The northern coast is predominantly populated, most of them live in cities, the density in some regions of the Sahara is less than 1 person per 1 km 2. The official language is Arabic, with French and Berber languages ​​also in use. Algerians massively profess Islam (99%). The education system in the country is inherited from French colonial times. A significant problem in the country remains the provision of qualified medical personnel. There is its own state system of social protection of weakly protected sections of the population. Demographic and sociological research in the country is carried out by a number of state and scientific and educational institutions. Population censuses are carried out regularly.

Natural population growth in the country in 2015 amounted to 18.4 ‰ (60th in the world); 2006 - 12.5 ‰; in 1980 - 33.6‰.

Important milestones in the history of the population of Algeria were the war of independence and the next two decades. During the war, according to various estimates, from 350 thousand (according to French sources) to 1.5 million people (official Algerian) died. The independence of the country was reflected in a doubling of the population over the next two decades.

The median age of the population of Algeria is 27.5 years (133rd in the world), men - 27.2, women - 27.8. Life expectancy in 2015 was 76.7 years (81st in the world), for men - 72.3, for women - 77.9; in 2006 - 73.3 years, for men - 71.7, for women - 74.9; in 1978 for men - 55.8 years, for women - 58 years.

The age structure of the population of Algeria is as follows (as of 2006):

The age structure of the population in the 1980s was as follows (the proportion of women was 50.8%):

The marriage rate in 1967 was 4.6‰; the divorce rate in 1963 was 0.4‰.

The population density in 2006 was 12.9 people / km 2 (166th place in the world), in 1981 - 8 people / km 2.

The population is distributed extremely unevenly. The most densely populated north of Algeria (96% of the population), is approximately only 1/6 of the country's area. The population is concentrated mainly in the narrow coastal strip of the Mediterranean Sea and the mountains of Kabylia, where the density reaches 300 people / km 2. The least populated part of the country is the Algerian Sahara, where no more than 2 million people live in the vast expanses of the desert, and the density there does not exceed 1 person per 1 km 2. A smaller number of the desert population is concentrated in the oases, and about 1.5 million people remain full or partial nomads.

The level of urbanization in 2015 amounted to 70.7%. The urban population in 1950 in the country amounted to only 21% of the total, and already in 1978 the majority lived in cities (61%). The main stage of urbanization took place in the middle of the 20th century, when only during the period 1954-1966 the share of the urban population increased from ¼ to ⅓.

The main cities of the state: Algiers (2.59 million people), Oran (858 thousand people), Constantine (448 thousand people).

The internal migration of the country's population during the colonial period was associated mainly with the displacement of the indigenous population from the fertile soils of the plains to the arid mountainous regions. During the national liberation war of 1954-1962, there were forced evictions of "unreliable" (about 2.5 million people) and mass emigration to neighboring Morocco and Tunisia (0.5 million people). After 1962, there was an intensive outflow of the rural population of the plains, desert oases and mountainous regions to large coastal cities. The population of Algeria alone in the late 1980s grew by 6-7% annually.

Seasonal migrations between the mountainous regions, from the desert regions to the coastal zone, are carried out by semi-nomadic Berber tribes and Bedouin Arabs.

Due to the rapid growth of the country's population and the lack of thoughtful economic reforms, the unemployment rate remains high. Labor emigration of the indigenous population of Europe (France) began during the First World War of 1914-1918 and constantly expanded. About 1 million Algerians live outside Algeria, including more than 800 thousand in France. The annual emigration rate in 2015 was 0.92‰ (148th in the world). The state encourages labor emigration, especially to the Arab countries of the Middle East.

The problem of refugees negatively affects the social state of society, since more than 95 thousand refugees and asylum seekers are constantly in the country (90 thousand people from Morocco, and more than 4 thousand from the former Palestine).

Since ancient times, the territory of modern Algeria was inhabited by various ethnic groups. The country was part of various states and empires. In the days of Ancient Egypt, the dark-skinned inhabitants of the desert west of the Nile Valley were called by the common name - "Libyans". In ancient times, the powerful state of the Numidians, Garamantida, was known on the territory of the Northern Sahara, while the Phoenicians dominated the coast. After the fall of Carthage as a result of the Punic Wars, North Africa was drawn into the orbit of the mighty Roman Empire. At this time, this region flourished, because it served as an important granary for Rome. The conquest of the land by the Germanic tribes of the Vandals, who crossed the Strait of Gibraltar from the Iberian Peninsula, ended the Western Roman Empire. For a short time the country was under the control of the Byzantine Empire.

