Boumerdès () is a province (wilaya) of northern Algeria. It is located in the Kabylia region, between Algiers and Tizi-Ouzou, with its capital at the coastal city of Boumerdès (formerly Rocher-Noir) just east of Algiers.

Administrative divisions It is made up of 9 districts and 32 communes.

Districts

Baghlia Bordj Ménaïl Boudouaou Boumerdès Dellys Isser Khemis El Khechna Naciria Thénia

Communes

Aafir Ammal Baghlia Ben Choud Beni Amrane Bordj Menaiel (Bordj Ménaïl) Boudouaou Boudouaou-El-Bahri Boumerdès Bouzegza Keddara Chabet el Ameur Corso Dellys Djinet El Kharrouba Hammedi Issers Keddara Khemis El-Khechna Larbatache Legata Naciria Ouled Aissa Ouled Hedadj Ouled Moussa Si-Mustapha Sidi Daoud Souk El-Had Taourga Thenia Tidjelabine Timezrit Zemmouri

Neighbourhoods The neighbourhoods of Boumerdès Province are:

Villages The villages of Boumerdès Province are:

Geology

Several mountain peaks are found in this province: Bouzegza Mountain (1032 m) (740 m) (630 m) (467 m) (452 m) (444 m) (430 m) (420 m) Mahelma Forest

Geography The province is largely mountainous, with a long coastline and a number of rivers, notably the Isser, Meraldene and Sebaou. Its western edges have in effect become suburbs of Algiers as the capital has expanded.

History

The three towns of Zemmouri El Bahri (Rusubbicari), Djinet (Cissi), and Dellys (Rusucurium), all of Phoenician foundation, were the province's principal ancient sites, although smaller Roman towns existed inland, as at Thenia, called , and at Taourga; at none do any significant classical ruins remain. Zemmouri El Bahri (under the name of Marsa-d-Dajaj) and Dellys both attained some significance in the Islamic period, beginning with Hammadid times; the largely Ottoman-era casbah of Dellys remains an attraction. Boumerdès itself, called Rocher-Noir in the colonial period, was expanded substantially following the establishment of the new wilaya in 1984.

2003 earthquake

The province was very hard hit by the 2003 Boumerdès earthquake, whose epicentre was near Zemmouri.

Since the occurrence of the El Asnam earthquake on October 10, 1980, this province has not ceased to feel minor earthquakes.

The occurrence of weak tremors was further accentuated in the aftermath of the Chenoua earthquake of October 29, 1989.

From the earthquake of Wednesday May 21, 2003, telluric aftershocks lasted for years before stabilizing at low magnitudes.

Since 2003, the area encompassing this province has been classified as a high seismic risk region to make adequate technical provisions during the construction of houses and buildings.

The technical control of buildings in this province has become more rigorous and strict with regard to construction materials and construction.

The victims of this earthquake, who were housed in chalets and prefabricated houses, were still in 2020 in the process of being relocated to new apartments.

Resistance against French invasion

During the French conquest of Algeria, the region of the current Boumerdès Province in Lower Kabylia was the scene of several battles of against French Troupes coloniales:

French invasion (1830–1870) Shipwreck of Dellys, which took place on May 15, 1830, as part of the .

The region of the current Boumerdès Province was the first bulwark that faced from 1837 against the French invasion of Kabylia and eastern Algeria through several battles under the banner of the and the :

Expedition of the Col des Beni Aïcha, which took place on May 18, 1837, as part of the . First Battle of Boudouaou, which took place on May 25, 1837, as part of the Algerian resistance against French invasion. First Battle of the Issers, which took place on May 27, 1837, as part of the Algerian resistance against French invasion. First Assault of Dellys, which took place on May 28, 1837, as part of the Algerian resistance against French invasion. , which took place on April 18, 1840, as part of the Algerian resistance against French invasion. , which took place on September 18, 1840, as part of the Algerian resistance against French invasion. Second Assault of Dellys, which took place on May 12, 1844, as part of the Algerian resistance against French invasion. Battle of the Col des Beni Aïcha (1846), which took place on February 3, 1846, as part of the Algerian resistance against French invasion.

Mokrani Revolt (1871)

This region was the scene of the last battles of the Mokrani Revolt during the month of April 1871 at the gate of Algiers against the French invasion:

, which took place on April 17, 1871, as part of the Mokrani Revolt. , which took place on April 18, 1871, as part of the Mokrani Revolt. , which took place on April 18, 1871, as part of the Mokrani Revolt. Battle of the Col des Beni Aïcha, which took place on April 19, 1871, as part of the Mokrani Revolt. Battle of Alma, which took place on April 19, 1871, as part of the Mokrani Revolt.

Independence Revolution (1954–1962)

This province saw the creation of several clandestine torture centers during the Algerian revolution: Ferme Gauthier in Titouna within the commune of Souk El Had. Ferme Moll in the commune of Legata. Ferme Sabatier in the commune of Si Mustapha. Ferme Errol in the commune of Tidjelabine. Camp Bastos in the commune of Bordj Menaïel. Camp Cortès in the commune of Bordj Menaïel. Camp des Sénégalais in the commune of the Zemmouri. Camp Germain in the commune of Legata. Camp Gualota in the commune of Dellys. Camp Ouriacha in the commune of Naciria. Camp Stora in the commune of Kharrouba.

