Adrar (Berber: Adrar, ⴰⴷⵔⴰⵔ; Arabic: أدرار) is the administrative capital of Adrar Province, the second largest province in Algeria. The commune is sited around an oasis in the Touat region of the Sahara Desert. According to a 2008 census, it has a population of 64,781,[1] up from 43,903 in 1998,[2] with an annual growth rate of 4.0%.[1]
Adrar is mainly an agricultural town, characterized by its traditional irrigation system, the Foggara.
Adrar lies at an elevation of 258 metres (846 ft) above sea level. A large oasis lies to the southwest of the town; this oasis lies in the Tuat region, a string of oases running from Bouda in the north to Reggane in the south. A vast area of sand dunes, the Erg Chech, lies to the west, while a large rocky plateau, the Tademaït, lies to the east.
Climate
Adrar has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classificationBWh), with long, hot summers and short, warm winters, and averages just 15 millimetres (0.59 in) of rainfall per year. Summer temperatures are consistently high as they commonly approach 46°C (114 °F). temperatures at night are still hot at around 27 °C (81 °F). Even in early May or in late August, daytime temperatures can rise to 48 °C (118 °F). Winter nights can be chilly and frost is by no means unknown but the days are pleasantly warm, sunny and dry.[5] During the summer, the Sahara region of Algeria is the source of a scorching, sometimes dusty and southerly wind called the Sirocco. These winds parch the plateaus of northern Algeria up to 40 days and reach the Tell coastal region for as many as 20 days.[6]
The settlement in the region (also known as Touat) is quite ancient and the area provides for several different cultures and includes several historic monuments. This intermingling gave birth to a body of traditions and of cultural and hand-crafted practices that are still present today in the life of its inhabitants, translating into a wealth of the folklore and cultural heritage.[vague]
9.2% of the population has a tertiary education, and another 19.8% has completed secondary education.[11] The overall literacy rate is 84.1%, and is 89.9% among males and 78.1% among females (the second highest among all the communes in the province).[12]
^"Klimatafel von Adrar / Algerien"(PDF). Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved 21 October 2016.