The Arabic-speaking population of Algeria comes from the mixing of indigenous Berber peoples with Arab newcomers that began in the 7th-8th centuries, who assimilated most of the Berbers, planted the Arabic language and Islam. By the end of the 15th century, many Moorish refugees settled in many cities of Algeria, who were expelled from the Iberian Peninsula during the Reconquista. The Moors from Andalusia and Castile used Spanish for a long time, and those from Catalonia used Catalan. As early as the 17th century, the latter was in use among the inhabitants of Grosh el Veda.

A significant part of the Algerians in their origin are not Arabs (about 72.7%), but Berbers (the self-name is Amazigh; the word "Berber" is of Arabic origin) - Kabyles (10.3%), Chauya (3.5%). The self-identification of Algerians as Arabs took place on the wave of Arab nationalism at the beginning of the 20th century. Groups who self-identify as Berbers live predominantly in the mountainous regions of Kabylia, east of the city of Algiers. They, like most Arabs, are Muslims. The Berbers made unsuccessful attempts to gain autonomy, but the Algerian leadership only agreed to subsidize the study of the Berber languages ​​in schools.

Europeans today make up less than 1% of the population and live exclusively in the largest urban areas. However, during the colonial period this figure was much higher (15.2% in 1962). The French colonization of Algeria began in 1830 and continued until the middle of the 20th century. The European population consists mainly of French, Spaniards (in the western part of the country), Italians and Maltese (in the east), and other Europeans in even smaller numbers. The European colonists, known as pié noir, were concentrated on the coast and made up the majority of the population of Oran (60%) and, in significant proportions, other large cities such as Algiers or Annaba. Almost all of them left the country during or immediately after Algeria's independence from France. In the early 1980s, about 150,000 French people lived in the country.

Previously, there were 140 thousand Jews. But after Algeria gained independence and the adoption of discriminatory citizenship laws, Jews emigrated to France (90%) and Israel (10%). In the early 1980s, about 10 thousand Sephardi Jews lived in the country, and in the mid-1990s - only 50 people.

As of January 1, 2015, about 650 Russians live in Algeria. Some of the Russians living here are descendants of Soviet engineers and military men who rebuilt the young country after gaining independence in 1962. Another share is accounted for by those who came here for work (trade, local factories, under the contract of Rossoboronexport). A significant part are Russian women who married local men.

Algeria is the second francophone country in the world in terms of the number of native speakers, although the language itself has no official status. As of 2008, 11.2 million Algerians are able to read and write French. French, as before, is the most widely studied as a foreign language. Many Algerians speak it fluently, although they do not usually use it in everyday life. Since independence, the Algerian government has pursued a policy of linguistic Arabization of education and bureaucracy, with some success, although many universities continue to teach in French. Recently, schools have begun to include French in their primary school curricula. It begins to be taught as soon as the children master the Arabic language. French is also used in the media, in government organizations and in commerce.

The number of Russian speakers in the country is relatively small. The Russian language has been studied in Algeria since 1958. Today it has been studied at the University of Algiers as a foreign language for four years. About 12-15 Russian-speaking Algerians graduate annually. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia is actively negotiating the opening of the same courses at the University of Oran (which took place during the Soviet Union).

The main religions of the state: Sunni Islam - 99% of the population, Catholicism and Protestantism - 1%. The territory of modern northern Algeria was an important Christian land 2 thousand years ago, during the time of the Roman Empire. During the resettlement of the Germanic tribes to the north of Africa (Vandals), Christianity did not decline, since the latter were followers of the faith of Christ. For a short time, in the 6th-7th centuries, these lands were under the influence of the Byzantine Empire, after which they were conquered by the Arabs, entered the Arab Caliphate and fell under the influence of Islam. A significant revival of the Catholic Church in Algeria experienced a thousand years later, during the French colonial expansion of the XIX century. Before the beginning of the Arab conquests, the Berbers of the mountains and deserts had their own local beliefs and customs.

Almost all Muslims belong to the Sunni branch of Islam, with the exception of about 150-200 thousand Ibadis in the Mzab oasis in the Ghardaia region. There are also, in small numbers, Shiites.

About 200-250 thousand Christians live in Algeria, including 45 thousand Catholics and 150-200 thousand Protestants, mostly Pentecostals. Approximately 380,000 Muslims in the country have converted to Christianity, according to a 2015 study.

The Jewish community was quite significant, 140 thousand people. After Algeria's independence and the adoption in 1963 of a new law on citizenship, according to which only a person whose father or grandfather was Muslim received it. Most of the Jewish community emigrated to France (90%) and Israel (10%), where they received citizenship. Moroccan Jews, Jews of the Mzab Valley and the city of Constantine, due to harassment, tax increases and the conversion of synagogues into mosques, eventually also emigrated to Israel. By 1969, approximately 1,000 Jews remained in the country, and by the mid-1990s, only 50 people.

The literacy rate in 2015 was 80.2%: 87.2% for men, 73.1% for women. Literacy in 2003 was 70%: 79% for men, 61% for women. In 1976, illiterates made up 60% of the indigenous population of Algeria, in the same year, compulsory 9-year education was introduced for children aged 6 to 15 years. Spending on education in 2008 amounted to 4.3% of the country's GDP (97th in the world) . In 1997, the level of spending on education amounted to 5.7% of the national GDP and 27% in the structure of public expenditures of the state budget. Despite the allocation of significant public funds, overcrowding and a serious lack of teachers put strong pressure on the educational system. During the 1990s, a wave of terrorist attacks targeted secularized state educational institutions swept the country. In 2000, the state government began a major revision of the education system.

The educational system of Algeria is similar to the French one (this is due to the former French colonization of the country). Over time, the need for skilled labor forced the colonialists to introduce an education system for the local population. With independence, the Algerians continued (and even increased) their achievements in the cultural sphere and especially in education. Algerian schools now teach both Arabic and French, with the study of the state language being compulsory.

The Algerian school system consists of basic, general secondary and vocational secondary education:

As of 1995, all Algerian children were in public primary schools, and 62% of children of the same age were in general secondary education.

Algeria has 43 institutions of higher education, 10 colleges and 7 institutions of higher education. The University of Algiers (Université d'Alger; founded in 1879) has about 26 thousand students. Universities also operate in Oran and Constantine. With the help of the USSR, at one time a number of institutes and technical schools were created to provide qualified personnel for the mining and oil industry in Bu-Merdas. The provision of doctors in 2007 was 1.21 doctors per 1,000 people. In 1977, the number of hospital beds per 1,000 people was 2.6, and in 1996 it was 2.5; 1 doctor accounted for 1250 people, and in 1996 - 2322 inhabitants. By 2009, the situation has deteriorated significantly (1 doctor per 4836 inhabitants), dentists - 1 per 511 inhabitants, midwives - 1 per 711 inhabitants.

In 1955, there were 158 hospitals in Algeria with 33,338 beds (3.4 beds per 1,000 inhabitants): 147 general hospitals (including 12 military hospitals with 4,821 beds), 7 tuberculosis dispensaries with 1,399 beds, 2 children's hospitals with 506 beds, 1 psychiatric, 1 oncological.

Health care spending in 2013 amounted to 6.6% of the country's GDP (135th in the world) .

Mortality of infants under 1 year old as of 2015 was 20.9‰ (83rd place in the world); boys - 22.7 ‰, girls -19.2 ‰. Infant mortality in 1980 was 125.0 ‰, in 2006 - 30 ‰ (80th place in the world); boys - 30.86 ‰, girls - 24.45 ‰ (2009). The maternal mortality rate in 2015 was 140 cases per 100,000 births (75th in the world) .

Medical education is provided by the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Algiers and its branches. Traditionally, a significant part of the country's doctors are educated in France, Russia and other CIS countries.

There is an average degree of danger in terms of the severity of infectious diseases. There are problems with food and water, which provokes concomitant diseases: bacterial diarrhea is not carried out in the state. There are about 350 stationary departments of the maternal and child health service. The five-year plans for the economic development of Algeria provide for an active policy of territorial redistribution of the population based on the decentralization of industry, special programs for the development of the most backward regions and the construction of modern infrastructure in the villages.

In Algeria, pensions are paid for age (from 60 years old), for disability and in case of loss of a breadwinner. Temporary disability benefits are paid only from the 4th day of illness. Women receive maternity benefits. Assistance is provided to families with many children. Insurance premiums for workers and employees amount to 4.5% of earnings. The current legislation on social security of the population does not apply to workers employed in agriculture.

Algeria has one of the lowest living space rates in the world, according to the UN. Government officials have publicly stated that the country has a negative balance of 1.5 million housing units. The problem with refugees only exacerbates this problem.

Among lawyers, women make up 70%, among judges - 60%, they also dominate in medicine. Increasingly, women contribute significant income to households, sometimes more than men. 60% of university students are women (according to university research).

Demographic research in the country is conducted by a number of state scientific institutions:

The demographic state of the country has been recorded since 1831. The laws of 1882-1901 extended civil registration to the entire territory of Algeria. In colonial times, only the European and Jewish population of Algeria was satisfactorily counted. In 1964-1971, a system of individual population movement records was introduced - in this way, it was possible to cover about 70% of demographic events.

Population censuses in Algeria by the French authorities began to be carried out in 1906. A total of 9 such censuses were conducted, the results of which were widely published

Algiers is located in the northern part of Africa. Its area is 2,381,740 sq. m. According to the latest data it is known that after 1997 this country was 33.4 million people. The following population groups can be found here:

• Arabs;
• Berbers (Amazigh);
• Kabila;
• Tuareg;
• French people;
• Tunisians.

More than half of the total population is represented by the Arab group - 83%. The rest - 16% - is represented by the Berbers, who are considered the indigenous population of Africa. Arabic is considered the state language of this country, and some of them speak French, but almost the entire population speaks it. Berbers always live in groups, usually in mountainous areas.

Algeria is a country with a Muslim faith. Throughout the territory, 99.9% believe in Islam. There is also a small number of people professing Judaism, Catholicism, Christianity.

Algerian handicrafts

All the peoples inhabiting Algeria, and their main occupations have always been associated mainly with animals and the cultivation of vegetable crops.

The Arabs, who represent the majority of the population of Algeria, are engaged in the following types of work:

• farming;
• Nomadic livestock breeding;
• Growing flowers;
• Growing crops of vegetable origin;

Berbers prefer to breed livestock.

The Tuareg are accustomed to the following types of crafts:

• Farming with a hoe, grew cereals, legumes and vegetables;
• Reproduction of small breed livestock.

The craft of the French can be called:

• Animal breeding;
• Growing crops;
• Viticulture.

The people, as a rule, live in stone, adobe, wooden houses, and nomads live in tents.

As clothing, the men of this country prefer to wear loose trousers, a shirt made of cotton or natural wool (djellaba), vests, and caftans. Women wear loose-fitting dresses and caftans in summer. As a material for tailoring, silk, velvet, cotton are used.

Algerian population groups

What peoples inhabit Algeria and their features are presented below.

Tuareg. Most of this group lives directly in the Sahara. They can only be seen in small groups that are divided by tribe. They live first in one place, then in another, and constantly roam not alone, but with herds of their animals.

Kabila. They live in the north, in mountainous Algeria. The main language is Berber, but some speak Arabic. The religion is Islam.

• Arabs:

Arabs in Algeria make up about 17.8 million of the total population. They are Sunni Muslims. After some time, mixed Arabs and Berbers appeared. They live in houses built of stone, alabaster, palm wood. They live in small villages for 1-2 families.

During the era of the French conquest, the number population of Algeria was approx. 3 million people. In 1966 it already reached 11.823 million people, and in 1997 - 29.476 million people. In 1996 it was 28.5 per 1000 people, and the death rate was 5.9 per 1000 people. Infant mortality (children under one year old) is 48.7 per 1000 newborns. In the mid-1990s, ca. 68% of the population was under the age of 29.

It was originally inhabited by peoples speaking Berber languages. These peoples as early as 2000 BC. moved here from Most of the modern population uses the colloquial version of the Arabic language in everyday life. The Arabs settled in the territory of Algeria during the Islamic conquests of the 7th-8th centuries. and nomadic 11-12 centuries. The mixing of two waves of immigrants with the autochthonous population led to the emergence of the so-called Arab-Berber ethnic group, in the cultural development of which the Arab element plays a dominant role.

As the main ethnic subgroup of Algerian society, the Berbers play an important role in the life of the country. During the period of the Roman and Arab conquests of the North, many Berbers moved from the coast to the highlands. Berbers make up approximately 1/5 of the country's population. The largest concentration of the Berber population is found in the highlands of Djurdjura to the east of the capital, known as Kabylia. Local residents, Kabyles, settled in many cities of the country, but carefully preserve ancient traditions. Other significant groups of the Berber population are represented by the Shawiya tribal unions, originating from the mountainous region around Batna, the Mzabita, who settled in the territory of the Northern oases, and the Tuareg nomads living in the far south in the Ahaggar region.

After the conquest of Algeria in the 19th century. the number increased, and by 1960 approx. 1 million Europeans. Most had French roots, the ancestors of the rest moved to Algeria from, and. After Algeria's independence was proclaimed in 1962, most Europeans left the country.

Most of the population of Algeria are Sunni Muslims (Malikites and Hanafis). A number of followers of the Ibadi sect live in the Mzab valley, Ouargla and Algiers. The state religion of the country is. The country has approx. 150 thousand Christians, mostly Catholics, and approximately 1 thousand adherents of Judaism.

The official language is Arabic, but French is still widely spoken. Some Berber tribes, speaking Tamahaq and Tamazirt, acquired their own written language. Several books have already been published in the Tamazirt dialect in Algeria.

About 3/4 of the population is concentrated in the foothills of Tell Atlas, approximately 1.5 million people live in the highlands and less than one million live in the Sahara. The highest density is observed near the capital and in the Kabylia region.

Many people know about Algeria only that it is a state in Africa. Indeed, not many tourists visit this country, but you can tell a lot about it and dispel some speculation. Sometimes they are even interested in which country Algeria belongs to. But it is an independent state with its own history and culture. What is interesting about Algeria? Which country on the African continent was called the People's Democratic Republic of Algiers?

State structure

In Arabic, the country of Algeria sounds like "el-jazir", which means "islands". The state got its name due to the cluster of islands near the coastline. The capital of the country Algiers is a city with the same name. This state in Africa is a unitary republic headed by a president. He is elected for a term of 5 years, the number of terms is unlimited. Legislative power is vested in a bicameral Parliament. Algeria is divided into 48 wilay - provinces, 553 districts (diara), 1541 communes (baladiya). November 1 Algerians celebrate a national holiday - Revolution Day.

Geography and nature

The country of Algeria occupies a large area. This is the second, after Sudan, its largest state - 2.3 million km2. Algeria neighbors Niger, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya. To the north is the Mediterranean Sea. About 80% of the entire state is occupied by the Sahara. On its area there are both sandy and stone deserts.

Its highest point is located - Mount Tahat, with a height of 2906 m. On the vast area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe Sahara there is also a large salt lake, it is called Chott-Melgir and is located in the north of the Algerian part of the desert. There are also rivers in the state of Algeria, but almost all of them are temporary, they exist only during the rainy season.

The largest river (700 km long) is the Sheliff River. The rivers of the northern part of the country flow into the Mediterranean Sea, and the rest disappear into the sands of the Sahara.

The vegetation of northern Algeria is typically Mediterranean, dominated by cork oak, in semi-deserts - alpha grass. In arid zones, very small areas have vegetation.

Population and language

More than 38 million people live in Algeria. The bulk, 83% of all residents, are Arabs. 16% - Berbers, descendants of the ancient who consist of several tribes. Another 1% is occupied by representatives of other nationalities, mostly French. The state religion in Algeria is Islam, the main population is predominantly Sunnis.

There is only one official language in the country - Arabic, although French is no less popular. About 75% of the population are fluent in it. There are also Berber dialects. Despite the large area of ​​the country, the main population of the country of Algeria, more than 95%, is concentrated in the north, on a narrow coastal strip and the Kabylia massif. More than half of the population lives in cities - 56%. Literacy among men reaches 79%, while among women it is only 60%. Algerian Arabs live in large communities in France, Belgium and the United States.

Story

On the territory of modern Algeria in the 12th century BC. e. Phoenician tribes appeared. In the 3rd century, the state of Numidia was formed. The ruler of this country got involved in a war against Rome, but was defeated. Its territories became part of the Roman possessions. In the 7th century, the Arabs invaded here and lived for a long time. At the beginning of the 16th century, Algeria came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. But it was difficult to manage it because of the geographical location. As a result, France captured this African country, and since 1834 the country of Algiers became a French colony. The state began to look like a European one. The French built entire cities, and much attention was paid to agriculture. But the indigenous population could not come to terms with the colonialists. The national liberation war lasted for several years. And in 1962 Algeria became independent. Most of the French then left Africa. For about 20 years, the government tried to build socialism, but as a result of coups, Islamic fundamentalists came to power. Armed confrontation continues to this day. The situation in the country is extremely unstable.

Economy

• The monetary unit of the state is the Algerian dinar.
• The basis of the economy is oil and gas production - about 95% of all exports. Algeria also produces copper, iron, zinc, mercury and phosphates.

• Agriculture occupies a smaller volume in the structure of the economy, but it is quite diverse. Growing cereals, grapes, citrus fruits. Wine is produced for export. Algeria is the largest exporter of pistachios. In the semi-desert, alpha grass is collected and processed, from which paper of excellent quality is subsequently obtained.
• In animal husbandry, people specialize in breeding as well as goats and sheep.
• In the coastal part they are engaged in fishing.

culture

The capital of the country, Algeria, is the oldest and most beautiful city located in the bay of the same name. All buildings are made of light building material, which gives a special festive look to the city. Here you can see both strange narrow streets with low houses and beautiful mosques in oriental style. Among them, buildings of the 17th century stand out - the tomb of Sidd Abdarrahman and the Jami al-Jadid mosque. The modern part of the city is dominated by new buildings - offices, tall administrative buildings.

Transport

• Algeria is one of the leaders among African states in terms of the development of transport communications.
• There are many roads, about 105 thousand km. They are indispensable for communication between cities.
• The country's railways stretched for 5 thousand km.
• With the help of water transport, 70% of all international transport takes place. This gives the right to call Algeria the main water power in Africa.
• Air traffic is also developed. The country of the world, Algeria, has 136 airfields, of which 51 are concrete paved. The largest and most important airfield - Dar el-Beida - carries out both domestic flights and flights to Europe, Asia, Africa, North America. A total of 39 international destinations.

Kitchen

Algerian cuisine is part of a large complex of Mighribian culinary traditions. Many similar dishes can be found in neighboring Tunisia. Dishes made from Mediterranean products are very popular. For cooking often use fresh fruits and vegetables, olives. A traditional Berber dish is a steak from Algeria. Alcohol is prohibited in Muslim Algeria. Here it is customary to drink sweet green tea with nuts, mint or almonds. Fans of invigorating drinks prefer strong "Arabic" coffee.

shopping

Shopping in Algeria has its own characteristics, or rather, the opening hours of stores. For Europeans, it is not quite familiar. The fact is that the inhabitants of Algeria, as a Muslim state, take a two-hour break for a siesta during work. This also applies to stores that operate in two stages: morning - from 8.00 to 12.00, and afternoon - from 14.00 to 18.00. This does not apply to gift shops. They work "until the last visitor". Products in supermarkets can be bought from early morning until late at night. Tourists can bring various souvenirs from this African country: wood, leather and uniforms, copper coins, Berber carpets, silver jewelry or mats with Berber motifs.

Tourist safety

Algeria is a developing country, tourism is not given special attention, and some cities are even considered potentially dangerous for tourists. Visiting them is strongly discouraged. Although there is no official ban. There have been cases of kidnapping of tourists. At the same time, the north of the country is considered absolutely safe. It is worth going to the Sahara only in an organized group, with a local guide. Excursions and tours need to be ordered only from official tour operators.

1. Personal jewelry - items made of gold, silver and platinum - must be declared at customs when entering the country.
2. No more than 1 block of cigarettes or 50 cigars, 2 liters of low-alcohol drinks (less than 22º), and 1 liter of strong alcoholic drinks (more than 22º) can be imported into Algeria without duty.
3. If the passport has a mark on crossing the border of Israel, then entry into Algeria is prohibited.
4. Sometimes ATMs ask you to enter a 6-digit pin code. In this case, you need to enter the first two zeros.
5. Photographing the local population is not recommended. This is considered indecent.
6. Only bottled water should be used.
7. The coast is comfortable to visit throughout the year, although the country of Algeria is not exactly a beach resort, there are no good hotels.
8. On the territory of the state there are a huge number of Phoenician, Roman and Byzantine ruins.
9. On a cliff, 124 meters above sea level, is the Cathedral of Our Lady of Africa.

Above the entrance there is an inscription in French - "Our Lady of Africa, pray for us and for the Muslims." This is the only place in the world where the Catholic religion mentions the Muslim one.

The country of Algeria is located in Africa, and many cannot tell anything more about it. However, a country whose history began before our era can “provide” many interesting facts and open up to the reader as a completely unexplored state.

Algerian People's Democratic Republic

Algeria is one of the largest countries in Africa. Even in ancient times, tribes lived here, and people fought for their existence on the territory of the Sahara desert. Gradually, the country developed, but went very slowly, and today its development is hampered by corruption and bureaucracy. Despite this, Algeria is one of the most attractive countries, as it ranks 8th in terms of gas reserves and 15th in terms of oil reserves.

Story

The description of Algeria can also be started with history to see how rich this country is, what a great cultural heritage it has. In the 3rd century BC. e. the first settlement appeared on modern territory, it was occupied by Libyan tribes. Then this land was conquered by the Romans, and they owned it for 8 centuries.

After the Romans, the owners changed, and they became the Vandals, and then the Byzantines. In the 7th century, when the Islamization of the territory took place, the inhabitants of these lands joined the Arab Caliphate, and this continued until the 16th century, until the Ottoman Empire took the lead.

After some time, Algeria managed to become a free country until the French came to the land and made it their colony. All this lasted until the Second World War, and during its period, Algeria supplied Germany and Italy with products.

But still, Algeria managed to defend its freedom, and in 1962 the country became an independent state, and the capital of Algeria was located in the city of the same name. As can be seen from the short description, Algeria has always been in someone's power, and it was difficult to build some kind of state when someone is in command, therefore today it is not a prosperous country, but only a state in which the foundations of democracy are being laid.

Geographic location of Algeria

The country of Algeria is located in North Africa and is bordered to the east by Libya and Tunisia, to the south by Mauritania, Mali and Nigeria, and to the west by Morocco. The northern part is washed by the Mediterranean Sea. Physically, the region is divided into 4 parts by mountains, rivers and desert.

The largest territory, which occupies 90% of the country's area, is called the Algerian Sahara, or the stone desert, where the Ahaggar Mountains are located on the south side. The other territory is part of the Atlas Mountains, the third region is located on the north side near the coast in the valleys that end in the Atlas Mountain system. Another region is the High Plateau, which consists of depressions that fill during the rainy season and form small lakes.

The main river of the country - Chelif, which flows into the Mediterranean Sea, the highest mountain - Tahat, reaches a height of 3003 meters.

If you look at the climate map of the country, you can see that the weather is varied, which is typical for a country like Algeria. Geography teaches us that the territory of the country is divided into three climatic zones: on the coast, the temperature drops to -7°-10° in winter, and rises to + 35°-+40° in summer, the middle zone - in summer the temperature rises to + 35°, and in winter it drops to -5 °, in the southern zone, where the Sahara desert is located, hot tropical weather with storms.

State structure

The description of Algeria can also begin with the fact that the country is a presidential republic, and the president is at the head, who is elected by the people for 5 years. For almost 20 years now, Abdel Aziz Bouteflika, who was elected in 2014 for his next 5-year term, has been the head of the country.

The legislature is a bicameral parliament, which consists of 144 representatives, where 2/3 is elected by the people for six years, and 1/3 is chosen by the president. There is also a People's Assembly, whose members are elected for 5 years.

The capital of the country is the city of Algeria with the same name, where about 2 million 300 thousand people live (according to the 2008 census). The population of Algeria, according to an estimate for 2011, increased by 600 thousand people, which shows a high increase. Since 1977, the population has increased by almost 1.5 million.

The city is divided into two parts, where the modern part is located on the Mediterranean coast, and the old part is on a hill, where the citadel stands at the highest point.

Algeria means "islands" in Arabic. The country got its name due to the fact that 4 islands were located nearby, but later they became part of the mainland.

The capital of Algeria is an important economic center, has a rich history, it is located on the seashore, here you can see many sights that were built a long time ago.

Some features of Algeria

Algeria is a beautiful and interesting country with its own laws and regulations. But some bans and fines surprise even the inhabitants of the country. It is worth noting some features that every tourist needs to know:

• Alcoholic beverages are not allowed on the streets.
• You can not photograph women in black headscarves.
• It is forbidden to pay with foreign currency, and you should think about it right away.
• You can not go to the Sahara region on your own, only accompanied by a local guide.

There are other interesting facts and rules that you need to know about:

• If you find yourself in a village, then you should not take pictures of livestock, as the locals do not like this and believe that photography can adversely affect the health of the animal.
• Women should not smoke on the streets, but you can do it in a cafe or in a car.
• You cannot find a single McDonald's in the country, and residents replace such a drink as Cola with local soda.
• If you want to leave a tip in a cafe, then you can give it directly to your hands, no one will object.

Population, language and religion

The population of Algeria according to the 2016 census was more than 40 million people. At the same time, 71% of them are urban residents. The bulk of the population, or rather 73%, are Arabs, there are also Berbers - about 26%, and other peoples make up 1%.

The official language in the country is Arabic, there are also Berber dialects, and French is common among literate people. Since the majority of the population is Arabs, the main religion in the country is Islam, which controls every sphere of life.

There is even such an interesting law that provides for punishment for the fact that a person is called or forced to renounce Islam. However, Article 29 of the country's Constitution talks about freedom of conscience.

Other religions are also found in Algeria, most often Judaism and Christianity.

Economy

Algeria is a wealth of oil and gas, the country ranks 8th in gas reserves and 4th in its exports. As for oil, Algeria ranks 15th in terms of reserves and 11th in terms of exports. What then can be the characteristic of Algeria in economic terms? The country's economy is lame due to corruption and bureaucracy, and it is very difficult to develop the direction of attracting foreign investment because of the current situation.

Basically, all workers are employed in the civil service, trade, agriculture and industry are also represented. In addition to oil and gas, light, mining, food and energy industries are developing in the country.

As for agriculture, they grow wheat, barley, from fruits: grapes and olives, and in animal husbandry they mainly breed cows and sheep.

Historical events that took place over many centuries have affected the country's economy in the sense that people's standard of living is not very high. Unemployment is flourishing, which in 2008, according to official figures, was 15%, and many citizens live below the poverty line - 17% of the population. Despite the fact that the country occupies a leading position in terms of economic indicators among the countries of the mainland, it is developing very, very slowly.

Culture, attractions and cuisine

How can the characteristic of Algeria in cultural terms look like? It can be assumed that religion has a great influence, and it is on its basis that culture is formed. In this country they pray 5 times a day, Friday is a non-working day, women have fewer rights than men, and such concepts as honor and dignity are honored here.

Local attractions primarily include mosques and fortresses. With a rich cultural heritage, where Arab culture is intertwined with Turkish and French influences, one can see not only Muslim buildings, but also French-style residential buildings and palaces created by the Turks.

Every tourist who is interested in the country of Algeria is advised to visit the ancient city of Tipaza, although it is a ruin. A mausoleum in the form of a pyramid is considered a very interesting object, where scientists have been trying to unravel the mystery of secret doors for a long time.

The medieval city of the Kasbah has been preserved in good condition, a distinctive feature of which are very closely built houses, where the streets are so narrow that daylight does not penetrate.

Under the open sky, you can visit the museum - the archaeological park of the ancient Roman city. Triumphal arches, columns, an amphitheater - all these unique buildings have survived to this day.

Separately, it is worth noting the local cuisine, which was formed under the influence of Arabs, French and Turks. Dishes can be spicy, but at the same time light and with a lot of spices. It is recommended to try dishes based on semolina, which can be served with chicken, fish or lamb, it is also worth trying the stew in tomato sauce with lentils and tortillas with lamb pieces. The traditional drink is mint tea or sweet freshly brewed coffee.