Algeria

**Algeria** ( or ), officially the **People's Democratic Republic of Algeria**, is a country in North Africa. It is the tenth largest country in the world. It is also one of largest country in Africa. It is part of the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa.

## History

People have lived in Algeria for thousands of years, which can be seen in the cave paintings at Tassili National Park that date to around 7000 BC. By 600 BC, Phoenicians were in Hippo Regius (now called Annaba), Rusicade (now Skikda), and Tipasa in the central coastal part of the country. The Romans would annex (take over) the region by the conclusion of the Punic Wars in 146BC, with what is now modern-day Algeria staying in Roman hands till the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century and the region being taken over by the Germanic Vandals.

Algeria would become part of the Islamic world when the first Muslim Arabs came to Algeria in the mid-7th century, resulting in many people converting to the new religion of Islam. In the 11th century, the Arab tribes of Banu Hilal and Banu Sulaym were living between Tunisia and eastern Algeria (Constantois). The famous mathematician, Fibonacci (1170—1250) lived in Algeria as a teenager. This is where he learned the Hindu–Arabic numeral system. Algeria was made part of the Ottoman Empire in 1517. Enslavement of black people was practiced there as it was throughout the empire.

In the 1500s and 1700s, the Spanish Empire ruled a lot of Algeria. Spain was expelled from Algeria by the Ottoman Empire, who ended controlling a region known as the Regency of Algiers,  before being attacked and taken by France in 1830, who pushed inwards into Africa creating the modern day borders of Algeria. In 1954, the National Liberation Front (Front de Libération Nationale or FLN) wanted freedom from France. They fought a war against France to free Algeria. It became independent from France on July 5, 1962.

In 1963, Ahmed Ben Bella became the first President of Algeria.

The Algerian Civil War began in 1991 and ended in 2002. The government decided to end the state of emergency on February 24, 2011.

## Geography

A large part of southern Algeria is the Sahara Desert. The Aures and Nememcha mountain ranges are in the north. The highest point is Mount Tahat (3,003 m).

Algeria borders Morocco, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Libya, Tunisia, Niger, Mali and Mauritania.

## Languages

The two official languages of Algeria are Arabic and Berber.

Berber was made an official language in 2002.

Many Algerians speak French. French is considered the _lingua franca_ of Algeria.

## Economy

In Algeria, the government plays a big role in the economy. They have large stakes in many companies.

Algeria has a lot of oil and gas reserves.

The government has not been successful in reducing the country's high unemployment rate.

## Population

Algeria's population is about 45 million people. There are over 40 cities with more than 100,000 people. The three biggest cities are Algiers, Oran and Boumerdès, as of 2025

Islam is the country's main religion. 99% of Algerians are Muslims, most likely due to the Ummayad Caliphate's (Khalifa)  conquest of North Africa .

Algeria used to have one of the oldest and largest Jewish communities in the world. Jews have been in the country since the first century. Now less then 200 Jews live in the country because of harassment by Muslims after the creation of Israel on Palestinian lands.

## Politics

The Parliament of Algeria is made up of two chambers:

- The **Council of the Nation** (Upper Chamber)
- The **People's National Assembly** (Lower Chamber)

## Provinces

There are 58 provinces in Algeria. In 2019, the number of provinces was changed from 48 to 58. The provinces are:

- <small>1</small> Adrar
- <small>2</small> Chlef
- <small>3</small> Laghouat
- <small>4</small> Oum el Bouaghi
- <small>5</small> Batna
- <small>6</small> Bejaia
- <small>7</small> Biskra
- <small>8</small> Bechar
- <small>9</small> Blida
- <small>10</small> Bouira
- <small>11</small> Tamanghasset
- <small>12</small> Tebessa
- <small>13</small> Tlemcen
- <small>14</small> Tiaret
- <small>15</small> Tizi Ouzou

- <small>16</small> Algiers
- <small>17</small> Djelfa
- <small>18</small> Jijel
- <small>19</small> Setif
- <small>20</small> Saïda
- <small>21</small> Skikda
- <small>22</small> Sidi Bel Abbes
- <small>23</small> Annaba
- <small>24</small> Guelma
- <small>25</small> Constantine
- <small>26</small> Medea
- <small>27</small> Mostaganem
- <small>28</small> M'Sila
- <small>29</small> Mascara
- <small>30</small> Ouargla

