Boudouaou, during

French colonialism The French colonial empire () comprised the overseas colonies, protectorates, and mandate territories that came under French rule from the 16th century onward. A distinction is generally made between the "First French colonial empire", that ex ...

known as L'Alma (or Alma) is a town in the western part of

Boumerdès Boumerdès (; ; formerly ''Rocher Noir'') is the capital city of Boumerdès Province, Algeria. It is located on the Mediterranean Sea. It had a population of 15,000 in 1987 and 28,500 in 1998. Boumerdès is a seaside city located in the north o ...

Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...

. It is a coastal town on the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...

. Its population in 2008 was 56,398. It is located 18 miles east of the capital Algiers. The original name is thought to be ''bou-dhou-aou'',

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

for illuminator in reference to a small insect the size of a beetle which at night shows beautiful brilliant green light in its tail.

Archaeology

Several prehistoric vestiges were discovered during the period of occupation. With the arrival of the colonizers and the project of colonization on the lands of Boudouaou, many prehistoric vestiges under the occupation were discovered: rhinoceros bones house in the Musée de l'Homme in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

, a bronze axe, flint Retouched and prehistoric arrows are examples of discoveries already made.

Personalities

Rachid Mimouni Rachid Mimouni (In Arabic:رشيد ميموني) (20 November 1945 – 12 February 1995) was an Algerian writer, teacher and human rights activist. Mimouni wrote novels describing Algerian society in a realist style. He was threatened by Is ...

(An Algerian writer)

Politics

The town re-elected mayor Yahya Mahsas at the end of 2007 for 5 years, replaced by Mekki Hamoud in 2012.

Main cities

There are several villages in Boudouaou. The well known among them are: *Lacace (لاصاص) *Benadjal (بن عجال) *Ghoualem (الغوالم) *El-Nchite (النشيط) *Ben Merzouga (بن مرزوقة) *Ben Yamina (بن يامينة)

History

French conquest

Expedition of the Col des Beni Aïcha The Expedition of the Col des Beni Aïcha, or the Expedition of Thénia, or simply Beni Aïcha Expedition, was a expedition in May 1837, during the French conquest of Algeria. This event pitted the troupes coloniales under Colonel Maximilien Jos ...

(1837) *

First Battle of Boudouaou The First Battle of Boudouaou in 25–26 May 1837, during the French conquest of Algeria, pitted the troupes coloniales under Colonel Maximilien Joseph Schauenburg against the troops of Kabylia of the '' Igawawen''. Historical Context When E ...

(1837) *

First Battle of the Issers The First Battle of the Issers in May 1837, during the French conquest of Algeria, pitted the troupes coloniales under General Alexandre Charles Perrégaux, Perrégaux and Colonel Maximilien Joseph Schauenburg, Schauenburg against the troops of K ...

(1837) *

Battle of Alma The Battle of the Alma (short for Battle of the Alma River) took place during the Crimean War between an allied expeditionary force (made up of French, British, and Ottoman forces) and Russian forces defending the Crimean Peninsula on 20Septe ...

(1871)

Algerian Revolution

Salafist terrorism

2006 Boudouaou bombing The 2006 Boudouaou bombing occurred on August 8, 2006, when an explosive bomb detonated against a patrol of the Algerian police in the town of Boudouaou, Boumerdès Province, Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic ...

(8 August 2006)

Notable people

Ahmed Mahsas Ahmed Mahsas (; 17 November 1923 – 24 February 2013) was an Algerian Fighter in the nationalist movement against French Algeria. Early life Ahmed Mahsas was born on 17 November 1923 in Boudouaou, Kabylia (now Boumerdès). He grew up in the ...

, Algerian politician and writer *

, Algerian writer *

Walid Derrardja Walid Derrardja (; born 18 September 1990 in Boudouaou) is an Algerian football player who is currently playing as a midfielder for MC Oran in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 The Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 (), known as Championnat ...

, Algerian footballer

References

{{Authority control Populated places in Boumerdès Province