Introducing Algeria

The official name of the country is the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria. The country got its name from the city of Algiers, which serves as the capital city of the country. The name could be traced to al-Jazair, which means “The Islands.” Another theory as to the etymology of the name is that it is from the Berber word Ldzayer, which refers to the Zirid Dynasty’s King Ziri ibn-Manad, as he is the founder of the city of Algiers.

Travelers might be wondering where is Algeria? Algeria is located in the northwest portion of Africa. It is one of the largest countries in Africa. Where is Algeria in Africa? The country is located in the Maghreb region, with the city of Algiers as the capital. It is bordered by the neighboring countries of Tunisia, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Mali and Niger. The Mediterranean Sea likewise borders part of Algeria. Over on the southwest side of the country lies the Western Sahara. About 85% of the country’s land comprises the Sahara. However, only about half a million nomadic people make the Sahara their home.

Algeria is a massive country in terms of size, measuring a staggering 2.4 million square kilometers, or 919,595 square miles. That’s about three and a half times the size of the State of Texas. The terrain of the land is made up mostly of plateau, as well as mountains and desert land. The lowest point of the country is Chott Melrhir at -40 meters below sea level, while the highest point is Mount Tahat, at 3,003 meters above sea level.

It is home to over 34.9 million people in 2011, making it the 35th most populous country in the world. Algerians are of Arab-Berber descent, with less than one percent Europeans. Arabic is the official language, although French and Berber dialects are widely spoken. Our Travel Guide Algeria has a section on useful Arabic words and phrases you are likely to use during your stay in Algeria.

Algerians are mostly Sunni Muslims as it is the state religion. Less than 1% of the population are practicing Christians and Jews. The people are largely conservative and traditional.

In Algeria, there are more males than females. Also, the country has quite a young population. The median age of the population is only at 27.6 years of age, with a life expectancy of 74.5 years. The country’s growth rate is only at 1.17%, which translates to about 1.75 children born to every Algerian woman.

Most of the Algerians are considered urbanized, as 66% of the population are found in urban areas. The most populated city is the capital city Algiers, with 2.74 million people, followed by Oran with 770,000 residents.

Less than 70% of the population are considered literate. More males than Algerian females are able to read and write, at 79.6% versus only 60% for women.

Algeria enjoys a Mediterranean climate, very similar to the warm and pleasant climate of Southern California in the US. There are variations to the climate given the varied typography of the country. Along the coast, the winters are wet while the summers are dry and hot. One the other hand, further inland, it tends to be drier. The winters are cold yet dry, while the summer seasons are hot. Overall, the daytime temperatures are hot, while the temperature drops in the evening hours. In general, most travelers find their way to Algeria between the months of May to October, since the average temperatures range from a comfortable 20 °C to 30 °C or 68 °F to 86 °F. Our Travel Guide Algeria provides a more detailed look into the climate in Algeria to help you plan your trip.

Travelers going to Algeria should first determine which part of the country they are going to in order to know exactly what type of weather to expect. Generally, it is warm to hot in Algeria, so summer clothing in lightweight fabrics is ideal. However, dressing conservatively is the norm, especially for women, so shorts, sleeveless tops and plunging necklines should be avoided. Travelers going to the Tell Atlas should be prepared for some wet weather, so a small umbrella or lightweight raincoat would prove useful.

The economy of Algeria is thriving, with the lifeblood of the economy coming from hydrocarbons. 60% of the country’s budget reserves are devoted to hydrocarbons, as the industry generates 30% of the country’s GDP and accounts for 95% of the export earnings generated. Due to its massive land area that is rich in natural gas, it ranks as having the tenth largest natural gas reserves in the world. At the same time, it is one of the top gas exporters in the world, ranking in sixth place. It has US$170.461 billion in international reserves and GDP estimated in 2010 of US$206.502 billion.

The country’s GDP/PPP is at US$275.25 billion as of 2010 estimate. This makes it the 48th largest GDP in the world. Algeria’s economy has a growth rate of 2.9%. The Per Capita GDP (PPP) is US$7,542, which is much higher compared to that of its neighboring African countries. Industry accounts for the bulk of the economy, followed by services and agriculture. Algeria’s agricultural products include wheat, barley, grapes, olives, citrus fruits, oats, as well as sheep and cattle. Its main industries are petroleum, natural gas, light, mining, electrical and food processing. The country’s main export partners are the United States, Canada, Brazil, and the European countries of Italy, Spain, France and the Netherlands.

