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Saharan region of Algeria
Photo: Paebi, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Saharan Algeria is the vast desert — dotted with oases — in the south of the country.
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France, the fourth country to produce a nuclear weapon conducted some of their early tests in Sahara as much of Western Africa still was a French colony into the 1960s. On May 1, 1962 an underground test at In Eker went wrong and observers including soldiers and government officials were exposed to radiation. If you happen to drive north-south across Sahara along the road from Algiers to Tamanrasset, you will pass right next to the area.
By car
The Trans-Sahara Highway is the main route from Algiers to Tamanrasset.
By car
Unless you have experience driving in harsh conditions, it's not wise to get around the region by car.
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In Salah · Regional · INZ
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the largest town in Saharan Algeria; the main entry point for those wishing to explore the vast region
an oasis city with a huge Tuareg population
El Goléa is a city in Saharan Algeria.
M'zab is a limestone plateau in Saharan Algeria and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its collection of desert fortress-cities is exotic to the point of surrealism.
Ouargla is a city in Saharan Algeria and a hub for the country's petroleum industry. The population of the urban area was just under 200,000 in 2008.
Reggane (Arabic: رقان) is a city in Adrar, Saharan Algeria.
one of the smallest towns in all of Algeria, known for its red ochre buildings
border town in the southwest, with a large Sahrawi population that escaped the conflict in nearby Western Sahara
Algeria's southernmost city and a border town connecting Algeria and Niger
a border town connecting Algeria and Mali
Touggourt (Arabic: ﺗﻗﺮت or تڤرت) is an oasis city in Saharan Algeria. Touggourt is notable for its date palms.
a valley with extraordinary, singular architecture; a UNESCO World Heritage site
a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Articles and travel topics about Saharan Algeria and Algeria.
Culture & historyIslam is one of the world's most important religions, second only to Christianity in number of adherents. Its followers are called Muslims and their houses of worship, mosques.
Wikivoyage
Nature & adventureAs of 2023 the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves is made up of 738 reserves in 134 countries of which 22 are transboundary.
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Travel tipsAirfares can be cheaper when booked from the European capital that has a strong colonial link to your destination, which typically means from Brussels, Lisbon, London, and Paris.
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Culture & historyOld towns in Africa outlines a list of notable old towns in Africa. Most old towns in North and East Africa have an Arabic (or at least Islamic) heritage, but some have an even earlier history.
Wikivoyage
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