Algeria

Country statistics

Algeria

Total area: 919,590 sq miles (2,381,741 sq km)

Population (2010 est.): 34,586,184 (growth rate: 1.1%); birth rate: 16.7/1000; infant mortality rate: 26.7/1000; life expectancy: 74.2; density per sq miles: 36

Capital City: Algiers

Monetary unit: Dinar

Languages: Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Ethnicity/race: Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%

Religions: Islam (Sunni) 99% (state religion), Christian and Jewish 1%

Country introduction

Algeria's desert

Algeria is a country located in Northern Africa bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It is considered the gateway between Africa and Europe. It is the second largest country on the African continent and the eleventh-largest in the world in terms of land area.

The north is relatively fertile and mountainous with narrow coastal plains, with a few natural harbours. The area from the coast to the Tell Atlas is fertile. South of the Tell Atlas is a large plain landscape, which ends with the Saharan Atlas. Further south is the Sahara desert.

Algeria is mostly desert, which accounts for more than four-fifths of the country. The Ahaggar Mountains, also known as the Hoggar, are a highland region in Central Sahara, Southern Algeria. They are located about 1,500 km (932 miles) south of the capital, Algiers and just west of Tamanghasset.

The culture

Some examples of Algerian potteries, textiles and folkcrafts

Algeria was known as a French Republic after when they were invaded by France in 1830. During this period, French influence on Algeria's economy, culture and society was dominant. However, there was resentment among the indigenous population and in November 1954 the Algerian War of Independence had began, with it ending in 1962 when France declared Algeria as an independent nation.

The influence of French colonialism is still predominant in many aspects. Handicrafts are an important part of Algerian culture. Algerians are adept in carpet weaving, ceramics, lute making, pottery and glass and silver production.

The Algerian family is important and private. It often includes three or more generations in a single home. families have an average four or five children. Smaller nuclear families are found in cities. Although some Algerians live in apartments, most prefer concrete homes with four or five rooms.

Attractions & landmarks

Thamugadi, also known as Timgad, is a famous archeological site in Algeria

Algeria has many natural and cultural treasures that are often overlooked. As the second largest country in Africa, Algeria offers a range of highly contrasting landscapes: the vast Sahara desert, long mountain ranges and sandy beaches.

Places to check out include the regions of Tassili N'Ajjer and Hoggar, where local color is rife in the everyday lives of traditional Algerian tribes. There is also the Algiers, where the old school and the modern meet to showcase an interesting mix of Algeria's colonial past and hopeful present. Timimoun provides tourists a slice of the Sahara desert while In Sajah is made interesting by the sand dunes that divide the region into two.

Algeria is rich in History. Thamugadi, also known as Timgad, is a famous archeological site in Algeria. Though in ruins, Timgad tells us about the glory of ancient Roman Empire in Africa. It is the best preserved Roman remains existing in the North African region. These remains were built in the fertile lands in the east of the Algerian town Batna.