Bordj Bounaama Explained

Bordj Bou Naama
Official Name:Commune of Bordj Bou Naama
Native Name:بلدية برج بونعامة
Native Name Lang:ar
Type:Municipality
Pushpin Map:Algeria
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of Bordj Bounaama within Algeria
Coordinates:35.85°N 1.6167°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Algeria
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Name2:Bordj Bounaama (seat)
Seat Type:District seat
Leader Title:PMA Seats
Leader Name:11
Unit Pref:Metric
Area Total Km2:63
Elevation M:1098
Population Total:20864
Population As Of:2008
Population Density Km2:auto
Timezone1:CET
Utc Offset1:+1
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:38300
Blank Name Sec1:ONS code
Blank Info Sec1:3801

Bordj Bounaama is a small, mountainous town of about 25,000 inhabitants in the heart of the Ouarsenis mountains in northwestern Algeria. The city is a commune and a daïra of the wilaya of Tissemsilt. It was known as Molière during the French occupation of Algeria (1830–1962), and then as Beni Hendel until 1975. The city is elevated 1098 m above sea level and is attached to Sid Aamar (le Grand Pic) of the Ouarsenis mountains, which rises to 1985 m.

After independence from France, the city held the name Beni Hendel, which was a Berber tribe living in the area several centuries ago. After 1975 the city took its current name, Bordj Bounaama, in memorial to the martyr Si M'hamed Bounaama (also known as Djilali Bounaama) who was born in the city in 1926, and who was the head of the fourth region during the Algerian War of Independence against the French Army (1954–1962) before being killed in Blida on August 8, 1961.

Bordj Bounaama was part of the Departement d'Oran during the French occupation, before joining Al-Asnam (now Chlef) after independence. With the change of name in 1975, it joined the wilaya of Tiaret, before becoming part of the wilaya of Tissemsilt created during administrative redistribution in 1984.