Histrica
🇩🇿

North Africa

Algeria

Numidian kingdom, Ottoman regency, and the birthplace of the FLN independence movement.

Overview

Ancient Numidia, Roman province, Ottoman regency of the Barbary corsairs, and the site of a brutal 1954 – 1962 war of independence from France that decolonized much of Africa.

Basic Information

CapitalAlgiers
Population45 million
Area2,381,741 km²
CurrencyAlgerian dinar (DZD)
LanguagesArabic, Berber
RegionNorth Africa

History Timeline

  1. c. 202 BCEKingdom of Numidia
  2. 1516Ottoman regency established
  3. 1830 – 1962French colonial rule
  4. 1962Independence

Ancient Peoples

  • Berbers
  • Numidians
  • Romans

Ancient Kingdoms

  • Numidia
  • Mauretania Caesariensis

Empires

  • Roman
  • Ottoman
  • French colonial

Religions

  • Sunni Islam
  • Ibadi Islam

Culture

Rai music, Kabyle Berber traditions, colonial-era literature (Camus, Djebar).

Language

Arabic; Tamazight recognized.

Important Battles

  • Battle of Algiers1957

    Urban insurgency

Historical Figures

Massinissa
202 – 148 BCE

Numidian king

Abd al-Qadir
1832 – 1847

Anti-colonial leader

Archaeological Sites

  • Timgad
  • Djémila
  • Tipaza

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

  • Timgad
  • Djémila
  • Tipasa
  • Kasbah of Algiers
  • Tassili n'Ajjer

Dynasties

  • Zayyanid

Colonial Period

French colony 1830 – 1962.

Modern History

Presidential republic; major natural-gas exporter.