Oran

Home > ... > Places > Africa > Algerian Political Geography > ...

Oran

The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition | 2008 | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Oran , city (1998 pop. 692,516), capital of Oran prov., NW Algeria, a port on the Gulf of Oran of the Mediterranean Sea. One of the country's leading ports, it ships wheat, wine, alcohol, vegetables, meat, wool, cigarettes, and iron ore. The city, surrounded by vineyards and market gardens, is a commercial, industrial, and financial center. Oran is divided into a modern, French-style section and an old Spanish-type quarter with a casbah (fortress). Its frequently visited 18th-century mosque was bombed in 1995 by Islamist militants who objected to the adoration of saints, a practice forbidden by Islam.

The site of modern Oran has been inhabited since prehistoric times, but the city's founding is generally attributed to Moorish Andalusian traders in the 10th cent. Oran's subsequent prosperity, based on commerce, was interrupted when the Moors began to engage in piracy, thus provoking reprisals from Spain. Spanish forces captured and fortified the city in 1509 and held it until the Turks arrived in 1708. Spain recovered Oran in 1732. The city was successfully besieged (1791) by the district governor of Mascara and was made a provincial capital of the Ottoman Empire.

French troops captured Oran in 1831 and began to develop it as a naval base, along with nearby Mers-el-Kebir . The building of the port and the construction of railroads linking Oran with the interior made the city the economic capital of W Algeria in the late 19th cent. Oran, held by Vichy France during World War II, fell to the Allied forces in Nov., 1942. Civil strife ravaged the city in the late 1950s; the French terrorist OAS (Secret Army Organization) and the Algerian nationalist FLN (Front for National Liberation) perpetrated violence against civilians. There followed a general exodus of the European population, which had been the largest, proportionally, of any North African city. The city provided the setting for Albert Camus's novel The Plague.

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1E1-Oran" title="Facts and information about Oran">Oran</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"Oran." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 9 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Oran." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (December 9, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Oran.html

"Oran." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Retrieved December 09, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Oran.html

Learn more about citation styles

Oran

World Encyclopedia | 2005 | © World Encyclopedia 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Oran (Wahran) City and seaport on the Gulf of Oran, nw Algeria. Founded in the 10th century, it was taken by Spain from its Arab rulers in 1509. Captured by Ottoman Turks in 1708, it was retaken by Spain in 1732. Under French rule from 1831 to 1962, it developed as a naval base. It is Algeria's second-largest city. Industries: iron ore, textiles, chemicals, cereals, wine, fruit. Pop. (1994) 692,516.

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O142-Oran" title="Facts and information about Oran">Oran</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"Oran." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 9 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Oran." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (December 9, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Oran.html

"Oran." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved December 09, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Oran.html

Learn more about citation styles

Oran

Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names | 2005 | | © Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names 2005, originally published by Oxford University Press 2005. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

Oran, Algeria Portus Divinus, Wahrān, Ouahran Founded in 903 by Muslims as a port for trade with the hinterland on the site of a Roman settlement called ‘Divine Port’. The present name is derived from Wahrān, the name of a medieval Berber chief. After rule by the Spanish and Ottoman Turks it passed to the French in 1831 who held it until Algerian independence in 1962.

Hide all research tools
Print this article Print all entries for this topic Cite this article Link to this article
Link to this article

CloseClose

Create a link to this page

Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:

<a href="http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/.aspx#1O209-Oran" title="Facts and information about Oran">Oran</a>

Add this article to Del.icio.usBookmark this article on DiigoShare this article on FacebookSubmit this article to RedditGive this article a thumbs-up on StumbleUpon
Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Oran." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. Oxford University Press. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 9 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Oran." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. Oxford University Press. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (December 9, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Oran.html

JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Oran." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. Oxford University Press. 2005. Retrieved December 09, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Oran.html

