Oum El Assel
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Oum El Assel
| official_name =
| native_name = ماﻟﻌﺴﻞ
| native_name_lang = ar
| type = Commune and town
| image_skyline = Oum El Assel - Tindouf ام العسل - تندوف.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption =
| image_shield =
| nickname =
| image_map = DZ - 37 - 02 Oum El Assel.svg
| mapsize = 150px
| map_caption = Location of Oum El Assel commune within Tindouf Province
| pushpin_map = Algeria
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_mapsize = 300
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Oum El Assel within Algeria
| coordinates = {{coord|28|36|45|N|6|58|44|W|region:DZ-37_type:adm3rd|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint =
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Algeria}}
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Tindouf
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Tindouf
| established_title =
| established_date =
| seat_type = District seat
| seat =
| government_footnotes =
| leader_title = PMA Seats
| leader_name = 7
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 =
| leader_title2 =
| leader_name2 =
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 = 88865
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 526
| population_footnotes =
| population_total = 3183
| population_as_of = 2008
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| timezone1 = CET
| utc_offset1 = +01
| postal_code_type = Postal code
| postal_code = 37010
| area_code_type =
| area_code =
| blank_name_sec1 = ONS code
| blank_info_sec1 = 3702
| website =
| footnotes =
}}
Oum El Assel (Arabic: أم العسل, lit. mother of the honey) is a town and commune in the district and province of Tindouf, Algeria. At the 2008 census it had a population of 3,183,{{cite web|title=Population: Béchar Wilaya|url=http://www.ons.dz/collections/w37_p1.pdf|publisher=Office National des Statistiques Algérie|accessdate=11 February 2013|language=French}} up from 1,794 in 1998,{{cite web|title=Algeria Communes|url=http://www.statoids.com/ydz.html|publisher=Statoids|accessdate=8 March 2013}} and an annual population growth rate of 6.0%. It is the least populated, largest, and least densely populated of the two communes which form the province (the other one being Tindouf). The town of Oum El Assel is located on the southern side of the N50 national highway {{convert|150|km|mi}} northeast of Tindouf.
Climate
{{See also|Tindouf#Climate|label 1 = Climate of Tindouf}}
Oum El Assel has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh), with very hot summers and mild winters. Rainfall is light and sporadic, and summers are particularly dry.
Economy
One of its villages, Hassi Mounir, is one of the country's projects to introduce solar energy in Algeria, and has 42 houses connected to solar energy.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mem-algeria.org/enr/solar_energy/the_prest_20_solar_vil.htm|title=Presentation on the 20 solar villages in the South of Algeria|accessdate=2007-11-05}} The natural resources of the municipality (travertine, sand, and clay, among others) are still unexploited due to the existence of a large hamada (rock desert) in the region. There are projects for the creation of a glass factory, a freestone factory, and for a factory specialized in processing limestone products.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ansej.org.dz/Wilayate%5CTINDOUF.htm|title=TINDOUF|publisher=Ansej|accessdate=2007-11-05 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080115130256/http://www.ansej.org.dz/Wilayate/TINDOUF.htm |archivedate = 2008-01-15}}
Education
2.4% of the population has a tertiary education, and another 13.1% has completed secondary education.{{cite web|title=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.|url=http://www.ons.dz/collections/w30_p6.pdf|publisher=Office National des Statistiques Algérie|accessdate=13 February 2013|language=French}} The overall literacy rate is 82.5%, and is 91.1% among males and 73.5% among females.{{cite web|title=Taux d'analphabétisme et taux d'alphabétisation de la population âgée de 15 ans et plus, selon le sexe et la commune de résidence .|url=http://www.ons.dz/collections/w30_p10.pdf|publisher=Office National des Statistiques Algérie|accessdate=13 February 2013|language=French}}
Localities
- Oum El Assel
- Hassi Mounir
- Hassi Khébi
- Bou Bernous
- Bouagba
- Fort Lofti
The military base of Tinfouchy also lies within the commune.
References
{{Portal|Algeria}}
{{Reflist}}
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{{Geographic location
|Centre = Oum El Assel
|North = Foum Zguid (Morocco)
|Northeast = Béchar
Tabelbala (Béchar)
Hassi Khébi
|Southeast = Bou Bernous
|South = Garet Djebilet
|Southwest = Tindouf
|Northwest = Hassi Mounir
}}
{{Tindouf Province}}