Tamentit ([تامنطيت] Error: {{Lang}}: invalid parameter: |3= (help) is a town and commune of Fenoughil District in Adrar Province in southcentral Algeria. According to the 2008 census, it has a population of 9481,[1] up from 7912 in 1998,[2] with an annual growth rate of 1.9%.[1]
Until the late twentieth century, the people of Tamentit spoke Gurara, a variety of the Berber language called Zenati, which is spoken by the Sanhaja.
History
A Jewish community existed in Tamentit until the 15th century. In 1492, Muhammad al-Maghili destroyed the Jewish communities of the region of Tuat, including their primary synagogue in Tamentit. The surviving Jews of Tamentit fled south along caravan routes and settled in communities along the Niger. Several years later, in the face of persecution, these Jewish communities were forcibly converted to Islam. Some contemporary Malian Muslims claim to be the descendants of those Jews who converted to Islam.[3]
Geography
The villages of Tamentit are located near oases that are part of the Tuat region in northern Adrar Province, between the communes of Adrar to the north and Fenoughil to the south. The rocky Tademaït plateau rises far to the east, while the sandy Erg Iguidi and Erg Chech deserts lie to the west.
Tamentit is on the N6 national highway, which leads north to Adrar and south to Fenoughil commune and eventually Reggane. The village of Bouffaddi lies on the highway to the south of Tamentit, while the other villages of the commune are to the east of the highway and are connected to it by local roads.
Education
5.9% of the population has a tertiary education, and another 17.9% has completed secondary education.[5] The overall literacy rate is 75.6%, and is 85.9% among males and 65.2% among females.[6]
Localities
As of 1984, the commune was composed of seven localities:[7]
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