Ouargla or Warqla (Arabic: ولاية ورقلة) is a province (wilaya) in eastern Algeria. Its capital is Ouargla. Other localities include Hassi Ben Abdellah and Hassi Messaoud. It contains the Issaouane Erg desert.

In the past Ouargla was the center of trading of gold and slaves, as well as being an important center of Ibadi Islam. However, the Ibadis have left for the M’zab valley.

Modern Ouargla

The city was a significant tourist attraction until the civil unrest of the 1990s. Many tourists shopped for sand roses at the souk l'ehjar, the old rock market. The souq, or market, had many traditional shops filled with antiquities, traditional crafts, and local items - from dresses to stuffed lizards. The area across from these shops was used to display sand roses, mineral specimens, of all sizes and shapes. The market has gone through a renovation process.

Not far from the souk l'ehjaris the old groceries market, or the Sunday market as it is called by the locals. It too is located in the centre of the old city, La Kasbah. At its centre the original old market is shaped as a circle split into small arcs. The central circular structure is now a meat market, surrounded by rows of grocers' and farmers' stalls displaying all sorts of fruit and vegetables.

Next to the old groceries market lie the two oldest mosques of the city, "al-Masjid al-Atiq" which literally means "the old mosque," and the old Ibadi mosque, home to one of the most renowned Islamic scholars of the city, Taleb et-Tayeb.

Some of Ouargla's population speak theWargli language, which is part of theZenati languagessubgrouping of theNorthern Berber languages. There are Wargli speakers inN'Goussaas well.

Climate

Ouargla has adesert climate typical of theSahara Desertin which it is located. The city has very long and extremely hot summers and short and pleasant winters. The average temperatures of the city are the highest of the big cities ofAlgeriawhich Ouargla is part of. The temperature of July, which is the hottest month, is around 110 °F (43 °C). The heat becomes persistent and unpleasant in summer with temperatures sometimes exceeding 120 °F (49 °C). On average, the city of Ouargla has a temperature equal to or greater than 95 °F (35 °C) for more than 135 days and 100 °F (38 °C) for more than 83 days. The year with the most days with a temperature equal to or greater than 100 °F was in 2014 with 99 days, while the lowest total was 39 days in 1981. By comparison, the city ofCarpentrasin France had a total of 16 days since 1963 when the temperature was equivalent or above 100 °F. The highest minimum temperature recorded at Ouargla was 36.6 °C (97.9 °F) on July 31, 2005. The highest temperature was recorded on August 13, 1984, at 53.5 °C (128.3 °F), although that reading is disputed by some meteorologists^[7]thus leaving reading 51.3 °C (124.3 °F) recorded on 5 July 2018 as the highest reliable reading for Ouargla, for Algeria and for whole continent of Africa.

Ouargla tramway

The Ouargla Tramway is a system of public transport in Ouargla, Algeria. The first section includes 9.7 kilometres (6.0 mi) of route and 16 stops and commenced public operations on 20 March 2018.

 AIRPORTS:

Ain Al-Bayda Airport: is an airport located in Ouargla, Algeria. Ouargla-Ain Al-Bayda Airport was opened for air traffic in 1982 and was classified as a national one with mixed status (civilian and military use). Its height above sea level is 152 m.

Hassi Messaoud Airport - Karim Belkacem: is an international airport located 9.3 km southeast of the city of Hassi Messaoud in the state of Ouargla, eastern Algeria.

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