Chlef is a city located in northern Algeria and serves as the capital of the Chlef Province. It is situated approximately 200 kilometres (120 mi) west of the national capital, Algiers.
The city was founded in 1843 under the name Orléansville on the ruins of the Roman site Castellum Tingitanum. In 1962, it was renamed al-Asnam before being officially designated as Chlef following a devastating earthquake on October 10, 1980. The city's current name is derived from the Chelif River, which is the longest river in Algeria.