Oran

Oran (spoken in local dialect: Wahran, nicknamed Bahia) is Algeria's second largest city after the capital and one of the most important cities of the Maghreb, located in northwestern Algeria, 432 kilometers from Algiers. For many decades it remains an important economic center and seaport.

It is bordered to the north by an open bay and to the west by Marjago Mountain (420 meters) and the Moulay Abdelkader Plateau. The city is located on the banks of the Wadi Al-Rahi creek (collecting mill), now called Wadi Al-Ain. The population of the municipality reached 852,000 in 2009, while the population of the metropolitan area is 1.648,642 people.

Since ancient times, the city has intensified the interest and aspirations of various civilizations. After the independence of Algeria, the city witnessed important developments that made it the second city of the country and an important economic and scientific pole. Its economic activity diversified from large and small industries that benefited from its proximity to the oil city of Arzew, and the city has become a commercial pole thanks to its active seaport, which was the main outlet for foreign trade for all the western part of Algeria.

Oran culture made the city a regional, Arab and even international reputation. The region was famous for the poets of the so-called salt, which formed the rhyme from which the song Wahrani through the elders Wahrani and song Rai later to reach the ears of the world through the youth of the city. The theater also had a share attested by the plays of Abdelkader Aloula and others. This diversity has made the city an attractive place for tourists to visit Algeria without visiting Oran. This has opened the way for investment in the infrastructure of the tourism sector, and there were many luxury hotels and resorts that took advantage of the beauty of the beaches of the region.