Jijel Province

Jijel Province exemplifies edge effects along 120 km of what Algerians consider one of the world's most beautiful coastlines. The Corniche Jijelienne winds past 35 beaches, cork forests, and the Marvellous Caves discovered in 1917—a karst system of stalagmites and stalactites. Taza National Park earned UNESCO biosphere designation in 2004 for its 3,807 hectares overlooking the Bay of Bejaia, while Beni Belaid wetland reserve hosts migratory birds at the intersection of marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

The same coastal geography that creates scenic tourism also enables industrial activity. The new Djen Djen port, 7 miles east of the city, handles vessels with 18.2m draft—among the deepest berths in Algeria. A Qatari partnership in steel manufacturing reflects national diversification away from hydrocarbons. Cork processing and leather tanning draw on forest resources from the interior, while fishing exploits the productive Mediterranean waters.

Jijel demonstrates how edge environments attract multiple uses. The land-sea interface creates both aesthetic value (beaches, caves, panoramas) and economic infrastructure (deep-water port, fisheries). The Ras El Afia lighthouse—one of Algeria's 24 major coastal beacons—marks where two worlds meet. Tourism and industry coexist along this narrow corridor, competing for the same coastal access that makes both possible. Edge zones concentrate opportunity, but also conflict.