Guelma Province is a province (wilaya) in eastern Algeria

Algeria

Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...

. Its namesake

Namesake

Namesake is a term used to characterize a person, place, thing, quality, action, state, or idea that has the same, or a similar, name to another....

 is its seat and most populous municipality: Guelma

Guelma

Guelma is the capital of Guelma Province and Guelma District, located in northeastern Algeria, about 65 kilometers from the Mediterranean coast...

.

History

Its civilians suffered heavy casualties during the 1945 Sétif massacre

Setif massacre

The Sétif massacre refers to widespread disturbances and killings in and around the Algerian market town of Sétif located to the west of Constantine in 1945. Shooting by the French authorities against local demonstrators occurred on 8 May 1945. Then, riots in the town itself were followed by...

 by the French Army

French Army

The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...

. The province itself was established on 1974. Before that, it was part of Annaba Province

Annaba Province

Annaba is a small province in the north-eastern corner of Algeria. Its capital, Annaba is Algeria's main port for mineral exports.-Administrative divisions:The province is divided into 6 districts and 12 municipalities.The districts are:...

. In 1983, the province lost its south-eastern half in favor of the creation of Souk Ahras Province

Souk Ahras Province

Souk Ahras is a province in Algeria, named after its capital, Souk Ahras. It stands on the border between Algeria and Tunisia.- Geography :Souk Ahras is situated in the extreme north east of Algeria, it is 4360 km²....

.

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

People's Provincial Assembly

The People's Municipal Assembly is the political body governing the provinces of Algeria. It is composed of an assembly elected on universal suffrage for five years. This assembly further elects a president, the president of the People's Provincial Assembly...

, the province's assembly. The population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 is 105/km², or 272/sq mi. Of them, 54,4 % live in urban area

Urban area

An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...

s and 87 % have access to safe drinking water

Drinking water

Drinking water or potable water is water pure enough to be consumed or used with low risk of immediate or long term harm. In most developed countries, the water supplied to households, commerce and industry is all of drinking water standard, even though only a very small proportion is actually...

, lower than the national average of 89%. http://www.mre.gov.dz/eau/aep-mre1-.htm. Of the active population of the province, 23,3 % work in agriculture

Agriculture

Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...

, 17,9 % in construction

Construction

In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...

s, 9,9 % in industry

Industry

Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...

, and 48,9 % in the services sector. 21,1 % of the population is unemployed.http://www.ansej.org.dz/Wilayate/GUELMA.htm

Geography

The territory of the province (4.101 km², or 1,583 sq mi) is mainly composed of arable land

Arable land

In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...

s (about 49 %) or 1.89 km² of which about 100 km² is irrigated, and the rest is rainfed. In the area surrounding Guelma

Guelma

Guelma is the capital of Guelma Province and Guelma District, located in northeastern Algeria, about 65 kilometers from the Mediterranean coast...

, around 130 km² is irrigable, 110 km² in the area between Oued Zenati

Oued Zenati

Oued Zenati is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 27,254.-References:...

 and Tamlouka

Tamlouka

Tamlouka is a small city of about 19,000 inhabitants in the District of Aïn Makhlouf of the Guelma Province in the northeast of Algeria. It is located at the intersection of W10 and W133, between the cities of Oued Zenati and Aïn Beïda. It is located 60 kilometres from Guelma, capital of the...

, and 20 km² around Bouchegouf. Forest

Forest

A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...

s cover about 31 % of the total area, which equals 0.9 km² composed mainly of Aleppo Pine

Aleppo Pine

Pinus halepensis, commonly known as the Aleppo Pine, is a pine native to the Mediterranean region. Their range extends from Morocco and Spain north to southern France, Italy and Croatia, and east to Greece and northern Tunisia, and Libya, with an outlying population in Syria, Lebanon, southern...

, Algerian Oak

Algerian Oak

Quercus canariensis, the Algerian Oak or Mirbeck's Oak is an oak in the section Quercus sect. Mesobalanus, native to southern Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco; despite the scientific name, it does not occur naturally today in the Canary Islands, though it may have done in the...

 and Cork Oak

Cork Oak

Quercus suber, commonly called the Cork Oak, is a medium-sized, evergreen oak tree in the section Quercus sect. Cerris. It is the primary source of cork for wine bottle stoppers and other uses, such as cork flooring. It is native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa.It grows to up to 20 m,...

