Algeria

Algeria

Country

Official name

People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

Native name

الجمهورية الجزائرية الديمقراطية الشعبية

Capital

Algiers

Largest city

Algiers

Official languages

Arabic; Tamazight

Demonym

Algerian

Government

Unitary republic

Legislature

Parliament

Currency

Algerian dinar(DZD)

Algeria (Arabic: الجزائر; Tamazight: Dzayer), officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in North Africa and part of the Maghreb. It has a coast on the Mediterranean Sea and shares land borders with Tunisia, Libya, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Western Sahara and Morocco. With an area of 2,381,741 square kilometres, Algeria is the largest country in Africa by area.

The capital and largest city is Algiers. The United Nations estimated Algeria's population at about 47.4 million in 2025. Arabic and Tamazight are the country's official languages, while Islam is constitutionally defined as the religion of the state. Most of the population lives in the northern part of the country, while the Sahara covers most of Algeria's territory.

The territory of modern Algeria has been home to prehistoric communities, ancient Numidian kingdoms, Roman provinces, medieval Muslim states and the Ottoman Regency of Algiers. France began its conquest in 1830 and ruled Algeria until the twentieth-century independence struggle. The Algerian War began in 1954, the Évian Agreements were signed in March 1962 and Algeria became independent in July 1962.

Algeria's economy has long been strongly influenced by its oil and natural-gas resources. Hydrocarbons remain important to exports and government revenue, while economic policy has increasingly emphasized diversification, investment, mining, agriculture and private-sector development.

Name

The country's English name, Algeria, ultimately derives from the name of its capital, Algiers. The Arabic name al-Jazā'ir means "the islands" and historically referred to small islands or rocky outcrops near Algiers. The country's constitutional long-form name is the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria.

Geography and climate

Algeria occupies a large part of northwestern Africa. Its territory can be broadly divided into the Mediterranean coastal region and Tell Atlas in the north, the High Plateaus and Saharan Atlas in the interior, and the vast Sahara in the south. The northern belt contains most of the country's population, major cities and productive agricultural land, while the desert interior is much more sparsely populated.

The northern coast has a Mediterranean climate, generally characterized by hot, dry summers and cooler, wetter winters. The High Plateaus and Saharan Atlas form a semi-arid transition between the coast and the desert. Southern Algeria has an arid desert climate with very low and irregular rainfall and large variations in temperature.

The International Energy Agency reports that about 85% of Algeria's land area is desert and that less than 3% of the national territory is cultivable. More than 90% of the population lives in the more densely settled northern part of the country.

Mountain ranges include the Tell Atlas, Saharan Atlas, Aurès Mountains and the Hoggar Mountains. The Sahara also contains extensive sand seas, rocky plateaus, oases and the distinctive geological formations of Tassili n'Ajjer.

Algiers lies on the Mediterranean coast in the north-central part of the country. Other important urban centres include Oran, Constantine, Annaba, Blida, Sétif and Batna.

History

Prehistory and antiquity

Human occupation of the region extends far into prehistory. Archaeological traditions represented in present-day Algeria include the Aterian and Capsian cultures. Prehistoric rock art in the Sahara, particularly at Tassili n'Ajjer, provides evidence of earlier environments and human communities in areas that are now desert.

Phoenician traders established settlements along the North African coast, and the region later became connected to Carthage. During the third and second centuries BC, several Numidian kingdoms developed under rulers including Syphax, Massinissa and Jugurtha. Rome gradually expanded into the region, and Numidia became a Roman province in 46 BC.

Roman rule left important cities and archaeological remains across northern Algeria. After the weakening of Roman authority, parts of North Africa came under Vandal rule in the fifth century and later under the Byzantine Empire.

Islamic and medieval periods

Arab-Muslim expansion reached the region during the seventh century. Islam became deeply established, while Arabic gradually became an important language alongside indigenous Amazigh languages. A succession of states and dynasties subsequently governed different parts of the territory, including the Rustamids, Fatimids, Zirids, Hammadids, Almoravids, Almohads and Zayyanids.

These centuries linked the territory of present-day Algeria with political, religious and commercial networks across the Maghreb, Sahara, Mediterranean and wider Islamic world.

Ottoman period

In the early sixteenth century, Algiers became associated with the Ottoman Empire as local forces sought support against Spanish expansion along the North African coast. In 1518, Khayr al-Din Barbarossa placed Algiers under the protection of the Ottoman sultan.

Over time, the Regency of Algiers developed considerable autonomy while formally remaining under Ottoman sovereignty. Governance passed through periods led by beylerbeys, pashas, aghas and eventually deys. The dey-led political order continued until the French invasion in 1830.

French conquest and colonial rule

France invaded Algiers in 1830 and gradually extended its control over the territory despite prolonged armed resistance. In 1848, France formally incorporated coastal Algeria into three French departments: Algiers, Oran and Constantine.

Colonial rule transformed land ownership, political institutions, settlement patterns and the economy. Large numbers of European settlers established communities in Algeria, while the indigenous Muslim population lived under a different legal and political framework for much of the colonial period.

Algerian nationalist movements expanded during the first half of the twentieth century. On 1 November 1954, the National Liberation Front launched an armed uprising against French rule, beginning the Algerian War of Independence.

The conflict continued until negotiations produced the Évian Accords on 18 March 1962 and a ceasefire the following day. Algerians voted in a self-determination referendum on 1 July. France recognized Algerian independence on 3 July, and Algeria commemorates 5 July 1962 as Independence Day.

Independent Algeria

A constituent assembly was elected in September 1962, and Ahmed Ben Bella became president in 1963. In June 1965, Defence Minister Houari Boumédiène removed Ben Bella and established a Revolutionary Council. Boumédiène remained Algeria's central political figure until his death in 1978.

The post-independence state initially developed around the National Liberation Front as the dominant political organization and pursued a strong state role in economic development. Hydrocarbon resources were nationalized in 1971.

A new constitution adopted in 1989 permitted political organizations outside the FLN and opened a period of competitive politics. The Islamic Salvation Front performed strongly in local elections and in the first round of the 1991 legislative election. In January 1992, the second round was cancelled amid intervention by the military establishment, and President Chadli Bendjedid resigned. Algeria subsequently entered a prolonged period of violence involving state security forces and armed Islamist groups.

Multiparty parliamentary elections resumed in 1997. Abdelaziz Bouteflika became president in 1999 and remained in office for four terms. In early 2019, large nationwide demonstrations developed after he sought another term. Bouteflika resigned on 2 April 2019 after weeks of protests and increasing political pressure.

The protest movement, commonly known as the Hirak, continued to call for broader political change after Bouteflika's departure. Algeria adopted a revised constitution in 2020.

Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who first became president in 2019, was proclaimed elected to a second term by the Constitutional Court following the presidential election of 7 September 2024. The court's final results gave Tebboune 7,976,291 votes, or 84.30% of valid votes cast.

Government and politics

Algeria's constitutional system is based on the Constitution adopted in 2020. The constitution describes Algeria as a People's Democratic Republic that is one and indivisible. The president is elected by direct universal suffrage for a five-year term. The constitution limits an individual to two presidential terms, whether consecutive or separate.

The president is head of state, chairs the Council of Ministers, directs national foreign policy and serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The constitutional system also provides for a prime minister or head of government responsible for coordinating the government's programme under the arrangements established by the constitution.

As of September 2026, Abdelmadjid Tebboune is president of Algeria. Sifi Ghrieb is prime minister.

Legislative authority is exercised through a bicameral parliament consisting of the People's National Assembly and the Council of the Nation. Members of the People's National Assembly are chosen by direct and secret universal suffrage. Two-thirds of the Council of the Nation are indirectly elected from local assemblies, while the president appoints the remaining third.

The People's National Assembly has 407 seats. Its latest election was held on 2 July 2026. According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, 5,071,020 of 23,872,756 registered voters participated, producing a turnout of 21.2%. Three parties identified by the IPU as pro-government — the National Liberation Front, National Democratic Rally and El-Moustakbel Front — won a combined 221 seats.

Administrative organization

Algeria's first-level territorial divisions are known as wilayas, commonly translated as provinces. A territorial organization law published in April 2026 established a division of the country into 69 wilayas.

The wilayas are subdivided into smaller administrative units and communes. Local administration combines elected communal and provincial institutions with representatives of the central state.

Foreign relations

Algeria became a member of the United Nations on 8 October 1962, shortly after independence.

It was among the African states that joined the Organisation of African Unity in 1963. The OAU was later succeeded by the African Union, of which Algeria remains a member.

Algeria is also a member of the Arab League and joined the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in 1969. In 1989 it participated with other North African states in establishing the Arab Maghreb Union.

Its geographic position gives the country diplomatic and economic connections with the Mediterranean region, the Sahel, the Arab world and sub-Saharan Africa. Energy exports, regional security, African cooperation and Mediterranean relations are important parts of its international engagement.

Economy

Algeria has a mixed economy in which the state retains an important role, particularly in energy and major infrastructure. Petroleum and natural gas have historically provided a substantial share of export earnings and public revenue.

For the 2019–2023 period, the International Energy Agency calculated that hydrocarbons accounted for about 14% of gross domestic product, 86% of exports and 47% of government budget revenues. Much of the country's hydrocarbon extraction takes place in the southern desert, with pipelines connecting producing areas to northern population centres, processing facilities and export terminals.

The economy also includes agriculture, manufacturing, construction, mining and service industries. Government economic programmes have increasingly emphasized non-hydrocarbon exports, mining, agriculture, infrastructure and private investment as part of efforts to reduce dependence on oil and gas.

The International Monetary Fund estimated real GDP growth at 3.9% in 2025 after 3.7% in 2024 and projected growth of 3.8% for 2026. The IMF reported that public investment and non-hydrocarbon activity supported growth, while large fiscal deficits, increased imports and lower hydrocarbon exports in 2025 placed pressure on public finances and foreign-exchange reserves.

Energy

Algeria is a major producer and exporter of natural gas and oil. Its hydrocarbon infrastructure includes oil and gas fields in the Sahara, processing facilities, export terminals and pipelines linking Algeria with markets around the Mediterranean.

Natural gas also plays an important role in domestic electricity production. At the same time, Algeria has developed renewable-energy programmes, particularly in solar power, as part of efforts to diversify electricity generation and meet rising domestic energy demand.

The country's large desert areas provide substantial solar-energy potential, although development of renewable capacity requires investment in power generation, transmission systems and supporting infrastructure.

Population and society

UNData estimated Algeria's population at 47,435,312 in 2025, with an average population density of about 19.9 people per square kilometre. Population distribution is highly uneven because most of the national territory is desert. The overwhelming majority of inhabitants live in northern coastal and highland regions, where the largest cities, agricultural areas and much of the country's infrastructure are located.

Algerian society reflects both Arab and Amazigh historical and cultural traditions. Arabic and Tamazight have official status under the constitution. The constitution also directs the state to promote and develop Tamazight in its linguistic varieties used across the country.

Islam is the religion of the state under Article 2 of the constitution. Religious, linguistic and regional traditions vary across the country, including in Kabylie, the Aurès, the M'Zab, the Sahara and the major coastal cities.

Life expectancy at birth in Algeria was approximately 76 years in 2024, according to World Bank data.

Languages

Arabic and Tamazight are the two official languages of Algeria. Modern Standard Arabic is used in government, education, formal communication and media, while varieties of Algerian Arabic are widely spoken in everyday life.

Tamazight encompasses several Amazigh linguistic varieties spoken in different regions of Algeria. The constitution recognizes Tamazight as an official language and provides for its promotion and development.

French is also widely used in parts of business, higher education, science, media and everyday communication, reflecting Algeria's colonial history and long-standing cultural and economic links with the Francophone world.

Religion

Islam is constitutionally recognized as the state religion. The large majority of Algerians are Muslims, predominantly following Sunni Islam.

