Béchar

Town in western Algeria, capital of Saoura province, 60 km/37 mi south of the Moroccan border; population (1998 est) 150,500. The town is named after Mount Béchar and lies in the northern Sahara, at the junction of trans-Saharan routes. There is also an airport and the southern terminus of the railway from the commercial city of Oran. Surrounded by palm groves, Béchar is a trading centre for crops of the local area, including dates, cereals, almonds and figs, and is also noted for its leatherwork and jewellery. 5 km/3 mi to the south is the newer satellite town of Béchar Djedid, built to provide housing for mine workers of the nearby Kenadsa coalfields.