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Tamanrasset
Arabic:
tamanghasit
City in southern Algeria with 60,000 inhabitants (2005 estimate), at an elevation of 1,378 metres in the Hoggar Mountains in Sahara.
It is the capital of Tamanrasset province with 150,000 inhabitants (2005 estimate) and an area of 556,200 km².
The economic base of Tamanrasset is trade for central Sahara, where it is by far the largest city. There is some agricultural output from the region as well, of which much is sold at the markets of Tamanrasset: citrus fruits, peaches, apricots, dates, almonds, figs, cereals and corn. The surrounding region is sparsely populated, but still with substantial nomadic activity. Camels and goats are the main livestock.
Tamanrasset is the most isolated of Algeria's larger towns. It has good road connections with urban centres in the north, and the airport serves most larger national airports. Algiers lies about 2,000 km north. The southern road leads to the border crossing with Niger (300 km).
Tamanrasset resembles more of village than a large town. Most houses are one-story constructions, and usually painted red.
The population are mainly Berbers and Tuareg. A large part of the population of Tamanrasset are drought refugees from smaller communities and regions of the Sahara.
In the early 20th century the French explorer Charles-Eugene Foucauld settled here, and compiled a grammar and dictionary for the Tuareg language.
HISTORY
1922: Storms and floods destroy Tamanrasset.
© Copyright 1996-2008 LookLex Ltd. All rights reserved
By: Tore Kjeilen
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