[ooj-dah] 
| a city in NE Morocco. 649,400. |
| Ouj·da (ōōj-dä') A city of northeast Morocco near the Algerian border. Founded in 944, it was occupied by the French in 1844, 1859, and 1907. Population: 400,000. |
Oujda
city, extreme northeastern Morocco. It lies near the Moroccan-Algerian border. Founded in 944 by Zanatah Imazighen (Berbers), the city was fought over by Imazighen, Arabs, and Turks and destroyed and rebuilt so often that it was called Madinat al-Hairah, "City of Fear." The Moroccan and Algerian railways meet at Oujda, and the main function of the city is as a trading centre and frontier post. It also has an international airport and owes some growth to the coal, lead, and zinc mines to the south. There are traces of ancient walls, but the city's appearance is generally modern, with wide avenues and parks. Oujda is near Sidi Yahya (Sayyidi Yahya) oasis, a legendary burial place of John the Baptist and site of the Battle of Isly, where the French defeated the Moroccan army in 1844. It is connected by road and railway with Taza.
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