Bou Saâda

Bou Saada (Arabic: بو سعادة, bu s‘adah, meaning "place of happiness[1]") is a town and municipality in M'Sila Province, Algeria, situated 245 km south of Algiers. As Arena it was the site of a city and bishopric in Roman Africa, now a Catholic titular see. The municipal population was estimated at 134,000 in 2008. Bou-Saada is located in the southwest of the Hodna region in the Hauts Plateaux, at the feet of the Ouled Naïl Range of the Saharan Atlas. Bou-Saada has traditionally been an important market place producing and selling jewelry, metalwork, carpets and bousaadi knives. There is also a textile mill in town. Even in modern times, Bou-Saada is an important trading post for nomads. There is also some national tourism during winter. Bou-Saada is well-connected with other urban centres by road. M'Sila is 70 km northeast, Biskra is 175 km east, Bordj Bou Arreridj 130 km northeast and Djelfa 120 km southwest. Bou-Saada has two quarters, the old medina (ksar) within the city walls with arched alleyways, and the French town to the south. Surrounding the town are extensive date groves.