Timimoun is a town and commune, and capital of Timimoun District, in Timimoun Province, south-central Algeria. According to the 2008 census it has a population of 33,060, up from 28,595 in 1998, with an annual growth rate of 1.5%. Timimoun is known for the red ochre color of its buildings.

Geography

The town of Timimoun lies at an elevation of around 288 m in the Gourara region of southern Timimoun Province. It is located on the south-eastern side of an oasis which supports the town's population. A sebkha (salt lake) lies further to the northwest, while the plateau of Tademaït rises to the southeast.

Climate

Timimoun has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh), with extremely hot summers and warm winters, with minimal rainfall throughout the year. The annual mean temperature almost reaches 25 °C (77 °F).

Transportation

Timimoun lies on the N51 national highway, a road which runs roughly west to east from the N6 (connecting to Béchar in the north and Adrar in the south) to the N1 (connecting from Ghardaïa in the north to In Salah and Tamanrasset in the south). Regional roads also lead south to Aougrout and Deldoul communes, and north to Tinerkouk, Ksar Kaddour and Ouled Said. Timimoun is served by Timimoun Airport, which is about 5 km southeast of the town.

Education

7.0% of the population has a tertiary education, and another 19.3% has completed secondary education. The overall literacy rate is 79.6%, and is 87.5% among males and 71.8% among females.

Carpets

Localities

As of 1984, the commune was composed of 32 localities: