Illizi, Algeria

🇩🇿 Illizi (إيليزي; ⵉⵍⵉⵣⵉ, Ilizi) is a town and commune, coextensive with Illizi District, situated in the south-eastern part of Algeria, and capital of Illizi Province. It is the largest commune by population in the province with an annual population growth rate of 5.5%, the highest in the province. It is one of the gates to the Tassili N'Ajjer National Park with caves situated under the sands containing prehistoric drawings dating from 6000 years BC. There is a hotel and two camping sites, as well as many local tourist agencies.

Transport Illizi lies on the N3 national highway, which leads north to In Amenas and Touggourt and south to Djanet.

The town is served by Takhamalt Airport, with flights to Ghardaïa and Ouargla.

Economy The commune of Illizi includes five villages generating their own solar energy as part of a project to introduce solar energy to Algeria: Tihahiout, Ifni, Imehrou, Oued Semen, and Tamadjert.

Natural resources The area is rich in natural gas. One of the most promising sites for natural gas production is the Ain Tsila gas field in the Isarene permit, some 57% of which is owned by the Irish company Petroceltic International, 18% by the Italian company Enel, and the rest by the Algerian government-owned Sonatrach. Reportedly, Petroceltic's 56.7% is worth between US$800 million and US$1 billion.

Education 8.4% of the population has a tertiary education (the highest rate in the province), and another 15.7% has completed secondary education. The overall literacy rate is 78.1%, and is 85.2% among males and 69.0% among females.

Localities The commune is composed of eight localities: • Centre Ville • Afara • Imehrou • Oued Semen • Aharhar • Tarat • Tamadjert • Fadnoune.