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Quick answerAnnaba is a city in Algeria, with 464,740 people inside the city limits in 2019. The wider metropolitan area had about 1.0 million people in 2019. It is best known for the Basilica of St. Augustine, the Hippo Regius ruins and the Port of Annaba. Its official languages are Arabic and Amazigh, and its currency is the Algerian dinar.
Annaba is a seaport city in north-eastern Algeria, near the border with Tunisia, with about 465,000 people (2019) and about 1 million in the metropolitan area. It is the leading industrial centre of eastern Algeria.
Key facts
| Country | Algeria |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 464,740 (2019) |
| Population (metro) | 1,000,000 (2019) · Annaba metropolitan area, 2019 |
| Elevation | 3 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Africa/Algiers |
| Language | Arabic, Amazigh |
| Currency | Algerian dinar (DZD, د.ج) |
| Coordinates | 36.9° N, 7.767° E |
Overview
Annaba is a seaport city in the north-eastern corner of Algeria, close to the border with Tunisia, near the small Seybouse River. The city had 464,740 people in 2019, and the metropolitan area about 1 million, including the nearby cities of El Bouni, El Hadjar and Sidi Amar. It is the capital of Annaba Province and sits only 3 metres above sea level, with the Edough Massif rising behind it.
Present-day Annaba grew on the site of Hippo Regius, the Roman city where Saint Augustine was bishop from 396 until his death in 430. The city was destroyed by the Vandals, then ruled by Byzantines and Arab dynasties, and from 1533 by the Ottoman Empire. France took it in 1832 and called it Bône. The port was built in the 1860s to ship iron ore from the Mokta el Hadid mine, the first railway in Algeria, and the town grew from about 10,000 people to more than 40,000 by 1924.
Today Annaba is the leading industrial centre in Algeria, with steel works at El Hadjar, and much of eastern and southern Algeria uses its services, equipment and infrastructure. Its port, airport and rail links make it the transport hub of the east, and its beaches and the Basilica of St. Augustine draw visitors. The city is nicknamed the Pearl of the East.
What Annaba is known for
- Basilica of St. Augustine
- Hippo Regius ruins
- Port of Annaba
- Seraïdi
- Edough Massif
- Pearl of the East
Landmarks
- Basilica of St. Augustine
- Hippo Regius ruins
- Annaba Town Hall
- Seraïdi
- Edough Massif
- Seybouse River
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Annaba?
About 465,000 people live in Annaba (464,740 in 2019), and the metropolitan area had about 1 million people. That makes Annaba one of the largest cities in Algeria and the leading industrial centre of the east. Its metropolitan area includes the nearby cities of El Bouni, El Hadjar and Sidi Amar.
What is Annaba famous for?
Annaba is famous as the leading industrial centre of eastern Algeria, with its steel works at El Hadjar and its large seaport. It is known for the Basilica of St. Augustine, built above the ruins of Hippo Regius, where Saint Augustine was bishop, and for its beaches and the Edough Massif behind the city.
Where is Annaba located?
Annaba is a seaport city in the north-eastern corner of Algeria, close to the border with Tunisia. It stands near the small Seybouse River and is the capital of Annaba Province. Its coordinates are 36.90° N, 7.77° E, and its time zone is Central European Time.
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Keep exploring
- Algeria — the country Annaba is in
- Algiers — another city in Algeria
- Oran — another city in Algeria
- Constantine — another city in Algeria
- All cities in Algeria
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.