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.[3][2]
The capital and largest city is Algiers. The United Nations estimated Algeria's population at about 47.4 million in 2025.[2] Arabic and Tamazight are the country's official languages, while Islam is constitutionally defined as the religion of the state.[1] Most of the population lives in the northern part of the country, while the Sahara covers about 85% of Algeria's territory.[3][4]
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 independence was proclaimed on 5 July 1962.[5][6]
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.[7]
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.[8] The country's constitutional and official long-form name is the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria.[1]
Geography and climate
Algeria occupies a large part of northwestern Africa. Its territory can be broadly divided into three physical zones: 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.[3] The northern belt contains most of the country's fertile land, major cities and population, while the desert interior is much more sparsely populated.[3][4]
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 temperature variations.[4]
The International Energy Agency estimates 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 coastal zone.[4] 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 formations of Tassili n'Ajjer.[3]
Algiers lies on the Mediterranean coast in the north-central part of the country. Other major urban centres include Oran, Constantine, Annaba, Blida, Sétif and Batna.[3]
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, while prehistoric rock art in the Sahara, particularly at Tassili n'Ajjer, provides evidence of earlier environments and human communities in what is now desert.[5]
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.[5]
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.[5]
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.[5]
These centuries linked the territory of present-day Algeria with political, religious and commercial networks stretching across the Maghreb, the Sahara, the Mediterranean and the 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.[5]
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 lasted until the French invasion in 1830.[5][6]
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.[6]
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.[6]
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.[5]
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 formally recognized Algerian independence on 3 July, and Algeria celebrates 5 July 1962 as the date on which independence was proclaimed.[5][6]
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.[5][9]
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.[5]
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.[10]
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 pressure from the military leadership.[11]
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.[1] Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who became president in 2019, was proclaimed elected to a second term by the Constitutional Court following the presidential election of 7 September 2024.[12]
Government and politics
Algeria's constitutional system is based on the 2020 Constitution. 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, and no person may serve more than two presidential terms, whether consecutive or separate.[1]
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 who oversees the government's programme according to the political circumstances set out in the constitution.[1]
As of September 2026, Abdelmadjid Tebboune is president and Sifi Ghrieb is prime minister.[12][13]
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 for five-year terms. Two-thirds of the Council of the Nation are indirectly elected from local assemblies, while the president appoints the remaining third. Council of the Nation members serve six-year terms, with half of the chamber renewed every three years.[1]
The People's National Assembly has 407 seats. The latest full election for the chamber was held on 2 July 2026.[14]
Administrative organization
Algeria's first-level territorial divisions are known as wilayas, commonly translated as provinces. A new territorial organization law published in April 2026 established a division of the country into 69 wilayas, increasing the previous number through the elevation of eleven administrative districts.[15]
The wilayas are subdivided into smaller administrative units and communes. Local administration links elected communal and provincial bodies with representatives of the central state.
Foreign relations
Algeria became a member of the United Nations on 8 October 1962, shortly after independence.[16] It was among the African states that joined the Organisation of African Unity in 1963; the OAU was later succeeded by the African Union.[17]
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.[3]
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 form important parts of its international engagement.[3][7]
Economy and energy
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.[4]
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. Most extraction takes place in the southern desert, with pipelines connecting producing areas to northern population centres, processing facilities and export terminals.[4]
The economy has also developed 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.[7]
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.[7]
Energy remains strategically important. Algeria is a major producer and exporter of natural gas and oil and has extensive pipeline links with markets around the Mediterranean. The country has also expanded renewable-energy programmes, particularly solar power, to diversify electricity production and meet increasing domestic demand.[4]
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.[2] Population distribution is highly uneven because most of the national territory is desert. The overwhelming majority of inhabitants live in the northern coastal and highland regions, where the largest cities, agricultural areas and much of the country's infrastructure are located.[4]
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.[1]
Islam is the religion of the state under Article 2 of the constitution.[1] 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 was approximately 76 years in 2024, according to World Bank data.[18]
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 cultural 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.[19]
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, the Roman cities of Timgad and Djémila, and the settlements of the M'Zab Valley are among the best-known examples.[19]
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.[20]
Other Algerian musical traditions include Andalusian-derived urban styles, Amazigh regional music, religious music and Saharan traditions. UNESCO also recognizes a range of Algerian practices connected with craftsmanship, dress, ritual, music and oral heritage.[21]
Environment and climate pressures
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 biodiversity.[22]
Water availability, extreme heat, drought and wildfire risk are major environmental concerns. Climate projections assessed by the International Energy Agency indicate that northern Algeria is likely to experience declining precipitation and increased exposure to drought and wildfire conditions, while higher temperatures are also expected to increase electricity demand for cooling and place additional stress on energy infrastructure.[4]
Because population, agriculture and infrastructure are concentrated in the north, climatic changes affecting the Mediterranean coastal region can have significant social and economic effects. Algeria has consequently expanded wildfire monitoring, disaster-response systems and renewable-energy investment.[4]
See also
- Algiers
- History of Algeria
- Geography of Algeria
- Economy of Algeria
- Culture of Algeria
- Maghreb
- Sahara
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 Algeria 2020 Constitution. Constitute Project. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Algeria. UNData, United Nations Statistics Division. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 About Algeria. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad, Algeria. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 National Climate Resilience Assessment for Algeria. International Energy Agency. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedhistoryMFA - ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Algeria. Office of the Historian, United States Department of State. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 IMF Executive Board Concludes 2026 Article IV Consultation with Algeria. International Monetary Fund. 21 September 2026. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Algeria. Encyclopedia.com. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964–1968, Volume XXIV, Africa: Summary. Office of the Historian, United States Department of State. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Algeria Background Note. United States Department of State. October 2007. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Algerian leader Bouteflika quits after mass protests. Reuters via Euronews. 2 April 2019. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedelection2024 - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedpm2026 - ↑ Algeria National People's Assembly July 2026 Election. IPU Parline, Inter-Parliamentary Union. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Law on Algeria's new territorial organization published. Algérie Presse Service. 6 April 2026. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Member States. United Nations. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Member States of the AU. African Union. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Algeria. World Bank Data. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Algeria. UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Raï, popular folk song of Algeria. UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Algeria: Elements on the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage. UNESCO. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- ↑ Tassili n'Ajjer. UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Accessed 23 September 2026.