Sétif, Industrial metropolis in Hautes Plaines region, Algeria
Sétif is a city in the Hautes Plaines region of Algeria, situated around 270 kilometers east of the capital Algiers at an elevation of roughly 1,096 meters (3,596 feet). The three industrial zones in the city process food products and produce building materials.
Phoenician traders founded a settlement here that later became the capital of Mauretania Sitifensis under Roman rule. The city played a central role in Algeria's independence movement during the 20th century.
The International Short Film Days and the Sufi Samaa festival bring together modern filmmakers and traditional musicians. The spiritual music festival follows a practice that has continued for centuries and can still be heard in the narrow streets of the old town.
The climate is dry in summer and cold in winter, so spring or autumn offers the most comfortable weather. The city is well connected from Algiers and provides access to nearby archaeological sites.
Archaeologists found stone tools in the area dating back around 2.4 million years, among the oldest human artifacts discovered in Africa. These finds show that people lived in the region very early in human history.
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