Gained independence from France in 1962. The official language is Arabic, but French is still used for most official and business transactions. In general, English is spoken only in major business or tourist centres. The European 2-pin plug is standard. There are public telephones in all post offices, leading hotels and on many main streets.
Coverage is limited to main towns.
There are some roaming agreements. These can be sent from any post office from 0800-1900. The main post office in Algiers has a 24-hour service. A letter delivery service operates Saturday to Thursday. Parcels sent by surface mail may take up to two months to reach Algeria.