Béjaïa
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2008-06-05T16:54:06Z
Robertg9
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/* History */ additional text & reference
{{ Infobox City
| official_name = Béjaïa
| nickname = Bougie
| image_skyline =
| image_flag =
| image_seal = Coa Bejaia.png
| image_map = Algeria-Bejaia.png
| mapsize = 175px
| map_caption = Location of Béjaïa within [[Algeria]]
| subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]]
| subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Algeria|Province]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Béjaïa Province]]
| subdivision_name = [[Algeria]]
| leader_title = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name = Hannache Tahar ([[2008]]-[[2012]])
| area_note =
| area_magnitude =
| area_total_km2 = 3268.26
| area_land_km2 =
| area_water_km2 =
| population_as_of = [[1998]]
| population_note =
| population_total = 147076
| area_urban_km2 =
| population_metro =
| area_metro_km2 =
| area_metro_sq_mi =
| population_density_sq_mi =
| population_density_km2 = 1303
| timezone = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset = +1
| elevation_m =
| elevation_ft =
| website =
| established_title =
| established_date =
| footnotes =
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}}
'''Béjaïa''' or '''Bougie''' ([[Kabyle language|Kabyle]] '''Bgayet''' or [[Tifinagh]]: [[Image:Béjaïa in Tifinagh.svg]], pronounced /{{IPA|β'gajəθ}}) in [[Algerian Arabic]]) is a [[Mediterranean]] [[seaport|port]] on the Gulf of Béjaïa, capital of [[Béjaïa Province]], northern [[Algeria]]. Under [[French colonial empires|French rule]], it was formerly known under various European names, such as ''Budschaja'' in German, ''Bugia'' in Italian, and ''Bougie'' /{{IPA|bu'ʒi}}/ (both of which are words for 'candle'). Béjaïa is the largest city in [[Kabylie|Kabylia]] after [[Tizi Ouzou]], and one of the largest principally [[Kabyle language|Kabylophone]] city.
== Demography ==
[[Image:Béjaïa Coat of Arms.svg|left|thumb|Former lesser [[Coat of arms]]]]
The population of the city in [[2005]] was 187,076, while the population of the whole [[wilaya]] (province) was 905,000. <ref>http://www.wbejaia.gov.dz/population.htm</ref>
== Economy ==
The northern terminus of the [[Hassi Messaoud]] oil pipeline from the Sahara, Béjaïa is the principal [[oil]] port of the Western Mediterranean. Exports, aside from crude petroleum, include [[iron]], [[phosphate]]s, [[wine]]s, dried [[fig]]s, and [[plum]]s. The city also has [[textile]] and [[cork (material)|cork]] industries.
== History ==
A minor port in [[Carthaginian]] and [[Roman Empire|Roman]] times, Béjaïa was the Roman ''Saldae'', a veteran colony founded by emperor [[Vespasian]] of great importance in the province of [[Mauretania Caesariensis]], later in the fraction [[Sitifensis]].
In the second or third century AD, Gaius Cornelius Peregrinus, a ''decurion'' (town councillor) from Saldae was a ''tribunus'' (military commander) of the auxiliary garrison at [[Alauna_%28Maryport%29|Alauna Carvetiorum]] in northern Britain. An altar dedicated to him was discovered shortly before 1587 in the north-west corner of the fort, where it had probably been re-used in a late-Roman building ([http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pe_prb/a/altar.aspx source]).
It became the capital of the short-lived African kingdom of the Germanic [[Vandals]] (founded in 429-430), which was wiped out circa 533 by the Byzantines who established the African prefecture and later the [[Exarchate of Carthage]]. It had disappeared but was refounded by the [[Berber people|Berber]] [[Hammadid]] dynasty (whose capital it became) in the [[11th century]], and became an important port and cultural center. As a principal town of the Hammadid leader, Emir En Nasser, Bajaia flourished and was renamed En Nassria. En Nasser's son, el Mansour, built an impressive palace inside the fortifications constructed by his father. The Hammadid Empire fell in [[1152]], when the [[Almohad]] ruler,
Abd el Moumen, invaded from [[Morocco]].<ref name=hugh/> The son of a Pisan merchant (and probably consul), posthumously known as [[Fibonacci]], there learned under the Almohad dynasty about [[Hindu-Arabic numerals|Arabic numerals]], and introduced them and modern mathematics into feudal Europe.
In the [[13th century]] Bajaia was acquired by the [[Hafsid]] Empire when the dynasty took control
of [[Tunis]]. Pirates were active along the [[Barbary Coast]] starting in the [[16th century]].<ref name=hugh>''Bejaia & the Corniche [[Kabyle]]'', Morocco, Algeria & [[Tunisia]]: a travel survival kit'', Geoff Crowther & Hugh Finlay, [[Lonely Planet]], 2nd Edition, April [[1992]], p. 292.</ref>
After a [[Spain|Spanish]] occupation ([[1510]]–[[1555|55]]), the city was taken by the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Turks]]. Until it was captured by the [[France|French]] in [[1833]], Bejaïa was a stronghold of the Barbary pirates (see [[Barbary States]]).
It was Christianized in the 5th century, became officially [[Arian]] under the [[Vandals]], and then Muslim under the Berbers.
City landmarks include a 16th-century mosque and a ''casbah'' (fortress) built by the Spanish in [[1545]].
In the museum of Bejaïa can be seen a picture of Orientalist painter [[Maurice Boitel]], who painted in the city for a while.
The town is overlooked by the mountain ''Yemma Gouraya'', whose profile is said to resemble a sleeping woman; other nearby scenic spots include the ''Pic des Singes'' (Monkey Peak) and the ''Aiguades'' beach. All three are contained in the ''Gouraya National Park''. The ''Soummam'' river runs past the town.
== Friendly relationship ==
Béjaïa has an official friendly relationship (''protocole d'amitié'') with: <ref>[http://www.mairie-brest.fr/brest/jumelages.htm Les jumelages de Brest<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Brest, France|Brest]], [[France]] ([[1995]])
== References ==
<references/>
==External links==
* {{fr icon}} [http://www.bgayet.net Bgayet.Net]
** {{fr icon}} [http://www.bgayet.net/histoire/Introduction-historique.html History of Béjaïa]
* [[Catholic Encyclopaedia]] - various entries
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=bejaia+algeria&sll=48.392887,-4.479418&sspn=0.050724,0.123596&ie=UTF8&z=13&ll=36.74026,5.07122&spn=0.061215,0.173035&t=k&om=1 Google map of Béjaïa]
{{Province seats of Algeria}}
{{coor title dm|36|45|N|5|04|E|type:city}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bejaia}}
[[Category:Béjaïa Province]]
[[Category:Kabylie]]
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Algeria]]
[[ar:بجاية]]
[[de:Bejaia]]
[[es:Bugía]]
[[fr:Béjaïa]]
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[[lt:Bedžaja]]
[[mk:Беџаја]]
[[nl:Béjaïa (stad)]]
[[ja:ベジャイア]]
[[no:Béjaïa]]
[[pl:Bidżaja (miasto)]]
[[pt:Bugia]]
[[ro:Bejaia]]
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[[kab:Bgayet]]
[[zh:贝贾亚]]