TM
CultureGrams
Kids Edition
People’s Democratic Republic of
2014
Algeria
al-Jumhuriyyah al-Jaza’iriyyah al-Dimuqratiyyah al-Sha’biyyah
Algerians wash their hands and say Bismillah (In the name of God) before eating. After the meal, they say
Al-hamdu lillah (Praise be to God) and wash their hands again.
Couscous (wheat pasta) is one of the national dishes of Algeria, along with dolma (stuffed vegetables), chorba
(spicy lamb or chicken stew), and kefta (meatballs with spices).
Algeria is the world’s tenth largest—and Africa’s largest—country.
There are more than 150 natural hot springs in Algeria. Their waters are believed to be medicinal and have been
used to treat illnesses since ancient times.
In order to keep the sands of the Sahara from drifting northward, the government planted a wide swath of trees
south of the Atlas Mountains. This barricade helps hold back the sand and runs for 930 miles (1,500 km).
The canyon walls of Tassili N’Ajjer, near the city of Djanet, are covered with more than 400,000 prehistoric rock
carvings and paintings. These images show animals, hunters, and herders from 8,000 years ago.
In the countryside, Algerians often wear more traditional clothing because it is cooler. Women wear a long outer
robe called a haik, while men wear a hooded cloak called a burnoose.
The native Berber people of Algeria refer to themselves as Amazigh, which means “free man.”
Unlike most Muslims, the Tuareg tribe, located in southern Algeria, is matrilineal, meaning their ancestry is traced
through the mother’s line. Tuareg men wear veils covering their faces, while the women’s faces go uncovered.
Deglet Nour, known as “the queen of dates,” is one of Algeria’s most famous agricultural products.
Flag
The color green represents Islam. The white stands for purity and peace. The red
symbolizes liberty. The crescent and star on the Algerian flag are also Islamic symbols,
but the crescent is more closed than those on the flags of other Muslim countries
because the Algerians believe the long crescent horns bring happiness.
National Image
The star and crescent seen together on the Algerian flag form a mythical symbol that
was used all over the ancient world. In more recent years, it has come to represent the
Ottoman Empire as well as the whole of Islam.
1
TM
CultureGrams
Algeria
Land and Climate
Area (sq. mi.): 919,596
Area (sq. km.): 2,381,741
Algeria, with an area of 919,595 square miles (2,381,741 sq km), is about the same
size as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or three and a half times the size of the
state of Texas. Algeria is part of a region known as the Maghreb, which stretches
across North Africa, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara Desert, and
includes Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, and Western Sahara. Algeria is a mountainous
country. Some of Algeria’s mountains form part of the Atlas mountain range, which
stretches all the way across Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco. Mount Tahat, the highest
mountain in Algeria, reaches 9,852 feet (3,003 m) and is also the highest peak of the
Hoggar Mountains, which are located in the wilayah (province) of Tamanghasset, in
southern Algeria. About 90 percent of the population lives in the northern coastal
region, called the Tell, which means “hill” in Arabic. Most of the nation’s rivers are found
here. Central and southern Algeria form part of the vast Sahara Desert, where only an
occasional oasis supports life. The Tell is separated from the Sahara by the Atlas
mountain range and the highlands of the Hauts Plateaux.
The Tell enjoys a mild Mediterranean climate and moderate rainfall, especially on the
coast, with a winter rainy season that lasts from December to March. In the capital city
of Algiers, the average daily high temperature in January is 61°F (16°C); in August it is
86°F (30°C). Temperatures further inland can be much hotter. A hot, sandy wind called
the sirocco is common in the summertime. The northern coastal regions of Algeria are
very hot and humid, while the southern regions are hot and dry. Sandstorms in the
desert are common from March to May.
Population
Population: 38,087,812
Algeria has a population of more than 37 million. About 67 percent of the population
lives in cities, mostly along the northern coast. Algiers, the capital and largest city, has
roughly three million residents. The country’s second-largest city, Oran, has about one
million. Other major cities include Constantine, Annaba, Batna, Tlemcen, and Sétif.
The majority of Algerians are Amazigh (Algeria’s native inhabitants), but as they have
mixed with Arab culture over time, they have come to identify themselves as having
Arab or mixed Arab-Amazigh heritage. Only 15 percent of the population identify
themselves as Amazigh only. Though Imazighen and Arabs are well mixed, some
Imazighen (especially the Mozabit tribe of the Sahara) do not intermarry with other
groups. The Imazighen call themselves by different names, including Kabyle, Shawya,
Mozabit, and Tuareg. They are also referred to as Berbers. They have lived for many
years in the Aures and Djurdjura Mountains east of Algiers or in desert regions. The
Algerian population is a young one, with the majority of the population under 30 years
old.
