Oran (Arabic: وهران, pronounced Wahran) is a city in northwestern Algeria, situated on the Mediterranean coast. During French rule in Algeria Oran was the prefecture of the Oran département. It now is the capital of the much smaller Oran Province (wilaya). The city has a population of ca. 1 million and the urban area has a population of ca. 2 million. Oran is a major port and a commercial and industrial center in Western Algeria. Today, Oran is a major port and a commercial centre, and has 3 universities. The old quarter of Oran has a casbah and an 18th-century mosque.