Presentation of the wilaya

The wilaya of Khenchela is an Algerian wilaya located in the east of the country in the Aurès .      

The city is called Khenchela after the daughter of Queen Dihya ( Kahena ). Khenchela is also called Khenshala or Hansala according to the documents. Khen or Hen means dove, bird or hen, and Chela , Shala or Sala means peace. Khenchela means the messenger of peace.               

It is divided into 8 arrondissements and 21 municipalities

GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION (Relief - Climate, etc.) 

The wilaya of Khenchela is located in the east of the country, south-east of Constantine . It is bordered:  

• to the north, by the wilaya of Oum El Bouaghi ; 
• to the south, by the wilaya of El Oued ; 
• to the west, by the wilayas of Batna and Biskra ;   
• to the east, by the wilaya of Tébessa . 

Relief

Its physical structure is very heterogeneous. It is characterized by three distinct natural regions  : 

• The High Plains to the North ; cover 15 % of the territory. It is a region of plains with high water potential which offers great possibilities for agricultural development.  
• The mountainous zone , occupies the central and western parts of the wilaya with 36 % of the territory (the Aures massifs and the Nememchas mountains ).     
• The course steppe and Sahara : that cover the southern half of the province with 49 % of the total area (pastoral region).   

Weather :

The region is characterized by three climates : 

• very harsh climate in winter, moderate in summer in the central mountainous regions.
• moderate climate in winter, hot and dry in summer in the Sahrawi steppes of the south.
• very cold climate in winter, dry in summer in the high steppes in the north.

NATURAL POTENTIALITIES

Forests

The Bouhmama Forest is a forest located in the Aurès region in Algeria , between the wilaya of Batna and the wilaya of Khenchela . It has been the subject of studies by the Algerian Minister of Agriculture concerning biodiversity.  

ECONOMIC POTENTIALITIES

The active population is estimated at 40 % of the total population : 41 % in agriculture, 10 % in industry, 11 % in building work, 38 % in services.      

Agricultural potentials

The area devoted to agriculture or covered with forests represents 89 % of the territory of the wilaya 3 . agriculture is the main economic activity of the wilaya. The arboriculture is predominantly in areas of Highlands and plains 2 .    

Industry

The wilaya has a light weapons factory which depends on the Ministry of Defense, the Khenchela Mechanical Construction Company (ECMK). 

 ECONOMIC, ADMINISTRATIVE AND SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURES

Hydraulic 

This wilaya contains hundreds of natural water sources .   

This wilaya is home to dozens of wadis .  

This wilaya includes the following dams :    

• Babar Dam  .
• Taghrist Dam  .
• Melagou dam .
• Lazrag Dam  .
• Bouhmama dam  .
• Ouldja dam .

Education :  

The wilaya has primary schools, CEMs and high schools

Health

• Ali Boushaba Hospital.
• New hospital.
• Chechar Hospital.
• Kaïs hospital.
• Mohamed Boudiaf Hospital in Ouled Rechache .   

TOURIST ACTIVITIES

The wilaya has several tourist sites  : 

• natural sites ( forests , oases , gorges );  
• Roman and historical ruins (175 sites spread across the municipalities);  
• thermal springs ( Hammam Essalihine , Hammame K'nif), four other thermal springs are not used