Dar El Beïda
Dar El Beïda
الدار البيضاء ⴷⴰⵔ ⵍⴱⴻⵢⴷⴰ | |
|---|---|
Center Of Dar El Beïda | |
Location of the municipality within Algiers Province | |
Dar El Beïda Location in Algeria | |
| Coordinates: 36°42′51″N 3°12′45″E / 36.714256°N 3.212385°E | |
| Country | Algeria |
| Province | Algiers |
| District | Dar El Beïda District |
| Area | |
• Total | 32 km2 (12 sq mi) |
| Population (2008) | |
• Total | 81,509 |
| • Density | 2,500/km2 (6,600/sq mi) |
| Postal code | 16033 |
Dar El Beïda (Arabic: الدار البيضاء; Tifinagh: ⴷⴰⵔ ⵍⴱⴻⵢⴷⴰ) is a municipality and the seat of the eponymous district, in Algiers Province. It is located in the eastern suburbs of the capital, approximately 16 kilometers from Algiers city center, and lies at a crossroads linking the capital to the eastern and southern regions of the country.
Historically, the settlement dates back to the 1840s, when it served as a stagecoach relay known as "Maison-Blanche" (White House) named after a whitewashed wooden building. Designated as a settlement center in 1851, it became an independent municipality in 1882, and gained new importance in 1936 with the development of commercial aviation. During World War II, the town played a significant role with the Anglo-American landings of Operation Torch in November 1942, and later served as an air and logistics base for the Allied forces.
Today, Dar El Beïda has become a major financial and commercial hub, ranking among the municipalities with the highest budgetary resources nationally. It is home to Houari Boumediene Airport, the country's main international airport, and acts as a major transport hub connecting highway networks, railways, and future extensions of the Algiers Metro. Its economy is driven by a large industrial zone housing the headquarters of several major national companies as well as the commercial activity of the El Hamiz neighborhood, thereby reinforcing its role as an economic center and eastern gateway to the capital.
It is bordered by Bordj El Kiffan to the north, Oued Smar and Les Eucalyptus to the south, Rouïba and Hammadi (Boumerdès Province) to the east, and Bab Ezzouar to the west.