The country also contains smaller religious communities. Algeria's constitutional framework contains provisions concerning freedom of conscience and worship within the conditions established by law.

Education

Algeria developed a large public education system after independence. Schooling expanded substantially during the second half of the twentieth century as the government sought to increase literacy and access to primary, secondary and higher education.

The higher-education system includes universities and specialized institutions located throughout the country. Arabic is important in the education system, while French continues to be used in some scientific, technical and medical fields.

Education policy has also been influenced by Algeria's multilingual environment and by efforts to strengthen the teaching and use of Tamazight.

Culture and heritage

Algerian culture developed through interaction among indigenous Amazigh traditions and influences associated with Arab-Islamic civilization, Mediterranean exchange, Ottoman rule and the colonial and post-colonial periods. Regional traditions remain visible in architecture, music, clothing, crafts, oral traditions and local celebrations.

Algeria has seven properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Six are classified as cultural sites: Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad, Djémila, the Kasbah of Algiers, the M'Zab Valley, Timgad and Tipasa. Tassili n'Ajjer is listed as a mixed cultural and natural property.

The country's archaeological heritage spans prehistoric Saharan rock art, Numidian and Roman settlements, medieval Islamic architecture and Ottoman urban districts. The Kasbah of Algiers, Roman cities such as Timgad and Djémila, and the settlements of the M'Zab Valley are among its best-known heritage sites.

Music

Music varies considerably by region. Raï, which developed from popular musical traditions in western Algeria, became internationally known during the twentieth century. UNESCO inscribed "Raï, popular folk song of Algeria" on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2022.

Other Algerian musical traditions include Andalusian-derived urban styles, Amazigh regional music, religious music and Saharan traditions. UNESCO also recognizes a range of Algerian cultural practices connected with craftsmanship, dress, ritual, music and oral heritage.

Cuisine

Algerian cuisine reflects the agricultural products and cultural traditions of the Mediterranean, Maghreb and Sahara. Common ingredients include grains, vegetables, legumes, meat, olive oil, herbs and spices.

Couscous is one of the best-known dishes and is prepared in many regional forms. Other foods include soups such as chorba, breads, stews, grilled meats and pastries. Culinary traditions vary considerably between coastal cities, mountain regions, the High Plateaus and Saharan communities.

Literature

Algerian literature has developed in Arabic, Tamazight and French. Writers have addressed subjects including colonialism, independence, identity, language, social change, migration and political conflict.

Prominent writers associated with Algeria include Kateb Yacine, Mouloud Feraoun, Mohammed Dib, Assia Djebar and Ahlam Mosteghanemi. Algerian literary traditions also include oral poetry, storytelling and Amazigh cultural expression.

Sport

Football is the country's most widely followed sport. The Algeria national football team has won the Africa Cup of Nations twice, in 1990 and 2019.

Algeria has also participated regularly in the Olympic Games and has produced international competitors in athletics, boxing, judo and other sports.

Major sporting venues are concentrated in cities including Algiers, Oran and Constantine.

Environment

Algeria's ecosystems range from Mediterranean forests and mountain environments in the north to steppe, salt lakes, oases and Saharan desert ecosystems farther south. Tassili n'Ajjer is especially notable for its geological formations, archaeological heritage and desert environment.

Water availability, extreme heat, drought and wildfire risk are major environmental concerns. Climate assessments by the International Energy Agency indicate that northern Algeria faces risks associated with declining precipitation, drought and wildfires, while rising temperatures are expected to increase electricity demand for cooling and place additional pressure on energy infrastructure.

Because population, agriculture and infrastructure are concentrated mainly in the north, climatic changes affecting Mediterranean and semi-arid regions can have significant social and economic effects.

See also

• Algiers
• History of Algeria
• Geography of Algeria
• Economy of Algeria
• Culture of Algeria
• Maghreb
• North Africa
• Sahara

External links

• Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad
• Algérie Presse Service
• United Nations country data for Algeria
• UNESCO World Heritage profile for Algeria
• African Union