BLIDA, a town of Algeria, in the department of Algiers, 32 m. by railway S.W. from Algiers, on the line to Oran. Pop. (i931) 24,119. It lies surrounded with orchards and gardens, 63o ft. above the sea, at the base of the Atlas, on the south edge of the fertile plain of the Metija, and the right bank of the Wad-el Kebir affluent of the Chiffa, which provides power for large corn mills and several factories, and also supplies the town, with its numerous fountains and irrigated gardens. Blida is surrounded by a wall with six gates, and is further defended by Fort Mimich, on a steep hill left of the river. The present town is French in character and has a flourishing trade, chiefly in oranges and flour. The orange groves contain over 5o,000 trees. In the public gardens is a group of magnificent olive trees. It is one of the pleasantest spots in Algeria. In the vicinity are the villages of Joinville and Montpensier, which owe their origin to military camps established in 1838: and on the road to Medea are the tombs of the marabout Mohammed-el-Kebir, who died in 158o, and his two sons.
Blida, i.e., boleida, diminutive of the Arab word belad, city, occupies the site of a military station in the time of the Romans, but the present town appears to date from the i6th century. A mosque was built by order of Khair-ed-din Bar barossa, and under the Turks the town was of some importance. In 1825 it was nearly destroyed by an earthquake, but was speedily rebuilt. It was not till 1838 that it was finally held by the French, though they had held it eight years before.
Blida is the chief town of a commune of the same name, having (1926) a population of 36,687.