Touggourt

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Touggourt (Arabic تقرت, DMG Tuqurt; Berber, driveway or gate ) is a small town in the province of Ouargla in the northeast of Algeria.

History

Touggourt had in earlier past importance as a hub in the trans-Saharan trade. In addition, the city was the headquarters of the Ouled Djellab Dynasty. Before colonization by the French in the 19th century ruled since the 15th century in the oasis their tribal leaders.

The oasis city was the starting point for the first motorized expedition projects André Citroën through the Sahara in December 1922., The French or Belgian adventurer and expedition leader Louis Audouin - Dubreuil and Georges -Marie Haardt journeyed to go with five Citroen half-tracks to Timbuktu in Mali. The route led him through the grueling route Tamanrasset in the Ahaggar Mountains. Just three weeks later, met the crew in Timbuktu. In the village center still reminds a stele at this successfully executed event.

Today, the site presents a modern face with cubic new buildings in nordalgerischen style.

Population

Approximately 70,000 people live in the city, which is therefore also the largest metropolis in the region. The population is made up from various different tribes together as the Algerian Ouled Nail widespread and the original Jewish abstämmigen Ouled Djari.

Economy and Transport

Touggourt is the southern terminus of a railway line from Constantine. In the 1950s, oil fields were opened up to the 170 km south Location Hassi Messaoud and pumped via a pipeline from 1957 to Touggourt. There the oil was loaded onto tankers and transported to the export port of Skikda. Today, the oil flows through a pipeline directly after Skikda.

Environment

Touggourt is surrounded by typical light yellow sand of the Algerian Sahara. Sand hopper interrupt the dunes and palm trees rise from single up. In this area you meet frequently on the bizarre crystal structure of the Sahara Desert Rose. The houses of the area on the way to El Oued are covered with domes and barrel vaults. Occasionally one encounters Ziehbrunnen ( khottaras ).

About 12 km north-east of the oasis in direction of the Tunisian border is El Oued with regional airport.

Festivals

In April / May the Dattelfest is celebrated. The festival coincides with the time of fertilization date palms.