Resistance against Salafist terrorism

This province has suffered the horrors of dozens of terrorist attacks perpetrated by the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC): List of terrorist incidents in 2005 2005 Tidjelabine bombing (July 29, 2005) List of terrorist incidents in 2006 2006 Tidjelabine bombing (June 19, 2006) 2006 Boudouaou bombing (August 8, 2006) List of terrorist incidents in 2007 2007 Souk El Had bombing (February 13, 2007) 2007 Dellys bombing (September 8, 2007) List of terrorist incidents in 2008 2008 Naciria bombing (January 2, 2008) 2008 Thénia bombing (January 29, 2008) 2008 Beni Amrane bombings (June 9, 2008) 2008 Zemmouri bombing (August 9, 2008) 2008 Issers bombing (August 19, 2008) List of terrorist incidents in 2010 2010 Tidjelabine bombing (April 7, 2010) 2010 Ammal bombing (June 11, 2010) August 2010 Baghlia bombing (August 18, 2010) 2010 Bordj Menaïel bombing (September 21, 2010) List of terrorist incidents in 2012 2012 Thénia bombing (January 11, 2012) 2012 Baghlia bombing (April 29, 2012)

Walis

Many Walis have passed through Boumerdès Province since its creation on February 4, 1984, through Executive Decree No. 84-09 that organizes the Algerian national territory within the framework of forty-eight wilayates.Official Gazette of Algeria joradp.dz (in France)

Chronology of Walis in Boumerdès ProvinceN° WaliFromToProvince of birth01Abdelmalek SellalApril 4, 1984May 13, 1984Constantine Province02Hachemi DjiarMay 13, 1984September 20, 1987Batna Province03Youcef ben OudjitSeptember 20, 1987July 29, 1990Jijel Province04Kouider DjebliJuly 29, 1990August 21, 1991Chlef Province05Mohamed LaïchoubiAugust 21, 1991April 15, 1994Tlemcen Province06Mourad HidoukJune 30, 1994August 22, 1999Jijel Province07August 22, 1999May 7, 2008Tizi Ouzou Province08Brahim MeradMay 7, 2008September 30, 2010Batna Province09Kamal AbbasSeptember 30, 2010July 22, 2015Laghouat Province10Nouria Yamina ZerhouniJuly 22, 2015October 5, 2016Tlemcen Province11Abderrahmane Madani FouatihOctober 5, 2016October 3, 2018Oran Province12Mohamed SlamaniOctober 3, 2018April 22, 2019Biskra Province13Yahia YahiateneApril 22, 2019NowadaysTizi Ouzou Province

Deputies

The deputies of this province during the legislative elections of May 4, 2017, are: Abdelkrim Djanati (Democratic National Rally) Ali Laskri (Socialist Forces Front) Belkacem Benamar (Socialist Forces Front) Hacene Bouzad (Independent) Mansour Abdelaziz (Movement of Society for Peace) Menouar Djaadi (National Liberation Front) Nadia Iheddadene born Amroune (Socialist Forces Front) Saliha Mekharef (Democratic National Rally) Salima Othmani (National Liberation Front) Yahia Mahsas (National Liberation Front)

Religion

Mosques

Al-Fath Mosque Jabir ibn Hayyan Mosque Uthman ibn Affan Mosque Abderrahmane ibn Khaldoun Mosque Al-Baraka Mosque

Zawiyas

Zawiya Thaalibia in the Issers. Zawiyet Sidi Amar Cherif in Sidi Daoud. Zawiyet Sidi Boumerdassi in Tidjelabine. Zawiyet Sidi Boushaki in Thenia. in Aafir. in Beni Amrane. in Khemis El-Khechna. in Boudouaou.

Education

University of Boumerdès Faculty of Boudouaou Institut National de la Productivité et du Développement Industriel (INPED) Touzout brothers Lyceum Ahmed Rahmoune Lyceum Mohamed Bouchatal College Mohamed Boushaki School Draoui brothers Lyceum Emir Khaled Lyceum Mohamed Laïd Al-Khalifa Lyceum Frantz Fanon Lyceum

Health

Mohamed Bouyahiaoui Hospital

Boumerdès Orthopedic Emergency Hospital Boumerdès Hospital

Tourism

Hotels

Albatros Beach Hotel El Amir Hotel La Villa Hotel Le Rocher Hotel Leïla Hotel Medina Hotel Soummam Hotel Timezrit Hotel

Beaches

El Karma Beach Nakhlat Beach Miflah Beach Echatt Beach Corso Beach Souanine Beach Leghata Beach Aafir Beach

Transport

Transport accidents

2011 Boudouaou rail accident (August 22, 2011)

Ports

This province is home to the structures of several fishing ports:

Al-Qaous fishing shelter

Rivers

This province is crossed by dozens of rivers:

Isser River

Meraldene River

Sebaou River

Dams

This province is home to the structures of several hydraulic dams: Keddara Dam Meraldene Dam

Sport The municipalities of this province are home to several sports clubs, especially football, including: CMB Thénia IB Khemis El Khachna JS Bordj Ménaïel RC Boumerdes CR Issers ES Baghlia ESM Boudouaou JS Naciria US Dellys

Notable people

References