Learn more about citation styles

Facts and information from other sites

Related articles from newspapers, magazines, and more

ORAN CHURCH BUILDS FUTURE ON SOLID FOUNDATION.(SERIES: Neighborhoods)(Local)(Column)
Newspaper article from: The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY); 1/17/2002; 700+ words ; ...NEIGHBORHOODS "There's been a church in Oran since 1805; our church went up in 1851...re sitting in the Fellowship Hall of Oran Community Church on Route 92, the old...Pompey. We're talking about the steeple. Oran's church is a landmark hereabouts. Likewise...
Elaine S. Oran, Ph.D. Honored with the Society of Women Engineers' Highest Honor.
Business Wire; 10/11/2006; 700+ words ; Dr. Oran recognized at Society's national conference...Engineers (SWE) today announced Elaine S. Oran, Ph.D. the recipient of the 2006 SWE...AwardCothe Society's highest honor. Dr. Oran is being recognized for pioneering a computational...
ALMOST 83, TRAINER JOHN ORAN STILL LOVES THE HORSES
Newspaper article from: Evansville Courier & Press (2007-Current); 8/29/2007; ; 700+ words ; ...is an early happy birthday wish to John Oran. On Sept. 6, Ellis Park's oldest active...happy times for him. Ever a fighter, Oran overcame prostate cancer in 1984 and again...he has made new acquaintances. Once Oran thought about getting out of racing. But...
The Oran Group chooses REgenerist and an integrated Microsoft software solution; Investment continues in REgenerist from leading UK waste and recycling organisations.
M2 Presswire; 11/10/2006; 700+ words ; ...10 November 2006-CEDILLA SYSTEMS: The Oran Group chooses REgenerist and an integrated...COMMUNICATIONS LTD RDATE:10112006 The Oran Group, one of the UK's leading waste...software specialists cedilla Systems. The Oran Group is investing in an integrated software...
ORAN COMMUNITY CHURCH READY FOR BICENTENNIAL; MONTH OF JUNE WILL MARK ANNIVERSARY WITH A VARIETY OF EVENTS.(Neighbors East)
Newspaper article from: The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY); 5/26/2005; 700+ words ; Byline: Mike Fish Staff writer Oran Community Church, which is celebrating...the church is now located on Route 92 at Oran Delphi Road, in the town of Pompey. The...picnic: From 3 to 6 p.m. June 5. The Oran Church baseball team will play a team from...
Omagh Pain and Hope: Heartbreak continues for bereaved of Buncrana; Everyone says time is a great healer - but try telling that to Buncrana mother, Bernie Doherty, whose 8 year-old son, Oran, was one of the victims of the Omagh bomb.(Features)
Newspaper article from: The News Letter (Belfast, Northern Ireland); 8/13/1999; ; 700+ words ; ...the day after. I really, really miss Oran and nothing is going to change that...card from a young Omagh girl who came upon Oran within 10 minutes of the explosion. She...Bernie says she will always regret letting Oran go on the ill-fated trip to Omagh...
Backgrounder: Oran, bustling commercial port city in northwestern Algeria
News Wire article from: Xinhua News Agency; 12/16/2008; 352 words ; Backgrounder: Oran, bustling commercial port city in northwestern Algeria Backgrounder: Oran, bustling commercial port city in northwestern Algeria ORAN, Algeria, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- OPEC is to hold its 151st extraordinary ministerial...
Oran brings winning tradition into semis.
Newspaper article from: Sedalia Democrat (Sedalia, MO); 5/30/2006; 700+ words ; ...Class 1 semifinals. The Gremlins will play Oran at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Taylor Stadium...Just because of their experience, (Oran) is one of the best teams year in, year...the final four in the past nine years. Oran (25-4) beat Cooter 14-4 in five innings...
Oran Good 5 is more than good--it's great.(field of the year)(Cover Story)
Magazine article from: SportsTURF; 2/1/2004; ; 700+ words ; Designated simply as Oran Good 5, the fifth field of the Oran Good softball complex is a softball field truly worthy of...honors in the High School/Parks and Recreation division. Oran Good 5 is the championship level softball field of the City...
Oran fans hope Laurels history will not repeat.(Sports)
Newspaper article from: The Racing Post (London, England); 10/16/2009; 700+ words ; ...in the Laurels. Move on a year, and substitute Oran Classic for Slip The Lark. Oran Classic looked uncatchable in the final of the Irish...interesting scenario, but the evidence to date is that if Oran Classic manages to lead to the bend, he will lift...

Pictures from Google Image Search

Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture

For students and teachers!

Encyclopedia.com provides students and teachers facts, information, and biographies from verified, citable sources, including:

Encyclopedia.com provides students and teachers facts, information, and biographies from verified, citable sources, including:

Popular on Newser: