Democratic Republic of Algeria

NAME OF THE COUNTRY:

• Conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
• Conventional short form:Algeria
• Local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah
• Local short form: Al Jaza'ir

ETYMOLOGY of ALGERIA:

• Al-jaza’ir is derived from the original name jaza’ir bani mazghanna,
• The name translates into "the islands of (the tribe) Bani Mazghanna".
• The word was first used to represent the region by al-Idrisi and Yaqut al-Hamawi.

HISTORY of ALGERIA:

• Evidence of primitive humans has been found in the Algeria region.
• Phoenician traders settled on the Mediterranean coast in the 1st millennium B.C.
• Primarily a Roman colony, Algeria was conquered by the Vandals in 440 AD.
• Algeria remained an uncivilized society till Arabs took over in 650 AD.
• The Christianity dominated region was now converted to Islam.
• Algeria came under the rule of Ottoman Empire in 1536.
• To get rid of the Barbary pirates, the French occupied Algeria in 1830.
• Algeria was made a part of France in 1848.
• Algerian independence movements led to the uprisings of 1954–1955.
• Algeria became socialist in 1963.
• In 1980, there were riots over Arabic becoming the official language.
• A civil war ensued in 1992 that ended in 1999.
• In 2001 violence by Islamic militants was rampant in the nation.
• Algeria's most destructive earthquake struck near the capital on May 21, 2003.
• In April 2007, suicide bombers attacked a government building in Algiers and a police station on the outskirts of the capital.

DEMOGRAPHICS of ALGERIA:

• Majority of the population is concentrated along the coastal regions.
• The inhabitants of the Saharan region mostly reside around the oases.
• About 1.5 million people in Algeria are nomadic.
• 97% of the population is classified ethnically as Berber/Arab
• The dominant religious sects in Algeria are Sunni Muslim.
• Non-Sunni Muslims comprise of Ibadis, Roman Catholics, Protestants and Jews.
• Berber people are divided into several ethnic groups like Kabyle, Chaoui, Mozabites and Tuareg.
• Black populations are also found sporadically in some regions.
• Arabic, Berber and French are the official languages in Algeria.
• The colloquial language is Algerian Arabic.
• The Berbers speak one of the various dialects of Tamazight.
• There are eighteen living languages in Algeria.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS of ALGERIA:

• Algeria is run by a Presidential Republic government
.
• The president is the head of the state who is elected to a five year term.
• The President heads the Council of Ministers and appoints the Prime Minister.
• The Prime Minister in Algeria appoints the Council of Ministers.
• The Algerian parliament is bicameral.
• The Algeria Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly (APN), with 380 members; and the Council of Nation, with 144 members.
• The APN is elected every five years.
• Algeria is a multi-party state.
• All parties must be approved by the Ministry of the Interior.

CULTURE in ALGERIA:

• Modern Algerian literature has produced famous novelists and writers.
• Algerian culture is strongly influenced by Islam.
• The Algerian musical genre known as raï is very popular internationally.
• Other classic musical genres are Kabvle and Andalusi.
• Algeria also has a few notable artists and painters.

ECONOMY of ALGERIA:

• According to a 2007 report, the GDP/PPP was estimated to be $268.9 billion; per capita $8,100.
• The real growth rate of the country is 4.6%.
• 14.1% of Algerian youth is unemployed.
• Algeria has a total of 3.17% of arable land.
• The main agriculture produce comprise of wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus and fruits.
• Animal livestock is also a large source of income.
• The main industries in Algeria are petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical and food processing.

INFRASTRUCTURE of ALGERIA:

• Housing and health-care facilities in Algeria are still a problem in the country.
• According to government statistics, there is a shortage of 1.5 million housing units in Algeria.
• In large number of women contribute to the family income, often more than men.

EDUCATION of ALGERIA:

• Education is compulsory for children upto 15 years of age in Algeria.
• There are 10 universities, 7 colleges, and 5 institutes for higher learning.
• The University of Algiers is the main center for higher learning.
• The Algerian school system is structured into Basic, General Secondary, and Technical Secondary levels.

ALGERIA NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES:

Algeria is surrounded by:

• Morocco (west)
• Tunisia ( east)
• Libya (east)
• The Mediterranean Sea (north)
• Mauritania, Mali, and Niger (south)

GEOGRAPHICAL SETTINGS of ALGERIA:

• Algeria’s geographical location is 36°42'N, 3°13'E.
• 85% of the country’s area is covered by the Sahara desert.
• The highest point is Mount Tahat in the Sahara which stands at 3,000 m.
• Large parts of the coastline are hilly or mountainous.
• The area from the coast to the Tell Atlas is fertile.
• Climatic conditions are temperate with mild Mediterranean climate.
• Rainfall is highly variable throughout the region.

FREEDOM for ALGERIA:

• Algeria was proclaimed independent on July 5, 1962

EMINENT PERSONALITIES of ALGERIA:

• Frantz Fanon (philosopher)
• Jacques Derrida (philosopher and linguist)
• Mohammed Dib, Albert Camus,Kateb Yacine, Assia Djebar , Rachid Mimouni and Tahar Djaout (famous novelists)
• Khaled and Cheb Mami (Internationally known singers)
• Idir, Ait Menguellet and Lounès Matoub (classical musicians)
• Potent C (music group)
• Mohammed Khadda (artist)
• M'Hamed Issiakhem (artist)

CAPITAL CITY of ALGERIA:

• Algiers is the capital of Algeria.
• It is also the largest city in the country

CURRENCY of ALGERIA:

• Algerian Dinar is the official currency of Algeria.

ALGERIA FAMOUS FOR:

• Algeria is famous for its beautiful desert landscapes and historical monuments.
• M'Zab Valley is a limestone valley containing a large urbanized oasis.
• The Casbah of Algiers is an important citadel.
• The only natural World Heritage Site is the Tassili n'Ajjer mountain range.
• UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Algeria include:
  • Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad
  • Tipasa
  • Djémila
  • Timgad

TOTAL POPULATION in ALGERIA:

• According to a 2008 estimate, the total population was estimated to be 33,739,635.
• The annual growth rate was calculated to be 1.2%

PREVIOUS RECORDS AND MEDALS WON by ALGERIA:

• Algeria has performed well in Track and field events as well as boxing.
• Here is a record of Algeria’s Olympic performance: