Oran is a major coastal city situated in the northwest of Algeria. Located approximately 432 km (268 mi) west-southwest of the capital, Algiers, it serves as the country's second most important urban center due to its significant population and commercial, industrial, and cultural importance.
The city is the second-largest in Algeria. As of 2008, the total population of Oran was 803,329, while the surrounding metropolitan area reached a population of approximately 1,500,000.