Africa

Algeria

Algeria, Arab. Al Djazair, officially Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, NW Africa, bordered by Mauritania, Morocco, and Western Sahara (W), the Mediterranean Sea (N), Tunisia and Libya (E), and Niger and Mali (S).

The principal cities are Algiers (the capital) and Oran. The Atlas Mountains divide northern Algeria into a coastal lowland strip (the Tell) and a semiarid plateau. In the south is the much larger, but arid and sparsely populated, Saharan region; Algeria’s highest point, Mt. Tahat (9,541 ft/2,908 m), in the Ahaggar Mts., is located here...More Information on Algeria.

Full country name: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
Area: 919,590 sq mi (2,381,740 sq km)
Population: 32,531,853 (growth rate: 1.2%); birth rate: 17.1/1000; infant mortality rate: 31.0/1000; life expectancy: 73.0; density per sq mi: 35
Capital City: Algiers, 3,917,000 (metro. area), 1,742,800 (city proper)
Language: Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Ethnicity/race: Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
Religion: Islam (Sunni) 99% (state religion), Christian and Jewish 1%
Literacy rate: 70%
Government: Parliamentary republic.
Head of State: Abdel-Aziz Bouteflika (1999)
Head of Government: Ahmed Ouyahia (2003)

Also Read: A Short Background of Algeria

History of Algeria

From the 9th century BC the area now known as Algeria was ruled by Carthage, and subsequently by Rome 2nd century BC-5thcentury AD. In the early Christian era, St Augustine was bishop of Hippo (now called Annaba) 396-430. The area was invaded by the Vandals after the decline of Roman rule and was ruled by Byzantium from the 6th to the 8th century, after which the Arabs invaded the region, introducing Islam and Arabic. Islamic influence continued to dominate, despite Spain’s attempts to take control during the 15th and 16th centuries. From the 16th century Algeria was under Ottoman rule and flourished as a centre for the slave trade. The sultan’s rule was often nominal, and in the 18th century Algeria became a pirate state, preying on Mediterranean shipping. European intervention became inevitable, and an Anglo-Dutch force bombarded Algiers in 1816....More on Algeria's History.

Overview of Algeria's Economy

GDP: $212.3 billion
GDP per capita: $6,600
Annual Growth: 6.1%
Inflation: 3.1%.
Unemployment: 25.4%.
Major Industries: petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing
Major Trading Partners: Italy, U.S., France, Spain, Canada, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, China, Turkey (2003)
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
Member of EU: No

Also Read: A short note on Economy of Algeria

Political System of Algeria

- Government of Algeria
- Foreign relations of Algeria

Climate, Vegetation and Fauna

Deforestation has been extensive in northern Algeria, with forests receding to the upper Tell Atlas and the Saharan Atlas.. Trees like pines, Atlas cedar, oaks, form the main vegetation. The High Plateau is mainly barren with scattered turfs of esparto grass and brushwood here and there. Even the wild life is limited due to limited vegetation. Scavengers, such as jackals, hyenas, and vultures, are found in many regions. Antelopes, hare, gazelles, and reptiles are also present in smaller numbers.
Juniper and other shrubs grow on the lower slopes of mountain ranges, and esparto grass and brushwood grow on parts of the otherwise desolate High Plateau. Saharan plant life is sparse and typical of desert vegetation, including acacia, jujube and desert grasses.

In the north the wildlife is typical of Mediterranean regions, including red deer and wild boar. The desert wildlife, while limited, is richer in variety, including leopards and panthers, gazelles, hyenas, jackals and antelope, as well as desert reptiles such as snakes, vipers and monitor lizards.


Envoirnment: Situated on the north coast of Africa, Algeria is the second largest country of the continent...more.

Languages: Except for Europeans, ethnic communities in Algeria were distinguished primarily by language...more.

Education: The French colonial education imposed on Algeria was designed primarily to meet the needs of the European population and to perpetuate...more.

Culture: French tradition formerly dominated the cultural life of Algeria...more.

Family Life: The people of Algeria include both Arabs and Berbers (also known as the Amazigh), although intermarriage...more.

People of Algeria: Two ethnic strains, the Arab and the Berber, predominate in Algeria. Many of the country's inhabitants...more.


Facts for the Traveler

Visas: Single entry or business visas to Algeria for one month take 2-3 days to obtain from Algerian Embassies throughout the world. Three passport photos are required and a specified fee; the visa might be renewed in Algeria. A 3-month multiple entry visa could also be obtained and application must be accompanied by an invitation or reservation from a hotel. Visas are mandatory for all European nationals. Australian and New Zealand citizens can obtain visas from the Algerian Consulate in the UK while US and Canadian citizens must obtain visas from Algerian Embassies in their respective countries.
Health & Safety: Travellers are warned repeatedly that Algeria continues to be in the grip of a virtual civil war, and instances of foreigners being targeted by Islamic hardliners for the most trivial reason, and being executed are numerous. Women travellers face a special form of gender-based persecution from Conservatives; therefore, extreme modesty in dress and public behaviour is advised.
Customs & Duties: The custom limits per person are: up to 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 400 grams of tobacco, one bottle of spirits or 2 bottles of wine. Currency declarations forms are issued on arrival and all valuable personal items such as electrical goods, jewellery, cameras, video cameras etc. should be declared, as well as all forms of cash and traveller’s cheques brought with you into the country. They must be kept in good order showing the exchange transactions you make during your stay. If, when you leave the country, your form is irregular you may be fined heavily or have your valuables confiscated.

