Oran is a major city on the Mediterranean coast in northwestern Algeria. The name comes from the Berber word Uhran meaning The Lions. During French rule, Oran was a prefecture in the Oran departement. It is now the capital of the smaller Oran Province (wilaya). The city has a population of 683,250 (2006), while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 2 million, making it the second largest city in Algeria. Oran is a major port, and since the 1960s has been the commercial, industrial, and educational centre of western Algeria.