Khenchela

خنشلة Khenchela
Coordinates	35 ° 25 '  N , 7 ° 8'  E Coordinates: 35 ° 25 '  N , 7 ° 8'  E
Basic data
Country	Algeria
province	Khenchela
height	1122 m
Residents	114,472 (2008 Census)
Cityscape

Khenchela ( Arabic خنشلة, DMG Ḫanšala ) is the capital of the province of Khenchela in the north of Algeria with 114,472 inhabitants (as of 2008). The city is mainly populated by the Berber tribe of the Chaouis and is located in the Aurès mountain range .

climate

According to the Köppen and Geiger climate classification , Khenchela has a Mediterranean climate (Csb). The annual average temperature is 12.6 degrees Celsius. This makes it one of the coldest cities in the country, which is due to its high location.

history

Queen Kāhina waged a decades-long war against the Islamic conquest in the 7th century and built a castle here. Today there is a statue of the queen in the city.

The French army reached Khenchela in 1850 after heavy fighting and increased resistance and established a military administration. The city's work organization was taken over. The first French settlers were allowed to build farms and plantations from 1878. In this way, the farmers cleared a path for vegetation in the valley of Wadi Boughegal, which in turn produced natural grassland, which enabled livestock to be raised and fresh dairy products (i.e. milk, butter, cheese) to be supplied to the population.

From October 1905, the inauguration of the Ain Beida railway line in Khenchela offered a daily connection with the north. The military administration lasted until 1912.

In 1982 a mass grave with more than 1200 bodies from the Algerian war was discovered. It was the largest ever discovered in Algeria. The authorities and the Algerian press attributed it to the French army, although this is controversial.

Population development

Census year	population
1977	44,223
1987	69,743
1998	86,615
2008	114,472

sons and daughters of the town

• Abdelaziz Djerad (* 1950), politician and prime minister

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Khenchela climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Khenchela weather averages - Climate-Data.org. Retrieved May 17, 2020 . 
2. ↑ A propos de l'énigme de Khenchela (1982 -....) (2009). Retrieved May 17, 2020 . 
3. ↑ Algeria: Provinces & Cities - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather, and Web Information. Retrieved May 16, 2020 .