Also Read: Money & Costs | Warning about Algeria | Transportation in Algeria | Public holidays in Algeria

When to Go

Winter is probably the best time to visit Algeria, since it tends to be mild and wet in the northern Tell region, and daytime temperatures in the Sahara region seldom fall below 25 degrees Celsius. However, nights in the Sahara can be very cold, so adequate warm clothing is essential.

Also Read: Getting Around in Algeria | Getting There & Away

What to See in Algeria

Other Tourist Attractions in Algeria

more...

What to do in Algeria

Algeria has a wide range of features that would be of interest to tourists. These include cultural centers, museums, and memorials filled with historical backgrounds and items of interest. A small seaside village, Bou Ismail, is a favorite of visitors who enjoy a great fishing experience. And, for the water sports lovers, Alger-Plage beach (Algiers- Beach) gives you an opportunity for sailing and boating. A visit to Tipaza and Berard villages provides a wealth of insights into the fascinating Algerian history, from the Phoenicians to Roman times. In the northern part of Algiers, (Kasbah), Stand Ketchaoua (a restored ottoman mosque) and Bitchin mosque with a museum of traditional arts, all offer interesting sights to explore and marvel at.

Algiers, the capital city of Algeria, has never been knows as an exciting place to visit. But, the name alone conjures up interesting thoughts. The Medina is of course one place to visit with the markets and buildings of French origin and some magnificent Turkish palaces. Check the area near the Ketchaoua Mosque on Rue Hadj Omar. The Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions is also worth a visit. For a good view of the city head out of the city center to Martyrs’ Monument.

The earliest inhabitants of the area were Khoisan hunter-gatherers. They were largely replaced by Bantu tribes during a series of migrations. The southern part of the country was named Matabeleland after the Ndebele tribe who occupied the area in the early 1800’s under a loose confederation of Ndebele-speaking tribes headed by the Khumalo tribe under [...]
Countries in Africa Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Cote d’Ivoire Democratic Republic of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Republic of the Congo Rwanda Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe
Religion in Africa Africans profess a wide variety of religious beliefs, with Christianity and Islam being the most widespread. Approximately 40% of all Africans are Christians and another 40% Muslims. Roughly 20% of Africans primarily follow indigenous African religions. A small number of Africans also have beliefs from the Judaic tradition, such as the Beta Israel [...]
Culture of Africa Africa has a number of overlapping cultures. The most conventional distinction is that between sub-Saharan Africa and the northern countries from Egypt to Morocco, who largely associate themselves with Arabic culture. In this comparison, the nations to the south of the Sahara are considered to consist of many cultural areas, in particular [...]
Demographics of Africa Africans may be grouped according to whether they live north or south of the Sahara Desert; these groups are called North Africans and Sub-Saharan Africans, respectively. Afro-Asiatic speaking peoples predominate in North Africa, while Sub-Saharan Africa is dominated by a number of disparate populations grouped according to their diverse languages–Niger-Congo predominantly in West [...]
Economy of Africa Africa is the world’s poorest inhabited continent: the United Nations’ Human Development Report 2003 (of 175 countries) found that positions 151 (Gambia) to 175 (Sierra Leone) were taken up entirely by African nations. It has had (and in some ways is still having) a shaky and uncertain transition from colonialism, with increases in corruption [...]
Politics in Africa Colonial Africa Colonialism had a destabilizing effect on what had been a number of ethnic groups that is still being felt in African politics. Prior to European influence, national borders were not much of a concern, with Africans generally following the practice of other areas of the world, such as the Arabian peninsula, where [...]
History of Africa Africa is home to the oldest inhabited territory on earth, with the human race originating from this continent. During the mid 20th century, anthropologists discovered many fossils and evidence of human occupation perhaps as early as 7 million years ago. The famous Leakey family, with ties to both Britain and Africa, discovered fossil [...]
Geography of Africa Africa is the largest of the three great southward projections from the main mass of the Earth’s surface. It includes within its remarkably regular outline an area, of c. 30,360,288 km² (11,722,173 mi²), including the islands. Separated from Europe by the Mediterranean Sea, it is joined to Asia at its northeast extremity by the [...]
Etymology of Africa The name Africa came into Western use through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra - “land of the Afri” (plural, or “Afer” singular) - for the northern part of the continent, as the province of Africa with its capital Carthage, corresponding to modern-day Tunisia. The Afri were a tribe - possibly Berber [...]

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