precipitation days = 5.0 |Apr precipitation days = 4.4 |May precipitation days = 4.5 |Jun precipitation days = 2.7 |Jul precipitation days = 2.1 |Aug precipitation days = 3.4 |Sep precipitation days = 4.4 |Oct precipitation days = 4.5 |Nov precipitation days = 4.3 |Dec precipitation days = 5.3 |year precipitation days = 51.3 |Jan humidity = 72.9 |Feb humidity = 66.8 |Mar humidity = 58.0 |Apr humidity = 53.9 |May humidity = 47.3 |Jun humidity = 36.5 |Jul humidity = 30.3 |Aug humidity = 33.8 |Sep humidity = 49.0 |Oct humidity = 57.3 |Nov humidity = 69.1 |Dec humidity = 77.2 |Jan sun = 183.9 |Feb sun = 190.8 |Mar sun = |Apr sun = 254.5 |May sun = |Jun sun = |Jul sun = 320.9 |Aug sun = |Sep sun = |Oct sun = 247.5 |Nov sun = 195.3 |Dec sun = 179.1 |year sun = |source 1 = NOAA{{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230826215631/https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Algeria/CSV/Djelfa_60535.csv | archive-date = 26 August 2023 | url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Algeria/CSV/Djelfa_60535.csv | title = Djelfa 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 = WMO (max-min temperatures 1976–2005),{{cite web | url = http://worldweather.wmo.int/en/city.html?cityId=1438 | title = World Weather Information Service–Djelfa | publisher = World Meteorological Organization | access-date = 21 October 2016}} climatebase.ru (extremes, humidity){{cite web |url=http://climatebase.ru/station/60535/?lang=en |title=Djelfa, Algeria |publisher=Climatebase.ru |access-date=11 February 2013}} |date=February 2013}}
Ecclesiastical history
During the Vandal Kingdom and Roman Empire the town was the seat of an ancient bishopric. The bishopric was important enough in the Late Roman province of Numidia to become one of the many suffragan bishoprics of its Metropolitan Archbishopric in Carthage.
It is possible that Christianity came to the town only after the rule of Constantine the Great, as there is no record of the bishopric under the Romans. The only known bishop of this African diocese is the Catholic bishop Salo mentioned in 484. This is considerably late compared to many of the other diocese in Numidia. Bishop Salo took part in the synod assembled in Carthage in 484 by the Arian ruler, Huneric of the Vandal Kingdom; after the Synod Salo was exiled (probably) to Vandal-controlled Sicily.
Like most bishoprics in Roman Africa, it faded after the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb.
Titular see
In 1933 the diocese was nominally restored as Latin Catholic titular bishopric.
It has had the following incumbents, mostly of the fitting episcopal (lowest) rank with an archiepiscopal (intermediary) exception:
- Titular Archbishop: Cardinal Francesco Morano (1962.04.05 – 1962.04.20)
- Vincent Billington, Mill Hill Missionaries (M.H.M.) (1965.05.03 – 1970.12.07)
- Alexius Obabu Makozi (1971.02.20 – 1972.07.30)
- Rudolph A. Akanlu (1972.11.16 – 1973.04.13)
- James Terry Steib, Divine Word Missionaries (S.V.D.) (1983.12.06 – 1993.03.24)
- Lorenzo Ceresoli (1993.12.20 – ...), Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus (M.C.C.J.), Apostolic Vicar emeritus of Awasa (Ethiopia)
Culture
The inhabitants belong to the Ouled Naïl, also living in Biskra, M'Sila, Ghardaia and in Saharan Atlas.
References
References
- "TelluBase—Algeria Fact Sheet (Tellusant Public Service Series)". Tellusant.
- (1980). "Natural Wonders of the World". Reader's Digest Association, Inc.
- [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/former/t0760.htm Fallaba] at www.gcatholic.org
- "French internment camps in 1939–1944: Camp at Djelfa".
- [[Pius Bonifacius Gams]], [http://www.wbc.poznan.pl/dlibra/doccontent?id=65154&dirids=1 ''Series episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae''], (Leipzig, 1931), p. 465.
- Stefano Antonio Morcelli, [https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_dO4-AAAAcAAJ/page/n181 ''Africa christiana''], Volume I, (Brescia, 1816), p. 156.
- [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/d2f03.html La sede titolare] at catholic-hierarchy.org.
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