- <small>31</small> Oran
- <small>32</small> El Bayadh
- <small>33</small> Illizi
- <small>34</small> Bordj Bou Arréridj
- <small>35</small> Boumerdès
- <small>36</small> El Tarf
- <small>37</small> Tindouf
- <small>38</small> Tissemsilt
- <small>39</small> El Oued
- <small>40</small> Khenchela
- <small>41</small> Souk Ahras
- <small>42</small> Tipasa
- <small>43</small> Mila
- <small>44</small> Ain Defla
- <small>45</small> Naama

- <small>46</small> Ain Temouchent
- <small>47</small> Ghardaia
- <small>48</small> Relizane
- <small>49</small> El M'Ghair
- <small>50</small> El Menia
- <small>51</small> Ouled Djellal
- <small>52</small> Bordj Baji Mokhtar
- <small>53</small> Béni Abbès
- <small>54</small> Timimoun
- <small>55</small> Touggourt
- <small>56</small> Djanet
- <small>57</small> In Salah
- <small>58</small> In Guezzam

## UNESCO World Heritage Sites

There are several UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Algeria including Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad, the first capital of the Hammadid empire; Tipasa, a Phoenician and later Roman town; and Djémila and Timgad, both Roman ruins; M'Zab Valley, a limestone valley containing a large urbanized oasis; also the Casbah of Algiers is an important citadel. The only natural World Heritage Sites is the Tassili n'Ajjer, a mountain range.

## References

**Notes**

## Infobox (country)

- **conventional long name**: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
- **common name**: Algeria
- **image flag**: Flag of Algeria.svg
- **image coat**: National Emblem of Algeria (bronze effect).svg
- **symbol type**: Emblem
- **national motto**:
("By the people and for the people")
- **national anthem**: _Kassaman_
()

- **image map**: Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
- **capital**: Algiers
- **largest city**: capital
- **official languages**: Arabic language, Arabic • Standard Algerian Berber, Berber
- **languages type**: Other languages
- **languages**: Algerian Arabic (Darja)
French language, French  Kabyle language, Kabyle
- **demonym**: Demographics of Algeria, Algerian
- **government type**: Unitary state, Unitary Semi-presidential system, semi-presidential Republic, constitutional republic
- **leader title1**: President of Algeria, President
- **leader name1**: Abdelmadjid Tebboune
- **leader title2**: Prime Minister of Algeria, Prime Minister
- **leader name2**: Sifi Ghrieb (acting)
- **leader title3**: List of presidents of the Council of the Nation (Algeria), Council President
- **leader name3**: Salah Goudjil
- **leader title4**: List of presidents of the People's National Assembly (Algeria), Assembly President
- **leader name4**: Ibrahim Boughali
- **legislature**: Parliament of Algeria, Parliament
- **upper house**: Council of the Nation
- **lower house**: People's National Assembly
- **sovereignty type**: History of Algeria, Formation
- **established event1**: Zirid dynasty
- **established date1**: 960
- **established event2**: Hammadid dynasty
- **established date2**: 1014
- **established event3**: Kingdom of Tlemcen, Zayyanid dynasty
- **established date3**: 1235
- **established event4**: Ottoman Algeria, Al Jazâ'ir
- **established date4**: 1515
- **established event5**: French Algeria, French Occupation
- **established date5**: Invasion of Algiers in 1830, 5 July 1830
- **established event6**: Algerian War, Independence from France
- **established date6**: 5 July 1962
- **area km2**: 2381741
- **area rank**: 10th
- **area sq mi**: 919595
- **percent water**: 1.1
- **population estimate**: 44,700,000
- **population estimate year**: 2021
- **population estimate rank**: 32nd
- **population density km2**: 17.7
- **population density sq mi**: 47
- **population density rank**: 168
- **gdp ppp**: $684.649 billion
- **gdp ppp year**: 2019
- **gdp ppp rank**: 35th
- **gdp ppp per capita**: $15,765
- **gdp ppp per capita rank**: 82nd
- **gdp nominal**: $183.687 billion
- **gdp nominal year**: 2019
- **gdp nominal rank**: 53rd
- **gdp nominal per capita**: $4,229
- **gdp nominal per capita rank**: 109th
- **gini**: 27.6
- **gini year**: 2011
- **hdi**: 0.748
- **hdi year**: 2019
- **hdi change**: decrease
- **hdi rank**: 91st
- **currency**: Algerian dinar, Dinar
- **currency code**: DZD
- **time zone**: Central European Time, CET
- **utc offset**: +1
- **date format**: dd/mm/yyyy
- **drives on**: right
- **calling code**: Telephone numbers in Algeria, +213
- **cctld**: .dz
الجزائر.