. Areas dedicated for future industrial developpement, called activity zones in Algeria

Algeria

Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...

 cover 2 km². http://www.ansej.org.dz/Wilayate/GUELMA.htm

Administrative divisions

The province is divided into 10 district

District

Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...

s (daïras), which are further divided into 34 communes

Communes of Algeria

This is a list of all communes in the North African country of Algeria. Currently, there are 1,541 communes in the country. The population data is from June 25, 1998.-See also:* List of cities in Algeria* List of postal codes of Algerian cities...

 or municipalities.

Districts

1. Aïn Makhlouf
   Aïn Makhlouf District
   Aïn Makhlouf is a district in Guelma Province, Algeria. It was named after its capital, Aïn Makhlouf.-Municipalities:The district is further divided into 3 municipalities:*Aïn Makhlouf*Aïn Larbi*Tamlouka...
   
   
2. Bouchegouf
   Bouchegouf District
   Bouchegouf is a district in Guelma Province, Algeria. It was named after its capital, Bouchegouf.-Town:Bouchegouf is a town in eastern Algeria in the wilaya of Guelma, 35 km from the center of the wilaya, and 52 km from the wilaya of Annaba and 42 miles from the wilaya of Souk-Ahras...
   
   
3. Guelaât Bou Sbaâ
   Guelaât Bou Sbaâ District
   Guelaât Bou Sbaâ is a district in Guelma Province, Algeria. It ranks second in population after Guelma District. It was named after its capital, Guelaât Bou Sbaâ.-Municipalities:...
   
   
4. Guelma
   Guelma District
   Guelma is a district in Guelma Province, Algeria. It was named after its capital, Guelma, which is also the capital of the province.-Municipalities:The district is further divided into 2 municipalities, which is the lowest number in the province:...
   
   
5. Hammam Debagh
   Hammam Debagh District
   Hammam Debagh is a district in Guelma Province, Algeria. It was named after its capital, the spa of Hammam Debagh.-Municipalities:The district is further divided into 3 municipalities, which is the highest number in the province:*Hammam Debagh*Roknia...
   
   
6. Hammam N'Bails
   Hammam N'Bails District
   Bouchegouf is a district in Guelma Province, Algeria. It was named after its capital, the spa of Hammam N'Bails.-Municipalities:The district is further divided into 3 municipalities:*Hammam N'Bails*Dahouara*Oued Cheham...
   
   
7. Héliopolis
8. Houari Boumédienne
   Houari Boumédienne District
   Houari Boumédienne is a district in the Guelma Province of Algeria. It was named after former President of Algeria, Houari Boumédienne.-Municipalities:The district is further divided into 6 municipalities, which is the highest number in the province:...
   
   
9. Khezaras
   Khezaras District
   Khezaras is a district in Guelma Province, Algeria. It was named after its capital, Khezaras.-Municipalities:The district is further divided into 3 municipalities:*Khezaras*Bouhachana*Aïn Sandel...
   
   
10. Oued Zenati
    Oued Zenati District
    Oued Zenati is a district in Guelma Province, Algeria. It was named after its capital, Oued Zenati, the second most populated municipality in the province.-Municipalities:The district is further divided into 3 municipalities:*Oued Zenati*Bordj Sabat...
    
    

Communes

1. Aïn Ben Beida
   Aïn Ben Beida
   Aïn Ben Beida is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 8,269.-References:...
   
   
2. Houari Boumediene
   Houari Boumediene
   Houari Boumedienne served as Algeria's Chairman of the Revolutionary Council from 19 June 1965 until 12 December 1976, and from then on as the fourth President of Algeria to his death on 27 December 1978.- Background :Mohamed Ben Brahim Boukharouba was born near Héliopolis in the province of...
   
   
3. Aïn Larbi
   Aïn Larbi
   Aïn Larbi is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 7,756.-References:...
   
   
4. Aïn Makhlouf
   Aïn Makhlouf
   Aïn Makhlouf is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 11,018.-References:...
   
   
5. Aïn Reggada
   Aïn Reggada
   Aïn Reggada is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 7,289.-References:...
   
