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El Alia العالية Uzalis | |
|---|---|
Commune and town | |
 Main Street, El Alia | |
 Interactive map of El Alia | |
| Country |  Tunisia |
| Governorate | Bizerte |
| Population (2014) | |
• Total | 18,410 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| Postal code | 7016 |
El Alia is a town and commune in theBizerte Governorate,Tunisia.
It was the ancientUzalis in theRoman province ofAfrica Proconsularis, which became a Christianbishopric that is included in theCatholic Church's list oftitular sees.[1]
It is not to be confused withEl Alia Cemetery, which is inAlgeria.
This city has existed since Roman times. In antiquity, its name was Uzalis[2] while its current name comes from its founder in theMiddle Ages: Ali El Balight. There are still someRomanruins scattered throughout the city.
The population is largely composed of descendants ofAndalusians who fledSpain after theChristian reconquest. Andalusian architecture has left its mark on the ancient city situated at the top of the hill (Djebel H'kima). The new city developed in the plains surrounding the ancient city. Monuments such as the Great Mosque and some mausoleums survived the modernization of the city, the walls and gates surrounding the old city having been destroyed at the beginning of the 20th century.
Nowadays, the city is made up of mostly farmers and labor workers. The city does not have a mayor.
| Homes | Families | Males | Females | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5647 | 4476 | 9374 | 8985 | 18359 |
37°10′N10°02′E / 37.167°N 10.033°E /37.167; 10.033