2
TM
CultureGrams
Algeria
Language
Arabic is the official language. Tamazight, spoken by Imazighen (Algeria’s native
inhabitants), is also a national language, though it varies by region. French, the primary
language of business before 1992, is still important today. It is taught in school as a
second language, and most Algerians living in the countryside speak it. Algerian Arabic
incorporates many French and Tamazight words into daily speech. Standard Arabic is
used in school, in the government, and in the news. Many Algerians today take English
courses to help them communicate in international business.
The Algerian dialect is used in casual conversation. Its vocabulary is mostly Arabic, but
Tamazight influences the way people pronounce specific words. The Algerian dialect
can be understood by speakers of other North African Arabic dialects but not by Middle
Eastern Arabic speakers. Imazighen speak many different versions of the Berber
sub-language Tamazight as well as Arabic. The most common spoken variation of
Tamazight is Kabyle.
Can You Say It in Arabic?
Hello
Assalaam ʿalaikum
(as-sa-LAAM all-AY-koom)
Good-bye
Maʿa salama
(MA-ah sa-LAA-ma)
Please
Min fadlak
(min FAD-lak)
Thank you
Shukran
(SHUK-ron)
Yes
Aywa
(eye-wuh)
No
Laʾ
(lah)
Religion
Although Islam is the official state religion, Algeria is not an Islamic republic. Still, since 99 percent of the people are
Sunni Muslim, Islamic philosophy is deeply rooted in their minds, hearts, and behavior. Islamic scripture, the Qur’an, is
considered the complete word of God. Muslims respect major prophets from other religions, but they accept
Muhammad as the last and greatest prophet of Allah (God). Friday is the day of worship, when men go to mosques to
listen to a sermon and recite prayers. As in other Islamic countries, women pray in a different area of the mosque. Islam
is practiced every day through dress, diet, five daily prayers, and constant references to Allah. About 1 percent of the
people are Christian or Jewish.
3
TM
CultureGrams
Algeria
Time Line
5500 BC
5500 BC
Prehistoric peoples make rock art on the cliff walls of Tassili N’Ajjer
1100s
The Phoenicians build outposts in what is now Algeria
800s
Carthage controls much of North Africa
148
Massinisa, the leader of the Berber kingdom of Numidia, dies
105
Rome takes control of Numidia
AD 400
AD 430
Vandals take over North Africa
533
Byzantine rule begins in North Africa
600s
Arabs sweep through what is now Algeria
777
The first Muslim state in Algeria, the Rustamid dynasty, is founded
1200s
Berber kingdoms begin to decline
1505–11
Spain builds forts along the Algerian coast
1514–29
Khayr al-Din (Barbarossa) helps the Ottoman Turks establish
themselves in Algeria
1800
1830
France invades Algeria
4
TM
CultureGrams
Algeria
1837–47
Algerian leader Abd al-Qadir is defeated in an uprising against France
1848
Algeria officially becomes a part of France
1900
1914–18
Thousands of Algerian Muslims fight for France during World War I
1942
Allied troops invade Algeria
1945
Algerians demonstrate for independence; police open fire and kill
thousands
1954
The Algerian revolution begins
1962
Algeria gains independence from France
1963
Mohamed Ahmed Ben Bella becomes Algeria’s first president
1965
Houari Boumédienne seizes power and keeps Ben Bella under house
arrest for 15 years
1976
Boumédienne is elected president; he introduces a new constitution
that declares Algeria a socialist state and recognizes Islam as the state
religion
1988
Riots against unemployment and poor economic conditions result in a
new constitution and reforms
1990s
Islamist terrorists kill more than 150,000 people; this period is known
as the Black Decade
1992
The Algerian army cancels national elections and seizes control of the
government; a state of emergency is declared
2000
2002
The Berber language, Tamazight, is recognized as a national language
5
TM
CultureGrams
Algeria
2007
The military continues to fight ongoing deadly bombings and other
attacks by Islamic militants
2009
President Bouteflika is reelected president for the third time
2011
Protests break out over unemployment and the price of food; President
Bouteflika lifts the 19-year state of emergency; Algeria's second metro
opens in Algiers
2013
Dozens of foreign hostages are killed by Islamist militants during a
four-day siege at a remote gas complex; Algerian special forces storm
the site
PRESENT
Berber Tribes
Tribes of Berber nomads were the first known inhabitants of what is now Algeria.