   
6. Aïn Sandel
   Aïn Sandel
   Aïn Sandel is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 5,083.-References:...
   
   
7. Belkheir
   Belkheir
   Belkheir is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 14,979.-References:...
   
   
8. Ben Djarah
   Ben Djarah
   Ben Djarah is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 4,202.-References:...
   
   
9. Beni Mezline
   Beni Mezline
   Beni Mezline is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 4491.-References:...
   
   
10. Bordj Sabat
    Bordj Sabat
    Bordj Sabat is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 10,079....
    
    
11. Bou Hachana
    Bou Hachana
    Bou Hachana is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 5575....
    
    
12. Bou Hamdane
    Bou Hamdane
    Bou Hamdane is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 4517.-References:...
    
    
13. Bouati Mahmoud
    Bouati Mahmoud
    Bouati Mahmoud is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 8,823.-References:...
    
    
14. Boucheghouf
15. Boumahra Ahmed
    Boumahra Ahmed
    Boumahra Ahmed is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 15,273.-References:...
    
    
16. Dahouara
    Dahouara
    Dahouara is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 7791.-References:...
    
    
17. Djeballah Khemissi
    Djeballah Khemissi
    Djeballah Khemissi is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 3870....
    
    
18. El Fedjoudj
    El Fedjoudj
    El Fedjoudj is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 7,473.-References:...
    
    
19. Guellat Bou Dbaa
    Guellat Bou Dbaa
    Guellat Bou Dbaa is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria.-References:...
    
    
20. Guelma
    Guelma
    Guelma is the capital of Guelma Province and Guelma District, located in northeastern Algeria, about 65 kilometers from the Mediterranean coast...
    
    
21. Hammam Debagh
22. Hammam Nbail
    Hammam Nbail
    Hammam Nbail is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 15,854....
    
    
23. Héliopolis
    Héliopolis, Algeria
    Héliopolis, Algeria is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 22,605.-References:...
    
    
24. Kheraza
    Kheraza
    Kheraza is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 8,154....
    
    
25. Medjez Amar
    Medjez Amar
    Medjez Amar is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 6,426.-References:...
    
    
26. Medjez Sfa
    Medjez Sfa
    Medjez Sfa is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 7,561.-References:...
    
    
27. Nechmaya
    Nechmaya
    Nechmaya is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 9,113....
    
    
28. Oued Cheham
    Oued Cheham
    Oued Cheham is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 11,795.-References:...
    
    
29. Oued Fragha
    Oued Fragha
    Oued Fragha is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 6,636....
    
    
30. Oued Zenati
    Oued Zenati
    Oued Zenati is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 27,254.-References:...
    
    
31. Ras El Agba
    Ras El Agba
    Ras El Agba is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 2,348.-References:...
    
    
32. Roknia
    Roknia
    Roknia is a necropolis in the Guelma region of north-east Algeria consisting of more than 7000 dolmens spread over an area of 2 km.- External links :*...
    
    
33. Salaoua Announa
    Salaoua Announa
    Salaoua Announa is a town and commune in Guelma Province, Algeria.-References:...
    
    
34. Tamlouka
    Tamlouka
    Tamlouka is a small city of about 19,000 inhabitants in the District of Aïn Makhlouf of the Guelma Province in the northeast of Algeria. It is located at the intersection of W10 and W133, between the cities of Oued Zenati and Aïn Beïda. It is located 60 kilometres from Guelma, capital of the...
    
    

Notable residents

• Houari Boumédienne, President
  President of Algeria
  The President of Algeria is the head of state and chief executive of Algeria, as well as the Commander-in-Chief of the Algerian armed forces.-History of the office:...
  
   of Algeria
  Algeria
  Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
  
  
• Saint Possidius
  Saint Possidius
  Possidius was a friend of Saint Augustine of Hippo who wrote a reliable biography and an indiculus or list of his works. He was bishop of Calama in the Roman province of Numidia.-Biography:...
  
  , bishop
  Bishop
  A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
  
   of Calama (Guelma)
  Guelma
  Guelma is the capital of Guelma Province and Guelma District, located in northeastern Algeria, about 65 kilometers from the Mediterranean coast...
  
  (5th century)

External links

Official website of the tourism office of Guelma Province