Tamacine ( ar, ﺗﻤﺎﺳﻴﻦ) (sometimes written Témacine) is a town and commune, and capital of Témacine District, in Touggourt Province, Algeria. According to the 2008 census it has a population of 20,067, up from 15,933 in 1998, and an annual growth rate of 2.4%. It is around south of Touggourt. The Tugurt language is spoken by some residents of Tamacine.

History

The mosque in the town of Témacine, the Mosque of Si al-Hajj, dates to 1431.

Geography

Tamacine lies at an elevation of within the system of

oases In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment'ksar''with its surrounding feeding source, the palm grove, within a relational and circulatory nomadic system.” The location of oases has been of critical imp ...

near Touggourt. These oases feature extensive palm groves and other agriculture. Beyond this is the arid and barren landscape of the Sahara, featuring areas of

sand dunes A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...

( ergs) and flat rocky plains ( regs). Lake Tamacine, a small lake covering and long, lies along the eastern side of the town, and is notable for its variety of birds and fish.

Climate

Tamacine, like other towns in the

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n region, has a hot desert climate with very hot summers and mild winters, and very little precipitation.

Economy

The most significant sector in Tamacine's economy is agriculture, in particular the farming of date palms; over 200,000 palms are planted across the commune. Other fruit trees are also cultivated, including

olive The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'', meaning 'European olive' in Latin, is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae, found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin. When in shrub form, it is known as ''Olea europaea'' ...

s, figs,

apricot An apricot (, ) is a fruit, or the tree that bears the fruit, of several species in the genus ''Prunus''. Usually, an apricot is from the species '' P. armeniaca'', but the fruits of the other species in ''Prunus'' sect. ''Armeniaca'' are also ...

s, pomegranates, apples, grapes and

plum A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes. History Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found i ...

s. Livestock reared in the commune are mainly goats and sheep. Tamacine also has various traditional industries, such as pottery, jewellery, textile industries including embroidery and

knitting Knitting is a method by which yarn is manipulated to create a textile, or fabric. It is used to create many types of garments. Knitting may be done by hand or by machine. Knitting creates stitches: loops of yarn in a row, either flat or i ...

, and blacksmithing. Tourism is another important industry for Tamacine. The most notable attractions include Lake Tamacine, as well as the various mosques and palaces in the town.

Infrastructure

Drinking water is available to 99% of the population, and access to the sewerage network is available to 95%.

Health

Tamacine has two municipal health clinics, a private health clinic, and several pharmacies.

Education

Tamacine's educational facilities include 8 municipal elementary schools, a vocational training center, apprenticeships, and an educational center for mentally handicapped children. 8.3% of the population has a tertiary education, and another 20.9% has completed secondary education. The overall literacy rate is 83.4%, and is 88.5% among males and 78.5% among females.

Transportation

Tamacine is connected by local roads to Touggourt to the north and the N3 national highway to the west. From Touggourt, major highways lead north to Biskra, east to El Oued, and south to Ouargla and Illizi. The town is served by the Sidi Madhi Airport near Touggourt. The road network of Tamacine covers .

Localities

The commune is composed of five localities: *Temacine *El Behour *Sidi Ameur *El Ksour *

Tamellaht Tamellaht is a town in the commune of Tamacine, in Témacine District Témacine is a district in Touggourt Province, Algeria. It was named after its capital, Témacine. It is one of the smallest districts in the province. As of the 2008 census ...

References

External links

Neighbouring towns and cities

{{Ouargla Province Communes of Ouargla Province