Ouenza
Encyclopedia
Ouenza is a town in Tébessa Province
, in far eastern Algeria
; near the border with Tunisia
; 43 km south of Souk Ahras
; and west of M'Daourouch.
, Taoura
, Annaba
, Guelma
, Tebessa
, Chréa
, El-meridj, Ain Zerga
, Meskiana
and others.
Ouenza was built by the French
at the start of the Twentieth Century, to exploit the iron
ore deposits that have been the basis of economic growth in the region for over 100 years. Originally, workers from Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and other regions of Algeria came to Ouenza, contributing to its cultural diversity and making the town unique in the region. But once these workers retired and returned home with their families, they were replaced by inhabitants of Ouenza's neighbouring villages.
Ouenza's location brings it a dry climate, with hot summers and cold winters. The majority of the inhabitants leave for coastal towns such as Annaba
and el Kala during the summer season.
Ouenza has a number of locations very popular with its inhabitants. One of these, the suq, is known by its colonial
name, SAS. People of all ages gather at the boulodrome, named "le Cercle", to watch the game of pétanque
. The main supermarket
is named "L'économat". There is also a village hall with a 400-seat cinema
and air conditioning. There are also three tennis courts and the football field of the local team OSO. Recently a number of cybercafes have emerged, catering for the tastes of the young people.
. After years of exposure, most of Ouenza's miners eventually suffer from this affliction, caused by inhaling silica dust, and many die from its complications.
Tébessa Province
Tébessa is a province of Algeria. Tébessa is also the name of the capital, which in ancient times it was known as Theveste. Another important city is El Ouenza.Tebessa is located only 20 kilometers west from Tunisia border....
, in far eastern Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
; near the border with Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
; 43 km south of Souk Ahras
Souk Ahras
Souk Ahras is a province in Algeria, named after its capital, Souk Ahras. It stands on the border between Algeria and Tunisia.- Geography :Souk Ahras is situated in the extreme north east of Algeria, it is 4360 km²....
; and west of M'Daourouch.
Demographic
The population is 60,000. Ethnologically, the city draws its population from the diverse surrounding regions, including Souk AhrasSouk Ahras
Souk Ahras is a province in Algeria, named after its capital, Souk Ahras. It stands on the border between Algeria and Tunisia.- Geography :Souk Ahras is situated in the extreme north east of Algeria, it is 4360 km²....
, Taoura
Taoura
Taoura is a town and commune in Souk Ahras Province in northeastern Algeria.-References:...
, Annaba
Annaba
Annaba is a city in the northeastern corner of Algeria near the river Seybouse. It is located in Annaba Province. With a population of 257,359 , it is the fourth largest city in Algeria. It is a leading industrial centre in eastern Algeria....
, Guelma
Guelma
Guelma is the capital of Guelma Province and Guelma District, located in northeastern Algeria, about 65 kilometers from the Mediterranean coast...
, Tebessa
Tébessa
Tébessa is the capital city of Tébessa Province, Algeria, 20 kilometers west from the border with Tunisia. Nearby is also a phosphate mine. The city is famous for the traditional Algerian carpets in the region, and is home to over 161,440 people.-History:...
, Chréa
Chréa
Chréa is a town in Algeria, located in Blida Province, Bougara District, in a mountainous area named Tell Atlas, near Blida. This municipality has the Chréa National Park, one of the smallest national parks of the country, and a ski resort...
, El-meridj, Ain Zerga
Aïn Zerga
Aïn Zerga is a town and commune in Tébessa Province in northeastern Algeria.-References:...
, Meskiana
Meskiana
Meskiana is a town and commune in Oum El Bouaghi Province, Algeria. According to the 1998 census it has a population of 25,849.-References:...
and others.
Life in Ouenza
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
at the start of the Twentieth Century, to exploit the iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
ore deposits that have been the basis of economic growth in the region for over 100 years. Originally, workers from Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and other regions of Algeria came to Ouenza, contributing to its cultural diversity and making the town unique in the region. But once these workers retired and returned home with their families, they were replaced by inhabitants of Ouenza's neighbouring villages.
Ouenza's location brings it a dry climate, with hot summers and cold winters. The majority of the inhabitants leave for coastal towns such as Annaba
Annaba
Annaba is a city in the northeastern corner of Algeria near the river Seybouse. It is located in Annaba Province. With a population of 257,359 , it is the fourth largest city in Algeria. It is a leading industrial centre in eastern Algeria....
and el Kala during the summer season.
Ouenza has a number of locations very popular with its inhabitants. One of these, the suq, is known by its colonial
French colonial empires
The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
name, SAS. People of all ages gather at the boulodrome, named "le Cercle", to watch the game of pétanque
Pétanque
Pétanque is a form of boules where the goal is, while standing inside a starting circle with both feet on the ground, to throw hollow metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball called a cochonnet or jack. It is also sometimes called a bouchon or le petit...
. The main supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
is named "L'économat". There is also a village hall with a 400-seat cinema
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
and air conditioning. There are also three tennis courts and the football field of the local team OSO. Recently a number of cybercafes have emerged, catering for the tastes of the young people.
Mining and its ecological impact
The transportation of iron ore raises clouds of dust throughout the city, making hygienic life difficult and discoloring paintwork. Locals also suffer a number of lung complaints from inhalation of the dust, particularly silicosisSilicosis
Silicosis, also known as Potter's rot, is a form of occupational lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica dust, and is marked by inflammation and scarring in forms of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs...
. After years of exposure, most of Ouenza's miners eventually suffer from this affliction, caused by inhaling silica dust, and many die from its complications.