El Watan
Historically influential French-language independent newspaper delivering news and op-eds.
El Watan at a glance
El Watan is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in Algeria, currently ranked #8 in the country. It was founded in 1990 by Omar Belhouchet and is headquartered in Algiers, Algeria. Today El Watan is owned by SPA El Watan. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 6.5 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through print sales, digital advertising. Its closest rivals include tsa-algerie.com, echoroukonline.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 6.1 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 6.3 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 6.5 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 6.9 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in Algeria, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- Algeria86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 1.9 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- Algeria
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| el watan | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the Algeria web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in Algeria
Company information
- Website
- elwatan.com
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- SPA El Watan
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Omar Belhouchet
- Founded
- 1990
- Headquarters
- Algiers, Algeria
- Employees
- 150+
- Ownership
- SPA El Watan controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- Undisclosed
- Languages
- French
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- Undisclosed
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
El Watan operates a news and media publisher focused on Algeria. Historically influential French-language independent newspaper delivering news and op-eds. Revenue comes mainly from print sales, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Print Sales
- Digital Advertising
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- Algeria
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (Algeria)
- #8 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in Algeria
- Global rank
- 11000
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| tsa-algerie.com | ≈ 3.9 million / month | #9 class competitor | — |
| echoroukonline.com | ≈ 2.9 million / month | #10 class competitor | — |
What is El Watan?
El Watan (elwatan.com) is a news and media publisher serving users in Algeria. Historically influential French-language independent newspaper delivering news and op-eds. It ranks #8 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns El Watan?
The site is operated by SPA El Watan, founded by Omar Belhouchet. The company was established in 1990 and is headquartered in Algiers, Algeria. It employs around 150+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place El Watan at roughly 6.5 million visits per month, about 0.2 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How El Watan makes money
Revenue comes primarily from print sales, alongside digital advertising.
Competitors in Algeria
Its closest rivals include tsa-algerie.com, echoroukonline.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1990
El Watan is founded in Algiers, Algeria.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #8 among the most visited websites in Algeria.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns El Watan?
El Watan is operated by SPA El Watan. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is El Watan headquartered?
El Watan is headquartered in Algiers, Algeria.
When was El Watan founded?
El Watan was founded in 1990 by Omar Belhouchet.
How many employees does El Watan have?
El Watan employs approximately 150+ people.
What is El Watan's revenue?
El Watan's revenue: Undisclosed.
Who are El Watan's competitors?
Main competitors in Algeria include tsa-algerie.com, echoroukonline.com.
How does El Watan make money?
Mainly print sales, digital advertising.
Is El Watan publicly traded?
No — El Watan is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by SPA El Watan.
How many visitors does El Watan get?
Third-party estimates place El Watan at roughly 6.5 million visits per month, mostly from Algeria, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is El Watan safe?
El Watan is an established news & media site founded in 1990 and ranked #8 in Algeria; use the official domain elwatan.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementselwatan.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageAlgeria and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos