Berriane
This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(February 2013) |
Berriane
بريان | |
---|---|
Communeand town | |
Coordinates:32°50′N3°46′E/ 32.833°N 3.767°E | |
Country | Algeria |
Province | Ghardaïa Province |
District | Bérianne District(coextensive) |
Area | |
• Total | 2.25 km2(0.87 sq mi) |
Elevation | 539 m (1,768 ft) |
Population (2008)[1] | |
• Total | 30,200 |
Time zone | UTC+1(CET) |
Berriane(from Tamazight:Bergan) (Arabic:بريان) is a medium-sized town andcommunein the south ofAlgeria,coextensive withBérianne District,inGhardaïa Province,Algeria.It is located in the north of the Sahara desert, in the extreme North of the wilaya of Ghardaïa, 554 kilometres (344 mi) south ofAlgiersand 43 kilometres (27 mi) north of Ghardaïa City. As of the 2008 census it has a population of 30,200,[1]up from 24,802 in 1998,[2]with an annual growth rate of 2.0%.[1]It occupies an area of 2.250 km2.[citation needed]
History
[edit]Archaeological, prehistoric and historical testimonies indicate that the area of Berriane was inhabited since at least the Neolithic era. The population of Berriane are principally ofZenataMozabiteorigin.
The town of Berriane forms an integral part of the history of the area ofM'zab.It is chronologically the youngest of all the cities of the M'zab region.[citation needed]
Recent events
[edit]Although an ancient Berber town, with a majorityZenataIbadi population, in recent years manyChaambi(Bedouin) Arabs have settled there. In March 2008 and February 2009 it was the scene of heavy riots between Berbers and Arabs,[3]in which at least 4 native Berbers were killed.[citation needed]
Geography
[edit]In addition to its regional importance from the demographic, economic and cultural point of view, the commune of Berriane occupies a strategic position, connecting the cities of the South to those of the North.
Its green palm grove forms a beautifuloasiswhich offers to its urban environment a more pleasantmicroclimatein an area characterized by an arid climate.
Climate
[edit]Berriane has a hotdesert climate(Köppen climate classificationBWh), with very hot summers and mild winters, and very little precipitation throughout the year.
Climate data for Berriane | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 15.5 (59.9) |
18.2 (64.8) |
21.4 (70.5) |
26.9 (80.4) |
31.6 (88.9) |
37 (99) |
41.6 (106.9) |
40.3 (104.5) |
33.9 (93.0) |
26.5 (79.7) |
20 (68) |
16.1 (61.0) |
27.4 (81.4) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 9.6 (49.3) |
11.7 (53.1) |
14.6 (58.3) |
19.2 (66.6) |
23.6 (74.5) |
28.8 (83.8) |
32.8 (91.0) |
31.8 (89.2) |
26.9 (80.4) |
19.9 (67.8) |
13.9 (57.0) |
10.2 (50.4) |
20.3 (68.4) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3.7 (38.7) |
5.2 (41.4) |
7.9 (46.2) |
11.5 (52.7) |
15.7 (60.3) |
20.7 (69.3) |
24.0 (75.2) |
23.3 (73.9) |
19.9 (67.8) |
13.4 (56.1) |
7.8 (46.0) |
4.3 (39.7) |
13.1 (55.6) |
Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 8 (0.3) |
6 (0.2) |
11 (0.4) |
8 (0.3) |
6 (0.2) |
4 (0.2) |
1 (0.0) |
6 (0.2) |
8 (0.3) |
9 (0.4) |
9 (0.4) |
8 (0.3) |
84 (3.2) |
Source: climate-data.org[4] |
Transportation
[edit]Berriane is crossed by the National Road 01, one of the country's important communication lines, and part of theTrans-Sahara Highway.The road leads north toLaghouatandDjelfa,and south toGhardaïa,In SalahandTamanrasset.
Culture
[edit]Berriane is known for its pretty handicraft carpets and its artisanal products manufactured by highly qualified creators. It is also known for its folklore, culture heritage, ancestral culinary art and architecture.
Economy
[edit]In addition to its agricultural economy centered around date palms, Berriane is also an attractive city for tourists, featuring engravings and rockfrescosdating from prehistory, inscriptions in the Tamazight Alpha bet calledTifinagh,and historic buildings and architecture similar to other cities of the internationally famous M'Zab. The M'Zab region has classified byUNESCOas a world cultural heritage on its World Heritage List.[5]
Education
[edit]6.3% of the population has a tertiary education, and another 15.3% has completed secondary education.[6]The overall literacy rate is 88.3% (the second highest in the province), and is 93.3% among males and 83.2% among females (also the second highest in the province).[7]
Localities
[edit]The commune of Berriane is composed of two localities:[8]
- Vieux Ksar de Berriane
- Quartiers périphériques et Palmeraie
References
[edit]- ^abc"Population: Ghardaïa Wilaya"(PDF)(in French). Office National des Statistiques Algérie. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 16 May 2013.Retrieved12 February2013.
- ^"Algeria Communes".Statoids.Retrieved9 March2013.
- ^Arab-Berber clashes shake Algeria townArchived2013-05-27 at theWayback Machine,Lamine Chikhi, Reuters. 18 May 2008.
- ^"Climate data for: Berriane".climate-data.org.Retrieved27 March2013.
- ^"M'Zab Valley".UNESCO.Retrieved13 February2013.
- ^"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"(PDF)(in French). Office National des Statistiques Algérie. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 16 May 2013.Retrieved13 February2013.
- ^"Taux d'an Alpha bétisme et taux d' Alpha bétisation de la population âgée de 15 ans et plus, selon le sexe et la commune de résidence"(PDF)(in French). Office National des Statistiques Algérie. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 16 May 2013.Retrieved13 February2013.
- ^"Décret n° 84-365, fixant la composition, la consistance et les limites territoriale des communes. Wilaya d'El Oued"(PDF)(in French). Journal officiel de la République Algérienne. 19 December 1984. p. 1578. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 21 October 2013.Retrieved2 March2013.