Oran

About Oran

Oran is a major coastal city located in the northwest of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria, after the capital, Algiers, because of its population and commercial, industrial and cultural importance. It is 432 km (268 mi) west-southwest from Algiers. The total population of the city was 803,329 in 2008, while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second-largest city in Algeria.

The Arabic name of city is وهران (Wahrān) and the Berber name is ⵡⴰⵀⵔⴰⵏ (Wehṛan). The word Wahran is derived from the Berber expression wa - iharan which translates to place of lions. A locally popular legend tells that in the period around AD 900, there were sightings of Barbary lions in the area. The last two lions were killed on a mountain near Oran, and it became known as la montagne des lions ("The Mountain of Lions").

The hypothesis deriving the city's name from the Libyco-Berber root for "lion" is the most plausible one, linking the name to other place names such as Tiaret, Tahert, and Taher. Two giant lion statues stand in front of Oran's city hall, symbolizing the city.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA. Photography via Wikimedia Commons.