Biskra
—  Commune and city  —
City Hall of Biskra, with the modern coat of arms visible
Biskra Location in Algeria
Coordinates: 34°51′N 5°44′E / 34.85°N 5.733°E / 34.85; 5.733
Country	Algeria
Province	Biskra Province
District	Biskra District
Population (2007)
- Total	207,987
Time zone	+1 (UTC+1)

Coordinates: 34°51′N 5°44′E / 34.85°N 5.733°E / 34.85; 5.733 Biskra (Arabic: بسكرة ‎; Berber: Tibeskert) is the capital city of Biskra province, Algeria. In 2007, its population was recorded as 207,987.

As of 1935, Biskra was an inland town, the principal settlement of a Saharan oasis watered by the intermittent Oued Biskra. It is in the southern part of the Algerian rail system, and a favorite winter resort. Large quantities of fruit, especially dates and olives, were grown in the vicinity. The town was a military post, and was the scene of severe fighting in the rebellions of 1849 and 1871.

With January temperatures averaging 11 °C, Biskra is a common vacation spot in winter. Located in northeastern Algeria on the northern edge of the Sahara Desert, the area surrounding it is very arid and most of the population lives in oasis.

Dancer in Biskra, published in March 1917 National Geographic.

The Hungarian composer Béla Bartók collected traditional music in Biskra in 1913.

Biskra is the setting of key sections of André Gide's 1902 novel The Immoralist.

[edit] References

• This article incorporates text from The Modern World Encyclopædia: Illustrated (1935); out of UK copyright as of 2005.

[edit] External links

• (French) The first website of Biskra
• (French) A website about Biskra
• (French) Site officiel Ligue de Wilaya de Basketball Biskra

v • d • e Provincial seats of Algeria Adrar • Aïn Defla • Aïn Témouchent • Algiers • Annaba • Batna • Béchar • Béjaïa • Biskra • Blida • Bordj Bou Arréridj • Bouïra • Boumerdès • Chlef • Constantine • Djelfa • El Bayadh • El Oued • El Taref • Ghardaïa • Guelma • Illizi • Jijel • Khenchela • Laghouat • Mascara • Médéa • Mila • Mostaganem • M'Sila • Naâma • Oran • Ouargla • Oum el-Bouaghi • Relizane • Saida • Sétif • Sidi Bel Abbès • Skikda • Souk Ahras • Tamanrasset • Tébessa • Tiaret • Tindouf • Tipaza • Tissemsilt • Tizi Ouzou • Tlemcen

v • d • e Biskra Province Capital: Biskra Districts  · Biskra · Djemourah · Foughala · El Kantara · El Outaya · M'Chouneche · Ouled Djellal · Ourlal · Sidi Khaled · Sidi Okba · Tolga · Zeribet El Oued Communes  · Aïn Naga · Aïn Zaatout · Biskra · Bordj Ben Azzouz · Bouchagroune · Branis · Chetma · Djemorah · Doucen · El Feidh · El Ghrous · El Hadjeb · El Haouch · El Kantara · El Outaya · Foughala · Khenguet Sidi Nadjil · Lichana · Lioua · M'Chouneche · Mekhadma · Meziraa · M'Lili · Ouled Djellal · Ouled Harkat · Ouled Rahma · Ouled Sassi · Oumache · Ourlala · Sidi Khaled · Sidi Okba · Tolga · Zeribet El Oued

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