Taghit Explained

Taghit (ar|ﺗﺎﻏﻴﺖ) is a town and commune in Taghit District, Béchar Province, in western Algeria. The town is an oasis watered by the underground Oued Zousfana, which runs along beside the dunes of the Grand Erg Occidental.^[1] According to the 2008 census its population is 6,317,^[2] up from 6,047 in 1998,^[3] with an annual growth rate of 0.4%.^[2] The commune covers an area of .^[4]

History

The town was the site of the Battle of Taghit in 1903, in which 4000 Zayanes Berbers besieged the French in the town, whom they outnumbered by 10 to 1. The attackers were later forced to retreat.^[5]

Geography

Taghit lies on the left (eastern) bank of the Oued Zouzfana. The Grand Erg Occidental, a large area of continuous sand dunes, lies to the east, while the rocky Djebel Baroun lies to the west across the river.

Climate

Taghit has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh), with extremely hot summers and cool winters, and very little precipitation throughout the year.

Economy

Agriculture is an important industry in Taghit. The commune has a total of of arable land, of which is irrigated.^[6] There are a total of 137,450 date palms planted in the commune.^[7] As of 2009 there were 3,330 sheep, 2,995 goats, 2,481 camels, and 62 cattle. There were also 24,000 chickens in 2 buildings.^[8]

Tourism is also significant in Taghit due to many Neolithic rock engravings in the area. Other attractions include sand dunes, palm groves, the old ksar and the zawiya.^[9] There is one hotel in Taghit, the three-star Taghit.^[10]

Infrastructure and housing

90% of Taghits's population are connected to drinking water,^[11] 96% are connected to the sewerage system,^[12] and 93% (including 1,485 buildings) have access to electricity.^[13] There is one fuel service station in the town.^[14]

Taghit has a total of 1,551 houses, of which 913 are occupied, giving an occupation rate of 6.9 inhabitants per occupied building.^[15]

Transportation

There are three main roads out of Taghit: one leads northwest to the N6 highway (Bechar-Adrar section) just south of Bechar, another leads southwest through Igli to the N6 further south, and the third leads northeast, also to the N6 (Bechar-Mecheria section) northeast of Bechar, near Figuig. A number of small localities lie along the Oued Zouzfana to the south; these are connected by a local road.

Taghit is 95km (59miles) from the provincial capital, Béchar.^[16]

There is a total length of 146km (91miles) of roads in the commune.^[17]

Education

There are 5 elementary schools, with 39 classrooms including 30 in use.^[18] There are a total of 1,310 school students.^[19]

5.9% of the population has a tertiary education, and another 18.4% has competed secondary education.^[20] The overall literacy rate is 81.4%, and is 86.6% among males and 76.7% among females.^[21]

Health

Taghit has 4 room care facilities, and a private pharmacy, and a medical operating theatre. The nearest hospital (by road) is in Béchar.^[22]

Religion

Taghit has six operational mosques, with another under construction.^[23]

Localities

The commune is composed of five localities:^[24]

• Taghit
• Zaouia Fougania
• Berrabi Bakhti
• Zaouia Tahtania
• Brika

External links

Neighbouring towns and cities

Notes and References

1. Book: N. Huguenin-Gonon. Algeria. 1973. Nagel Publishers. 978-2-8263-0604-7.
2. Web site: Population: Béchar Wilaya. Office National des Statistiques Algérie. 13 February 2013. French.
3. Web site: Algeria Communes. Statoids. 9 March 2013.
4. Web site: Population, Area and Density per Commune. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 16 March 2013. French. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140222191634/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/1.htm. 22 February 2014.
5. Web site: History of the Battle of El Moungar. French Ministry of Defence. 15 March 2013. French.
6. Web site: Distribution of Agricultural Land. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140710020333/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/10.htm. 10 July 2014.
7. Web site: Plant Productions. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140820030513/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/14.htm. 20 August 2014.
8. Web site: Animal Production. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140820030513/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/14.htm. 20 August 2014.
9. Web site: Tourism Sites and Monuments. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French.
10. Web site: Census of Hotels. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French.
11. Web site: Drinking Water. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140709085413/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/24.htm. 9 July 2014.
12. Web site: Sewerage Networks. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140710015740/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/25.htm. 10 July 2014.
13. Web site: Electrification. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140709083904/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/29.htm. 9 July 2014.
14. Web site: Fuel Distribution. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140710020359/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/30.htm. 10 July 2014.
15. Web site: Housing. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033047/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/65.htm. 4 March 2016.
16. Web site: Presentation. Site Officiel de la Wilaya de Béchar. French. 19 February 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130216230918/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/Presentation1.htm. 16 February 2013.
17. Web site: Density Kilometres. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140429185650/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/90.htm. 29 April 2014.
18. Web site: School Infrastructure. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140429191848/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/55.htm. 29 April 2014.
19. Web site: Number of Pupils. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033043/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/36.htm. 4 March 2016.
20. Web site: 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.. Office National des Statistiques Algérie. 13 February 2013. French.
21. Web site: Taux d'analphabétisme et taux d'alphabétisation de la population âgée de 15 ans et plus, selon le sexe et la commune de résidence .. Office National des Statistiques Algérie. 13 February 2013. French.
22. Web site: Health Facilities by Commune. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140429191848/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/55.htm. 29 April 2014.
23. Web site: Mosques and Koranic Rooms. Official Website of the Wilaya of Bechar. 9 March 2013. French. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032551/http://www.wilaya-bechar.gov.dz/76.htm. 4 March 2016.
24. Web site: Décret n° 84-365, fixant la composition, la consistance et les limites territoriale des communes. Wilaya d'El Oued. Journal officiel de la République Algérienne. 2 March 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120112153538/http://www.joradp.dz/JO8499/1984/067/FP1489.pdf . 2012-01-12 . 1489 . French. 19 December 1984.