Thousands of years ago, they made the land their home, trading with the Phoenicians
when they arrived from neighboring Tunisia and built outposts along the coast. The
Berbers followed their herds of animals around the land. They also painted pictures of
their lives on cave walls. The Berbers did not have a written language, so there are very
few records of the way they lived. Around 200 BC, a Berber king by the name of
Massinisa ruled the northern part of Algeria, known as the kingdom of Numidia. The
area had come under the control of the Carthaginian Empire several hundred years
before. When Carthage warred with Rome, Massinisa sided with the Romans. Carthage
was eventually defeated, and Algeria passed into the hands of the Romans. Many
Berber tribes were forced to relocate. The Romans and then the Vandals held the
coastal region until the Arab invasion in the seventh century AD.
Arab Rule
The Arabs came from the Arabian Peninsula and brought with them their Islamic
religion and Arabic language. Both of these had a large impact on the lives of the
people living in Algeria at the time. Many of the Berbers converted to Islam, and both
Arabs and Berbers began marrying into each other’s families. Beginning with the
Umayyads, a series of Arab dynasties ruled Algeria. It was during this period that the
cities of Algiers, Oran, Constantine, and Annaba developed. In the 16th century, Spain
captured several Algerian ports and coastal cities. A corsair (pirate) by the name of
Barbarossa (Red Beard) succeeded in driving them out with the help of the Turks. He
became a famous Turkish admiral, and Algeria became a part of the Ottoman Empire.
Ottoman pashas (governors) oversaw the running of their districts. Piracy and slavery
made up a large part of the Algerian economy during this period. Turkish became the
official language of the province, and Berbers and Arabs were not allowed to hold
government office.
French Invasion
Algerian pirates consistently attacked European ships, and in 1830, France invaded
Algeria. More than 100,000 French troops arrived on Algerian soil to fight and conquer
the land. Popular Muslim leader Abd al-Qadir led a bloody revolt against the invading
forces. After a decade of rebellion, he was ultimately defeated but is still remembered in
Algeria as a brave hero. Nearly one-third of the population of Algeria died in the
resistance. Algerians were seen as French subjects but not as actual French citizens.
Traditional leaders were forced out, and the French set up the country’s present-day
boundaries. Thousands of Europeans began moving to Algeria, where they were often
given large pieces of land to farm, particularly along the coast. The French did
implement programs to build up the Algerian economy and expand health and
6
TM
CultureGrams
Algeria
education services. When World War I broke out, many Algerians fought with the
French from 1914 to 1918.
Independence
By the end of World War I, a new generation of Algerians had grown up. They led a
movement for independence from France. Before long, though, World War II broke out,
and Algeria was once again heavily involved in the European conflict. When France
surrendered to Germany, the Germans set up a puppet government (government run
by a foreign power), which ruled Algeria as well. Then the Allied forces invaded Algeria
and set up their North African headquarters in Algiers. The capital city also became
home to the Free French government led by General Charles de Gaulle. When the
Allies won the war, Algerians once again took up their quest for independence. A group
called the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) led a revolt in 1954. The FLN raided
and ambushed French military forces. The French responded by brutally bombing,
burning, and massacring rebels. Seven years later, Algeria achieved independence on
3 July 1962. Mohamed Ahmed Ben Bella became Algeria’s first president in 1963.
Modern Algeria
Tackling the ruined state of the nation after the departure of the French presented an
enormous challenge. Most of the population was out of work, and many of the
buildings, farms, and industries had been destroyed during the revolution. The National
Liberation Front (FLN) was the only political party until 1989, when the FLN wrote a
new constitution to include more political parties. Local and regional elections held in
1990 were supposed to be followed by full national elections in 1991. The Islamic
Salvation Front (FIS) gained several victories in the 1990 elections and were set for
victory in 1991. To stop the FIS from taking power, the military took control of the
government, canceled the election results, and outlawed the FIS. Algeria soon slid into
economic and political chaos. Fighting on both sides led to years of civil war and a war
against terrorism. More than 100,000 people were killed and thousands more went
missing during these conflicts. Recently, Algerians have voted to work with the
militants, and the government has agreed to pardon them if they lay down their
weapons. As a result, the level of violence has gone down.
Games and Sports
Soccer is the most popular sport in Algeria. The national team qualified for the 2010
World Cup. Only men attend matches at stadiums; schoolgirls sometimes attend boys’
school matches. Algerians also play basketball, volleyball, handball, swimming, and
other sports. Women participate in sports, especially track, but not as often as men.
