Guelma, Algeria

Capital City

With a population of just 120,004, Guelma is a small Algerian city that lacks the amenities and opportunities of larger urban centers. Though the region is agriculturally fertile, the climate here is hot and dry, with over 550mm of rainfall annually. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as the city only regained formal settlement status in the 19th century after centuries of abandonment. Once a hub for French colonists, Guelma today has a majority Muslim population following the exodus of European and Jewish residents post-independence. This sleepy industrial town is best suited for those seeking a quiet, provincial pace of life in northeast Algeria.