Hodna حضنة | |
|---|---|
 Landscape of the Chott el Hodna south ofM'Sila | |
 A map of the Hodna region showing thecommunes of the two provinces | |
| Country | Algeria |
| Elevation | 1,000 m (3,000 ft) |
TheHodna (Arabic:حضنة) is anatural region ofAlgeria located between theTell andSaharan Atlas ranges at the eastern end of theHautes Plaines. It is a vast depression lying in the northeastern section ofM'Sila Province and the western end ofBatna Province.
The Hodna region was home to theKingdom of Hodna,[1] born out of theMauro-Roman Kingdom in thepost-classical era.
The Hodna region has a length of about 120 km in an NW - SE direction and a width of about 80 km. It is characterized by theChott El Hodna, anendorheicsalt lake, in its centre with seasonalbrackish and saline pools and marshes. A thin film of water collects during wet seasons on the level terrain of the large lake basin, which becomes asalt flat when it dries. The elevation of the lake's surface is slightly below 400 m, while the surroundingsteppe-like plain, characterized by wadis andoases, averages between 500 and 600 meters in elevation in the communes near the lake.[2]
The Hodna natural region gives its name to theHodna Mountains located to the north. Its southern limit is marked by theOuled Nail Range. There are no mountains in its western limit, where the plateau stretches further westwards. The northern part of the Hodna is composed ofsilt and the southern part is mainly sandy. The lowest area of the basin is covered by thesebkha, the salt lake, with a surface of 76 000 ha of naked salty clay that is seldom covered with water and is completely devoid of vegetation.[3]
The Hodna is a steppe where the climate is harsh, with very dry summers, cold winters and very irregular precipitation. Formerly all the inhabitants of the Hodna werenomads. The soil is poor and local agriculture is limited to the grazing of sheep and goats on grassy high plateau areas and to some cereal cultivation. There are uncultivated areas ofdjerr, small hillocks, to the north and to the east. The mountains have good reserves of water and there are freshwater springs in the area, but historically they have not been properly exploited.[4]
35°30′N4°50′E / 35.500°N 4.833°E /35.500; 4.833
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