ORAN' (Arab. Waran), n thriving municipal t. and sea-port of Algeria, capital of the province of the same name, stands at the inner extremity of the gulf of Oran, 220 m.
w.s.w. of Algiers. The province of Oran, sometimes called the province of the west, from the fact of its forming the western frontier of the country, is bounded on the n. by the Mediterranean, on the e. by the province of Algiers, on the w. by the empire of Morocco, and on the s. by the desert. Area about 100,000 sq.m., of which 13,514 belong to the Tell (q.v.), and a large portion to the Sahara. Pop. '72, 513,492. four-fifths of whom were Arabs. The town of Oran is the seat of the government offices—the pre fecture, the civil. criminal, commercial tribunals, etc. It also contains a college, prim ary and native schools, Protestant and other churches; synagogues; mosques; a branch of the bank of Algeria; exchequer, post, and telegraph offices; three great barracks, St. Philippe, le Chateau-Neuf, and le Chateau-Vieux; a military hospital, with aceommoda: tion for 1400 beds (an immense new building, which overtops all surrounding edifices), and various splendidly appointed magazines and government stores. The town, which is girt by walls, and defended by strongly armed forts, is seated at the foot of a high mountain, crowned by the forts Santa-Cruz and Saint-Gregoire. The port does not offer safe anchorage; although it has been much improved within recent years. Large vessels, however, have still to find shelter in the roadstead of Mers-el-Kebir, 3 m. distant. The streets and promenades of Oran are generally spacious, the houses elegant and airy. The principal edifices are the Chateau-Neuf, the residence of the general of division; the Hotel de la Prefecture; the great mosque de Is ltue Philippe; the Catholic church; and the barracks. Pop. of commune, comprising the three suburbs, Mers.el-Kebir, La
Senia, and AM-el-Turk, '72, 40,674. The country in the vicinity is bare and arid, although the land is not sterile. To the s. of the town the country is uncultivated; but towards the s.e., highly cultivated lands are seen. In the vicinity there are a great many farms, cultivated with the greatest care, and most of them furnished with build ings necessary to their efficiency. Cattle are reared, and grain, tobacco, and cotton are grown. The vine already covers large tracts of land, and its cultivation is annually extending, It is cultivated with the most complete success, and the wines are of good quality.
Besides the commune of Ofan, there are in the province the communes of Sidi-bel Abbes (q.v.), of Mostaganem (pop. 11,950), of Mascara (pop. 8,629), and of Tlemcen (q.v.) The town of Oran was built by the Moors. It was taken by the Spaniards in 1509; bythe Turks in 1708, and again by the Spaniards in 1732. In 1791 it was destroyed by an earthquake, and shortly after it was altogether abandoned by the Spaniards. Oran was taken by the French in 1831, has since remained in their hands, and has by them been developed into a large and prosperous town. Vessels with an aggregate tonnage of 65,000 tons enter and clear the port yearly. The annual imports amount to about £1,307,700, and the exports to £260,990. A bishopric was established at Oran in the year 1867.