Biskra

Featured view

Biskra

Total population

205,608

Elevation87 m

Land area127.55 km²

Coordinates34.85°, 5.73°

Demographic figures from Office National des Statistiques (Algeria). Overview below cites Wikipedia and may reference a different year.

City facts

Facts from Wikidata (CC0).

Overview

Biskra is the capital city of Biskra Province, Algeria. In 2007, its population was recorded as 307,987. Biskra is located in northeastern Algeria, about 248 miles (399 km) from Algiers, 71 miles (114 km) southwest of Batna and 137 miles (220 km) north of Touggourt. It is nicknamed "The Queen of the Zibans", "The Door of the Desert" or "The Saharan Nice" because of its location at the beginning of the Sahara Desert. Due to its geographical location, its climate and natural resources, particularly farming, Biskra has always been a crossroad between the cities in the north and south. It has seen the passage of several civilizations, from the Romans and the Arabs to the French.

Geography

Coordinates & boundaries from the US Census TIGER/Line shapefiles.

Wildlife & biodiversity

Citizen-science & research observations from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).

Earthquake history

Events from the USGS Earthquake Catalog (global) (FDSN Event Web Service).

Notable people from here

Tayeb EL OKBI

Mohamed Khider

Algerian politician (1912-1967)

A

Adel El Hadi

Algerian footballer

A

Abassi Madani

Algerian politician, the founder of the Islamic Salvation Front (1931–2019)

H

Hamid Grine

Algerian writer and journalist

H

Hassen Bouabdellah

Algerian film director

Marius Maure

French publisher and photographer

Maurice Laban

French politician

M

Mohamed Khobzi

civil servant, France

Nacereddine Khoualed

Algerian footballer

S

Saïd Barkat

Algerian politician

Yvan Touitou

researcher

A

Adel Lakhdari

Algerian footballer

A

Azzedine Benchaïra

Algerian footballer

M

Muḥammad Makkī ibn Muṣṭafá Ibn ʻAzzūz

judge

M

Muhammad Jalab

Algerian politician

People born within ~10 km, from Wikidata (CC0). Click any name for their Wikipedia article.

Nearby places in Biskra

• Chetma
  3.7 mi away · pop. 13,699
• Sidi Khellil
  8.2 mi away
• Droh
  8.4 mi away
• El Hadjeb
  8.5 mi away · pop. 10,126
• Foum El Kharza
  10.6 mi away
• Oumache
  10.9 mi away · pop. 10,336
• Garta
  13 mi away
• M'Lili
  15.7 mi away
• M'Chouneche
  16 mi away
• Bir Labreche
  16.1 mi away
• Ourlal
  18.2 mi away
• Lichana
  18.8 mi away · pop. 9,852

Browse all places in Biskra →

Geography & sun

Elevation, sunrise/sunset and daylight from Open-Meteo. Solar climatology from NASA POWER.

Public attention

Pageview totals from the Wikimedia Pageviews API.

Books about Biskra

Amyntas: Mopsus

André Gide · 1906

De Batna à Biskra

Teddy Alzieu · 2006

Biskra

Frechon J. Émile * · 2023

About Algeria

Charles Thomas-Stanford · 1912

Travel Like a Local - Map of Biskra

Maxwell Fox · 2019

The desert gateway, Biskra and thereabouts

S. H. Leeder · 1912

Search results from Open Library.

Recently spotted species

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rustica

Seen 2026-05-19

nettle-leaved goosefoot

Chenopodiastrum murale

Seen 2026-03-27

Zygophyllum cornutum

Zygophyllum cornutum

Seen 2026-03-27

cheeseweed mallow

Malva parviflora

Seen 2026-03-27

White-crowned Wheatear

Oenanthe leucopyga

Seen 2026-03-27

Reseda decursiva

Reseda decursiva

Seen 2026-03-26

Brocchia cinerea

Brocchia cinerea

Seen 2026-03-26

Fat Sand Rat

Psammomys obesus

Seen 2026-03-26

Algerian Seven-spotted Lady Beetle

Coccinella septempunctata algerica

Seen 2026-03-23

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist (within ~15 mi).

Gallery

Geotagged photos within ~6 miles of Biskra, from Wikimedia Commons contributors.

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Photos via Wikimedia Commons — see each image page for license & attribution.