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Béchar

بلدية بشار
Commune of Béchar
Country Algeria
ProvinceBéchar (seat)
DistrictBéchar (coextensive)
Government
 • PMA Seats23
Area
 • Total5,050 km2 (1,950 sq mi)
Elevation
747 m (2,451 ft)
Population
 (1998)
 • Total134,954
 • Density27/km2 (69/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01 (CET)
Postal code
08000
ONS code0801

Béchar (Arabic: بشار‎), formerly known as Colomb-Béchar, is a capital city of Béchar Province, Algeria. The area is controlled by Algeria, though claims have also been made on it by Morocco. In 1998 the city had a population of 134,954.

Before coal was found here in 1907, Bechar was a small populated town. It thrived on the activity of the coal mines until petroleum production seized the market.

The city is noted for its leatherwork and jewellery. Dates, vegetables, figs, cereals and almonds are produced near Béchar. Bituminous coal reserves in the region are not exploited to their greatest potential because of high transportation costs. The city was once the site of a French foreign Legion post.

Near Béchar, there is Kenadsa longwave transmitter, whose masts are the tallest structures in Algeria.

Location

Béchar is located in northwestern region of Algeria roughly 58 km south of the Moroccan border.

Climate

Climate data for Béchar
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 14.8
(58.6)
16.2
(61.2)
18.8
(65.8)
24.5
(76.1)
29.0
(84.2)
36.1
(97.0)
37.0
(98.6)
35.9
(96.6)
29.7
(85.5)
24.0
(75.2)
18.7
(65.7)
16.3
(61.3)
25.08
(77.15)
Average low °C (°F) −2.9
(26.8)
2.6
(36.7)
4.7
(40.5)
8.5
(47.3)
13.6
(56.5)
16.9
(62.4)
19.4
(66.9)
17.6
(63.7)
13.4
(56.1)
10.1
(50.2)
7.8
(46.0)
3.2
(37.8)
9.57
(49.24)
Precipitation mm (inches) 29.9
(1.177)
25.3
(0.996)
15.8
(0.622)
12.7
(0.5)
4.4
(0.173)
0.8
(0.031)
0.9
(0.035)
3.6
(0.142)
20.0
(0.787)
31.6
(1.244)
28.2
(1.11)
31.4
(1.236)
204.6
(8.055)
Source: National Weather Service

Transport

It is served by a narrow gauge railway station of SNTF, which in 2008, may be replaced with a standard gauge railway. From 1941 to 1963 it was reached by the standard gauge Mediterranean-Niger-Railway.

Historical population

Year Population[1]
1936 5,100
1954 43,300
1966 46,500
1977 56,600 (town)
72,800 (municipality)
1987 107,300
1998 134,500

See also

References

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