City (pop., 1998: 692,516), northwestern Algeria.
Situated on the Mediterranean Sea, it is about midway between Tangier , Morocco, and Algiers . With the adjacent Mers el-Kebir, it is the country's second largest port. Founded in the 10th century by Andalusians as a base for trade with the northern African hinterland, it was held by the Spanish until 1708, when it fell to the Ottomans. It was devastated by an earthquake in 1790. In 1792 the Ottomans settled a Jewish community there. In 1831 it was occupied by the French, who established a modern port and naval base. In World War II (1939–45) it came under the control of the Allied Powers. Most of its European inhabitants left after Algerian independence in 1962. It is divided into a waterfront and the old and new city sections built on terraces above it.