Mascara, Algeria
Mascara () is the capital city of Mascara Province. It has 150,000 inhabitants (2008 estimate). It was founded in the 10th century by the Banu Ifran, a Berber tribe and was the capital city of Emir Abd al-Qadir, a leader of the Algerian resistance to early French colonial rule. Mascara is an administrative, commercial and a market centre. Its trade is mostly centered on leather goods, grains, and olive oil, but it is especially famous for its good wine. It has good road and rail connections with other urban centres of Algeria. Relizane is northeast, Sidi Bel Abbes southwest, Oran 105 kkm northwest and Saïda south. Mascara has two parts, a newer French area, and an older Muslim one. Large parts of the town lie inside the ruins of its ancient ramparts. The city is home of Lakhdar Belloumi, the former Algerian football (soccer) star. Etymology The word mascara is a Francisation of the Arabic word معسكر (mouaskar), meaning 'camp'. French colonization caused the city's name to be adopted as the French version as an official name. The name "mascara" was likely given in reference to the city that bears the same name since in the mid-19th century, the French