El Ouata
title: "El Ouata" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["communes-of-béchar-province", "béchar-province"] topic_path: "general/communes-of-bechar-province" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Ouata" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| official_name | El Ouata |
| native_name | اﻟﻮاتة |
| settlement_type | Commune and town |
| image_skyline | El Ouata - Béchar الواتة - بشار (49066116877).jpg |
| image_map | DZ-08-14-El Ouata.svg |
| mapsize | 300px |
| map_caption | Location of El Ouata commune within Béchar Province |
| pushpin_map | Algeria |
| pushpin_label_position | bottom |
| pushpin_mapsize | 300 |
| pushpin_map_caption | Location of El Ouata within Algeria |
| subdivision_type | Country |
| subdivision_name | Algeria |
| subdivision_type1 | Province |
| subdivision_name1 | Béchar Province |
| subdivision_type2 | District |
| subdivision_name2 | El Ouata District |
| unit_pref | Metric |
| area_footnotes | |
| area_total_km2 | 7950 |
| population_as_of | 2008 |
| population_footnotes | |
| population_total | 7343 |
| population_density_km2 | auto |
| timezone | CET |
| utc_offset | +1 |
| coordinates | |
| elevation_m | 431 |
| :: |
| official_name = El Ouata | other_name = | native_name = اﻟﻮاتة | nickname = | settlement_type = Commune and town | motto = | image_skyline = El Ouata - Béchar الواتة - بشار (49066116877).jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = | image_flag = | flag_size = | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_map = DZ-08-14-El Ouata.svg | mapsize = 300px | map_caption = Location of El Ouata commune within Béchar Province | pushpin_map = Algeria | pushpin_label_position = bottom | pushpin_mapsize = 300 | pushpin_map_caption = Location of El Ouata within Algeria | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Algeria | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Béchar Province | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = El Ouata District | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = | leader_name = | established_title = | established_date = | area_magnitude = | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 7950 | area_land_km2 = | population_as_of = 2008 | population_footnotes = | population_note = | population_total = 7343 | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone = CET | utc_offset = +1 | coordinates = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 431 | elevation_ft = | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code = | blank_name = | blank_info = | website = | footnotes =
El Ouata () is a town and commune in Béchar Province, western Algeria. The commune is coextensive with El Ouata District, which is named after the town. According to the 2008 census its population is 7,343, up from 7,014 in 1998, with an annual population growth rate of 0.5%. The commune covers an area of 2870 km2.
Geography
El Ouata lies on the left (northeast) bank of the Oued Saoura in the Saoura valley. The Grand Erg Occidental, a large area of continuous sand dunes lies to the east, while the rocky ridges of the Ougarta Range rise to the west, running from northwest to southeast along the opposite side of the river from the town.
Climate
El Ouata has a hot desert climate, with extremely hot summers and warm winters, and very little precipitation throughout the year.
| location = El Ouata | metric first = yes | single line = yes | Jan high C = 18.8 | Feb high C = 22.0 | Mar high C = 26.0 | Apr high C = 30.6 | May high C = 35.4 | Jun high C = 41.9 | Jul high C = 44.6 | Aug high C = 44.0 | Sep high C = 40.0 | Oct high C = 32.8 | Nov high C = 24.9 | Dec high C = 18.8 | Jan mean C = 11.2 | Feb mean C = 14.2 | Mar mean C = 18.2 | Apr mean C = 22.5 | May mean C = 27.3 | Jun mean C = 32.6 | Jul mean C = 36.2 | Aug mean C = 35.7 | Sep mean C = 31.5 | Oct mean C = 24.6 | Nov mean C = 17.6 | Dec mean C = 12.0 | Jan low C = 3.7 | Feb low C = 6.4 | Mar low C = 10.5 | Apr low C = 14.5 | May low C = 19.2 | Jun low C = 24.3 | Jul low C = 27.8 | Aug low C = 26.7 | Sep low C = 23.0 | Oct low C = 16.4 | Nov low C = 10.4 | Dec low C = 5.3 | Jan precipitation mm = 8 | Feb precipitation mm = 6 | Mar precipitation mm = 3 | Apr precipitation mm = 3 | May precipitation mm = 3 | Jun precipitation mm = 1 | Jul precipitation mm = 1 | Aug precipitation mm = 2 | Sep precipitation mm = 4 | Oct precipitation mm = 7 | Nov precipitation mm = 8 | Dec precipitation mm = 8 | source 1 = climate-data.org | date=March 2013}}
Economy
Agriculture is the main industry in El Ouata. The commune has a total of 1680 ha of arable land, of which 1264 ha is irrigated. There are a total of 136,180 date palms planted in the commune. As of 2009 there were 1,009 sheep, 1,140 goats, 1,011 camels, and 8 cattle.
Tourism in El Ouata is mainly focused around the sand dunes, palm groves, the old ksar, and the nearby Ougarta Range.
Infrastructure and housing
85% of El Ouata's population are connected to drinking water (the second lowest rate in the province), but 100% are connected to the sewerage system, and 81% (including 2,527 buildings) have access to electricity (the equal lowest in the province). There is one fuel service station in the town.
El Ouata has a total of 1,503 houses, of which 905 are occupied, giving an occupation rate of 8.1 inhabitants per occupied building.
Transportation
El Ouata is on the N6 national highway between Béchar to the northwest and Adrar to the southeast. Towns accessible to the north via the N6 include Béni Abbès and Igli, while to the south the towns of Béni Ikhlef, Kerzaz, Timoudi and Ouled Khoudir can be accessed.
There is a total length of 42 km of roads in the commune.
El Ouata is 271 km from the provincial capital, Béchar.
Education
There are 8 elementary schools, with 57 classrooms including 39 in use. There are a total of 2,243 school students.
5.6% of the population has a tertiary education, and another 15.3% has competed secondary education. The overall literacy rate is 74.2%, and is 84.5% among males and 64.5% among females.
Health
El Ouata has 2 polyclinics, 8 room care facilities, and a maternity ward.
Religion
El Ouata has 11 operational mosques, with another 1 under construction.
Localities
The commune is composed of 10 localities:
- El Ouata Centre
- Ksar Bouhadid
- Ksir El Ma
- Ammas
- El Madja
- Annefid
- Aguedal
- El Bayada
- Boukhlouf
- El Ouata Ksar
References
Neighbouring towns and cities |Centre = El Ouata |North = Béchar Taghit Bouhadid |Northeast = Béni Ounif Grand Erg Occidental |East = Grand Erg Occidental |Southeast = Ammas El Maffa Béni Ikhlef Adrar |South = Ougarta Range |Southwest = Tabelbala |West = Tindouf |Northwest = Béni Abbès Tamtert Idigh
References
- "Dairas et Communes". Site Officiel de la Wilaya de Béchar.
- "Population: Béchar Wilaya". Office National des Statistiques Algérie.
- "Algeria Communes". Statoids.
- "Population, Area and Density per Commune". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- "Climate data for: El Ouatta". climate-data.org.
- "Distribution of Agricultural Land". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- "Plant Productions". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- "Animal Production". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- "Tourist Sites and Monuments". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- "Drinking Water". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- "Sewerage Networks". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- "Electrification". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- "Fuel Distribution". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- "Housing". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- "Density Kilometres". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- "Presentation". Site Officiel de la Wilaya de Béchar.
- "School Infrastructure". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- "Number of Pupils". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- "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.
- "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.
- "Health Facilities by Commune". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- "Mosques and Koranic Rooms". Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar.
- (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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