Third largest city of Algeria, center of communication and capital of the eastern part of the country, renowed for its spectacular setting. It stands on a rocky plateau surrounded on three sides by the Rhumel River whose gorges are a natural wonder. Caves in the walls of the Rhumel Gorge give evidence of prehistoric settlement. It was rebuilt in AD 312 by the Roman emperor Constantine on the site of Cirta, the ancient capital of the Princes of Numidia, which was destroyed in AD 311. Followed the fall of the Roman Empire, it was occupied by the Vandals and then the Byzantines before it was taken by the Arabs in 710. Roman remains include arcades, part of an aqueduct and a bridge. The city has an old Arab quarter which has preserved its character and colour. When the French moved into Algeria in 1830, Constantine put up fierce resistance but finaly fell in 1837. Constantine is well known for its leatherwork, and is a center of the grain trade. It is an industrial center, where woolen textiles, machine tools, motor vehicules and tractors are manufactured. Suburbs have developed to the southwest of the city on the "isthmus" leading to the surrounding countryside. Newer developments are to the east across the Rhumel Gorge. The city also has an international airport.

Population : (estimated) 10.000