Tamanrasset

Tamanrasset تمنراست / ⵜⵎⵏⵘⵙⵜ
city
Tamanrasset street
Location of Tamanrasset commune within Tamanrasset Province
Tamanrasset Location of Tamanrasset within Algeria
Coordinates: 22°47′20″N 5°31′32″E / 22.78889°N 5.52556°E / 22.78889; 5.52556Coordinates: 22°47′20″N 5°31′32″E / 22.78889°N 5.52556°E / 22.78889; 5.52556
Country	Algeria
Province	Tamanrasset Province
District	Tamanrasset District
Area
• Total	37,713 km2 (14,561 sq mi)
Elevation	1,320 m (4,330 ft)
Population (2008)
• Total	92,635
• Density	2/km2 (5/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
Postal code	11000
Area code(s)	(+213) 29
PMA seats (as of 2007)	11
ONS code	1101

Tamanrasset /tæmᵻnræsᵻt/ (Arabic: تمنراست , also known as Tamenɣest, Tamanghasset or Tamenghest, Tuareg: ⵜⵎⵏⵘⵙⵜ ) is an oasis city and capital of Tamanrasset Province in southern Algeria, in the Ahaggar Mountains. It is the chief city of the Algerian Tuareg. It is located an altitude of 1,320 metres (4,330 ft). As of the 2008 census, it has a population of 92,635, up from 72,741 in 1998, with an annual growth rate of 2.5%.

Tamanrasset was originally established as a military outpost to guard the trans-Saharan trade routes. Surrounded by the barren Sahara Desert, very high temperatures of over 47 °C (117 °F) have been recorded here. Tamanrasset is located at an oasis where, despite the difficult climate, citrus fruits, apricots, dates, almonds, cereals, corn, and figs are grown. The Tuareg people are the town's main inhabitants. Tamanrasset is a tourist attraction during the cooler months. Visitors are also drawn to the Museum of the Hoggar, which offers many exhibits depicting Tuareg life and culture.

The city is served by Tamanrasset Airport and the Trans-Sahara Highway.

Tamanrasset originated as the centre of a network of camel caravan trading routes from Kano, Lake Chad, Gao, Agades and Zinder. When Algeria was under French rule the town was established as a military post, originally named Fort Laperrine, after General François-Henry Laperrine who died in the desert nearby.