The country of Algeria suffers from a high unemployment rate, with 24.3% of the population not gainfully employed. It has a total labor force of over 11 million people.

The currency used in Algeria is the Algerian Dinars (DZD).

Algeria is a republic that is composed of 48 provinces, headed by an elected president. Since 1999, the president of Algeria has been President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. The current Prime Minister is Ahmed Ouyahia.

One of the reasons travelers are fascinated by Algeria is because of the country’s important past. Algeria has a long and rich history since the country has been in existence since 10,000 BC. Historically, the Berbers are the indigenous people of Africa. Greeks, Romans and Arabs later populated the area.

The proof of pre-historic Algeria was found in cave paintings in Tassili n’Ajjer, which depicted early prehistoric life in the land, as well as archeological finds in the Ain Hanech region. Early settlers were very developed, especially in the Paleolithic Flake tool technique.

The classical period of Algerian history marked the influence of the Roman Empire. Modern day Tunisia was the site of what used to be Carthage in the 9th century, which the Romans destroyed in 146 BC. The Romans were also able to take control of the Tell Atlas Region of Algeria. Under the Roman Empire, Algeria developed. St. Augustine was a resident of Algeria, as he was the Bishop of Hippo (modern day Annaba). However, Roman rule eventually waned by the 5th century due to the Berber incursions. The Byzantine Empire was the next power to emerge by the 6th century, although this did not last long. Muslim Arabs came to Algeria in the 7th century, which would have a profound influence on the people. The Berber tribes converted to the Muslim faith and later emerged as strong dynasties.

The Spanish captured the coastal cities from the Muslims in the 15th century. However, by the 16th century, the Spaniards were ousted with the aid of the Ottoman Empire and Turkish pirates. The Ottomans then took control of the Tell Atlas region.

Under the Ottoman Empire, the country was divided into three provinces ruled independently by an Algerian. Under the Ottomans in the 16th century, Algeria got its name. It was also known as the Barbary Coast. Algerian ports became busy with trading with Europeans, although the coast was controlled by pirates up until the 17th century. The most infamous of these pirates was Barbarossa. Algerian ports were also used extensively in the slave trade, fueled by the Christian slaves captured by the pirates from the ships and villages they plundered. These Barbary pirates were so influential and inspired so much fear; they were able to extract tributes from vessels to be spared from pirate attacks.

The Americans were the ones that were able to first cut the power of the Barbary pirates, although the French conquered Algeria in 1830. After a long and bloody battle, Algeria was declared under French rule by 1848.

The colonists developed the country, improving agriculture and developing various industries, such as the production of wine and tobacco. However, the Muslims were largely excluded from these developments, which led to the eventual uprising for Muslim control of the country. The French also tried to remove Berber and Muslim influences in the country, such as by converting mosques into Christian churches. A century later in 1962, Algeria gained its independence from France.

After the country gained its independence, it fell into disarray as various political groups emerged and fought for control of the country. The country fell into a civil war in the 1990s, which ended by the end of the 20th century. However, civil unrest remains although the government has made strides in putting this down. The Berber language has also been recognized as an official language of the country, along with Arabic.

The country takes pride in its international relations. It is a member of both the African Union, as well as the Arab League. It is also a United Nations member, a member of OPEC and is a founding member of the Arab Maghreb Union. This shows the political and economic influence of the country of Algeria.

Travelers looking for history, culture, architecture, delicious food and great people would find it all in Algeria. It’s one of the most fascinating places to visit in the world. Take the time to peruse through our Travel Guide Algeria since it could be the perfect travel companion to help you enjoy your vacation in this exciting African nation. Our Travel Guide Algeria will give you the information you need to create the best travel itinerary based on your needs. This way, you could be assured a fabulous and unforgettable trip to Algeria.

“Important Notice – You may use or download information available on our travel guide pages for your own personal, non-commercial use, provided that you give proper attribution, with a link back to our website. Similar to the sources used for the travel guides, World Interpreting provides links to information references even for contents we believe constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. More information here.”