Ghardaïa (ولاية غرداية) is located in the north of the Algerian desert, and the headquarters of the state is the city of Ghardaia 600 km south of the capital Algiers, its total area is estimated at 21224.03 km2, its extension from north to south is 138 km, and from east to west it rises from 200 to 250 km, above sea level With 486 m.
The province is bordered by the province of Djelfa and the province of Laghouat to the north, the province of El Menia in the south, the province of Ouargla to the east and the province of El Bayadh in the west.
The city of Ghardaia, the capital of the province, is 200 km Laghouat, 200 km from Ouargla, 270 km from El Menia and 430 km from El Bayadh, and is crossed by the national road N° 1 linking the Algerian capital to the Great South.
Since the state is located in desert areas, the climate of the region is arid desert, the temperature range is wide between day and night, and between winter and summer, the winter temperature ranges between 1 and 25 degrees, and between 18 and 48 degrees in summer. The weather is fair in spring and autumn, and the sky is clear most days of the year.
The average rainfall in the state is about 60 mm / year, mostly in the winter season. How much cold northwesterly winds blow in the winter and south-westerly winds laden with sand in the spring and in the summer a hot south known as Sirocco.
"Aghlan" is the name the Beni Mzab have given to their region. Its geographical borders are as follows: Oued Bouzbyar in the North, Oued Zergoun in the west. The Mzab includes Zelfana and Guerrara in the east and is merged to the region of Chaamba in the south. The area is approximately 38000 km2.
During the 8 century A.D, 2 century Hegira (according to Cheikh Abi Ishak Tfyeche) thé Beni Mzab settled on the banks of the oued or Valley to which they gave their name. The first inhabitants of the area had been nomadic or semi-nomadic. Many old small built-up areas, fallen into ruins long time ago, can be counted: in nearby al Atteuf we mention Agharm Netlazdit, Oukheira, and Aoulaoual, Tmazzert once existed near Bounoura and Agharm Enwadday has preceded the present city of Melika.