In Amenas Explained

In Amenas
Native Name:عين أمناس
Native Name Lang:ar
Type:Town and Commune
Mapsize:120px
Pushpin Map:Algeria
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of In Amenas within Algeria
Pushpin Mapsize:270
Coordinates:28.0408°N 9.5431°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Algeria
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Ain Amenas (seat)
Seat Type:District seat
Leader Title:PMA Seats
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Total Km2:14913
Elevation M:549
Population Total:7385
Population As Of:2008
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:CET
Utc Offset1:+01
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:33200
Blank Name Sec1:ONS code
Blank Info Sec1:3306

In Amenas ([1] ‘In ’Amanās) is a town and commune in eastern Algeria, bordering with Libya. The town is located 30km (20miles) west of the border. There is no border crossing in the area. The municipality had 7,385 inhabitants in 2008,[2] up from 5.302 in 1998,[3] with an annual growth rate of 3.4%[2] According to the Algerian novelist Mouloud Mammeri the name is a Tuareg word which means "place of camel drivers."[4] [5]

The natural gas facility near the municipality was attacked by Islamist militants in January 2013.[6]

Climate

In Amenas has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh). Summers are long and very hot with average high temperatures over 40 °C (104 °F) during June, July and August. Winters remain warm and brief at daytime but nights can be quite cold, with average low temperatures below 4 °C (39.2 °F) during January, the coolest month of the year. In Amenas averages annual rainfall of only 23.2 mm (0.91 in) as the town is located within the large central hyperarid core of the Sahara Desert. The sky is always clear over In Amenas throughout the year and the relative humidity is very low, especially during summer months.

Transport

It is served by In Amenas Airport[7] with Air Algérie flights to Algiers, Hassi Messaoud, Oran and Ouargla and Tassili Airlines flights to Adrar, El Golea, El Oued, In Salah, Tébessa and Touggourt.

Economy

Natural gas

In Amenas is the starting point of the In Amenas-Haoud El Hamra oil pipeline and the In Amenas-Hassi Messaoud gas pipeline.[8]

The natural gas joint development project (known as the In Amenas Gas Project) which includes four primary gas fields plus the gathering and processing facilities in Tiguentourine, 25km (16miles) outside the town, was commissioned in 2006.[9] The project is operated by Sonatrach, BP, and Statoil.[10] Zarzaitine is one of the notable sites Sonatrach is operating in the area.

History

In January 2013, the Tigantourine gas facility was attacked by Islamist militants. At least 39 foreign hostages, along with an Algerian security guard, were killed when the facility was stormed after a four day stand-off.[11] A total of 685 Algerian workers and 107 foreigners were freed.[12] It was one of many attacks in the Maghreb carried out by Islamist groups since 2002.

Education

7.0% of the population has a tertiary education, and another 16.9% has completed secondary education.[13] The overall literacy rate is 80.0%, and is 85.0% among males and 72.8% among females.[14]

Localities

The commune is composed of eight localities:[15]

References

Neighbouring towns and cities

Notes and References

  1. http://www.joradp.dz/JO2000/2007/002/AP20.pdf Wilaya of Ilizi
  2. Web site: Population: Béchar Wilaya . Office National des Statistiques Algérie . 24 February 2013 . fr . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111113175000/http://www.ons.dz/collections/w33_p1.pdf . 13 November 2011 .
  3. Web site: Algeria Communes. Statoids. 8 March 2013.
  4. Jacqueline Arnaud, Poétiques croisées du Maghreb 1991 Université Paris-Nord. Centre d'études francophones, Jāmiʻat al-Jazāʼir. Equipe de recherches: Sémiologie du texte littéraire et analyse du discours - 1991 commentary on Mouloud Mammeri, La Traversée Page 72 "Il décrit l'oasis d'In Amenas: "Mourad, lui aussi, découvre le village fantôme, d'abord dans le Sahara, et ensuite en Kabylie. Il décrit l'oasis d'In Amenas: In Amenas veut dire en touareg le lieu des méharis. Ce n'était plus qu'une dérision. A la place des méharis ..."
  5. Mildred P. Mortimer Journeys through the French African novel 1990 commentary on Mouloud Mammeri, La Traversée - Page 124 "Tension between the irretrievable past and the impoverished present is presented by the contrast between memories of graceful camels and sights of awkward lumbering trucks: "In Amenas means in Tuareg the gathering place of camel drivers.."
  6. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/17/world/africa/islamists-seize-foreign-hostages-at-algeria-gas-field.html?hp&_r=0 New York Times report on In Aménas hostage crisis
  7. Web site: In Aménas Airport. OurAirports. 17 May 2013.
  8. Web site: North Africa Pipelines map - Crude Oil (petroleum) pipelines - Natural Gas pipelines - Products pipelines . Theodora.com . 2013-01-19.
  9. Andrew Callus: "Desert site is home to kidnapped foreign gas workers" Reuters, 16 January 2013
  10. Maiken Ree for NTB: Statoil-anlegg angrepet i Algerie (in Norwegian) Teknisk Ukeblad, 16 January 2013
  11. News: Algeria details the deaths at In Amenas siege. 15 April 2021. Euronews. 21 January 2013. 24 January 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130124055253/http://www.euronews.com/2013/01/21/algeria-details-the-deaths-at-in-amenas-siege/. dead.
  12. News: Bloody Algeria hostage crisis ends after 'final' assault, officials say. 15 April 2021. CNN. 19 January 2013. Laura Smith-Spark. Joe Sterling.
  13. Web site: Structure relative de la population résidente des ménages ordinaires et collectifs âgée de 6 ans et plus selon le niveau d'instruction et la commune de résidence. . Office National des Statistiques Algérie . 13 February 2013 . fr . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111113185016/http://www.ons.dz/collections/w33_p6.pdf . 13 November 2011 .
  14. Web site: Taux d'analphabétisme et taux d'alphabétisation de la population âgée de 15 ans et plus, selon le sexe et la commune de résidence . . Office National des Statistiques Algérie . 16 May 2013 . fr . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111113193000/http://www.ons.dz/collections/w33_p10.pdf . 13 November 2011 .
  15. Web site: Décret n° 84-365, fixant la composition, la consistance et les limites territoriale des communes. Wilaya d'Illizi . Journal officiel de la République Algérienne . 2 March 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131022151349/http://www.joradp.dz/JO8499/1984/067/FP1554.pdf . 22 October 2013 . 1554 . fr . 19 December 1984 . dead .

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