{{Infobox settlement |official_name =Bou Saâda |other_name = |native_name = بو سعادة |nickname = |settlement_type =Commune and town |motto = |image_skyline = Bousaayel.jpg |imagesize = |image_caption = |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |image_map = DZ-28-20 - Bou-Saâda - Wilaya M'Sila.svg |mapsize = 180px |map_caption = |pushpin_map = Algeria |pushpin_label_position =bottom |pushpin_mapsize=300 |pushpin_map_caption = |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name ={{flag|Algeria}} |subdivision_type1 = Province |subdivision_name1 =Bousaâda Province |subdivision_type2 = District |subdivision_name2 = |subdivision_type3 = |subdivision_name3 = |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |established_title = |established_date = |area_magnitude = |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 = 249.34 |area_land_km2 = |population_as_of = 2008 census |population_footnotes = |population_note = |population_total = 111787 |population_density_km2 = auto |timezone = CET |utc_offset = +1 |coordinates = {{coord|35|13|09|N|4|10|54|E|display=inline}} |elevation_footnotes = |elevation_m = 553 |elevation_ft = |postal_code_type = Postal code |postal_code = 28001 |area_code = |blank_name = |blank_info = |website = {{URL|http://bousaada.org/}} |footnotes = }} '''Bou Saada''' ({{langx|ar|بو سعادة}}, ''bu s‘adah'', meaning "place of happiness<ref name=populstat/>") is a town and municipality in Bousaâda Province, Algeria, situated 245 km south of Algiers. As '''Arena''' it was the site of a city and bishopric in Roman Africa, now a Catholic titular see. The municipal population was estimated at 134,000 in 2008.
== Geography == Bou-Saada is located in the southwest of the Hodna region in the Hauts Plateaux, at the feet of the Ouled Naïl Range of the Saharan Atlas.
Bou-Saada has traditionally been an important market place producing and selling jewelry, metalwork, carpets and bousaadi knives. There is also a textile mill in town. Even in modern times, Bou-Saada is an important trading post for nomads. There is also some national tourism during winter. Bou-Saada is well-connected with other urban centres by road. M'Sila is 70 km northeast, Biskra is 175 km east, Bordj Bou Arreridj 130 km northeast and Djelfa 120 km southwest. Bou-Saada has two quarters, the old medina (ksar) within the city walls with arched alleyways, and the French town to the south. Surrounding the town are extensive date groves.
{| class="wikitable" |+ Historical population<ref name=populstat>{{Cite web | title = ALGERIA: urban population | work = populstat.info | access-date = 2016-07-27 | url = http://www.populstat.info/Africa/algeriat.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303175036/http://www.populstat.info/Africa/algeriat.htm | archive-date = 2016-03-03 }}</ref> ! Year !! Population |- | 1954 || 66,800 |- | 1966 || 26,300 |- | 1977 || 46,800 (town)<br>50,100 (municipality) |- | 1987 || 68,700 |- | 1998 || 99,800 |- | 2000 || 104,800 |- | 2008 || 134,000 |}
===Climate=== Bou Saada has a cold desert climate (Köppen climate classification ''BWk''). Rainfall is higher in winter than in summer. The average annual temperature in Bou Saada is {{convert|15.5|°C|1}}. About {{convert|212|mm|2|abbr=on}} of precipitation falls annually.
{{Weather box|location = Bou Saada |metric first = Y |single line = Y
|Jan high C = 12.7 |Feb high C = 14.1 |Mar high C = 16.7 |Apr high C = 20.3 |May high C = 23.5 |Jun high C = 27.5 |Jul high C = 31.2 |Aug high C = 31.0 |Sep high C = 27.0 |Oct high C = 22.0 |Nov high C = 17.3 |Dec high C = 14.1
|Jan low C = 3.2 |Feb low C = 3.8 |Mar low C = 5.5 |Apr low C = 7.8 |May low C = 10.5 |Jun low C = 14.0 |Jul low C = 16.3 |Aug low C = 16.3 |Sep low C = 14.7 |Oct low C = 10.9 |Nov low C = 7.9 |Dec low C = 4.5
|Jan precipitation mm = 22 |Feb precipitation mm = 14 |Mar precipitation mm = 21 |Apr precipitation mm = 16 |May precipitation mm = 26 |Jun precipitation mm = 16 |Jul precipitation mm = 6 |Aug precipitation mm = 8 |Sep precipitation mm = 20 |Oct precipitation mm = 22 |Nov precipitation mm = 24 |Dec precipitation mm = 17 |year precipitation mm= 212
|source = [http://Climate-Data.org Climate data] |date=28 January 2018}}
== Ecclesiastical history == Arena was important enough in the Late Roman province of Mauretania Caesariensis to be one of the many suffragans of its capital Caesarea Mauretaniae's Metropolitan Archbishopric; discontinued as a consequence of the Arab conquest of North Africa.
=== Titular see === The diocese was nominally restored in 1933 as Latin Catholic titular bishopric.
It has had the following incumbents, of the fitting episcopal (lowest) rank : * Luís António de Almeida (1935.10.04 – 1941.04.19) * Joseph-Conrad Chaumont (1941.06.28 – 1966.10.08) * György Zemplén (1969.01.10 – 1973.03.29) * Roger-Émile Aubry, Redemptorists (C.SS.R.) (1973.06.14 – 2010.02.17) * Mário Antônio da Silva (2010.06.09 – ...), Auxiliary Bishop of Manaus (Brazil)
== Rock art == In the municipality, located not far from the village of Ben Srour, are several petroglyph sites of archaeological interest.<ref>Tixier, J. (1958-1960) Gravures rupestres de Bou Saâda (Algérie)" ''Bulletin de la Société Royale Belge d'Études Géologiques et Archéologiques'' 17: pp. 21-27, in French</ref><ref>Poyto, R. (1976) "Les rupestres de Ben-S'rour, Daïra de Bou-Saâda" ''Libyca Alger'' 24: pp. 195-202, in French</ref>
== See also == {{Portal|Algeria}} * A Bou Saâda local football (soccer) club Amel
== References == {{Reflist}}
==Sources and external links== * [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/former/t0189.htm GCatholic with titular incumbent links]
{{coord|36|46|N|4|35|E|region:DZ_type:city|display=title}}
{{M'Sila Province}} {{Province seats of Algeria}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bou Saada}} Category:Communes of M'Sila Province Category:Cities in Algeria