Surfing is becoming more popular, especially in the region of Ayn Barbar, in eastern
Algeria. Algerians enjoy taking walks, although in the countryside women are always
accompanied by relatives. In the city, men like to go jogging on Fridays and have
always been interested in body building. In the winter, women watch television or take
their children to visit relatives and friends, while some men play cards or dominoes in
cafés and others play chess or bowl. In the desert, camel racing is popular. Riders race
across a long stretch of field, and their camels can race as fast as 40 miles (65 km) per
hour.
7
TM
CultureGrams
Algeria
Holidays
Muslim holy days are set according to the lunar calendar. Eid al-Fitr, a two-day feast at
the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, is a time for visiting, feasting, and worshiping.
Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed to the prophet Muhammad, so
each day Muslims do not eat, drink, or smoke from sunrise to sunset. After the tarawih
(evening prayer), they eat and visit with family and friends. Eid al-Adha is a two-day
event held at the same time as the summer pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It
commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son. In memory of that, each
family sacrifices an animal, usually a sheep. The men pray in the mosque while the
women prepare the sheep for the meal. A third of the meal is given to the poor, a third
to a friend or neighbor, and a third is eaten at home.
Food
In the city, families usually eat their meals together, but in the countryside, men and
women usually eat separately. The eldest family member is served first. Bread is
sometimes used to scoop up the other food. In the countryside, meals are followed by
tea, while in the cities, people finish with dessert, fruit, or cake.
Couscous, pasta made from wheat, is often cooked with lamb or chicken and
vegetables and is perhaps Algeria’s most popular dish, particularly for special
occasions. Algerians sometimes eat couscous with raisins and sugar, a dish called
couscous z’bib. In the Kabylia region, couscous is also eaten with green beans and
peas; this is called mesfuf and is traditionally eaten with curdled milk. Tajine is a
meat-and-vegetable stew named for the type of clay pot in which it is cooked. Chorba is
a soup made with small pieces of lamb, pasta, chickpeas, and tomato-based sauce and
is flavored with cinnamon, coriander, or lemon. It is traditionally eaten by all families
every night during the fasting month of Ramadan.
Local produce includes oranges, grapes, watermelon, tomatoes, potatoes, onions,
green beans, and cauliflower. Although pastries like makrout (a pastry with date filling)
are popular, fruit is nearly always served for dessert. More than three million Algerians
have diabetes, and Algerians are beginning to take their diets more seriously. Devout
Muslims do not eat pork or drink alcohol.
Schools
Adult Literacy: 69.9%
Schooling is free in Algeria, and children are required to attend through age 15.
Lessons are taught in Arabic. Some classes are also taught in French and English.
Children attend six years at an elementary school that focuses on basic skills, religion,
science, and technology. They generally have the same teacher for the first six grades.
Patriotism is taught in Algerian schools, and most children look forward to the future
and improving their country in one way or another.
Students then spend four years in a secondary school, which ends with an exam and a
brevet d’enseignement moyen, or graduation certificate. Secondary education
continues with three years in high school. After taking basic classes, the students
choose to focus in one of the following areas: hard sciences, math, literature, foreign
languages and humanities, economics and social sciences, technical studies, or sports.
High school ends with the baccalaureate exam. Many private schools have opened up
in the cities; they offer better teachers and extracurricular programs such as field trips,
theater and music programs, chess tournaments, and sports programs. However, only
well-to-do families can afford to send their children to private schools. In the
8
TM
CultureGrams
Algeria
countryside, the majority of girls do not go to school but stay at home to help their
mothers.
Life as a Kid
Family life in the city is very different from in the countryside. Algerian kids who grow up
in cities are more likely to have wealthier families, to be more knowledgeable of the
outside world, and to be more comfortable interacting socially with other children. They
have better access to health care and go to better schools. In the biggest cities, such as
Algiers, Oran, Constantine, and Annaba, boys and girls are treated fairly equally. They
attend school in the same numbers and tend to hang out in the same places. City
children are not usually given chores to do around the house until they are 14.
Children who live outside the cities are given very important responsibilities early in life.
Young girls learn to cook and take care of the house, while boys help their fathers with
their business, farm, or shop. Children in the countryside tend not to live as long as
children in the city since they often have to travel long distances to use health services
and sometimes must rely on herbal medicine.
Most Algerian children have one thing in common: they love sports. Boys love soccer,
the most popular sport in the country. Small stadiums are being built in all
neighborhoods to give kids the chance to practice and play. Girls are more into
basketball and volleyball. Gaming is becoming a popular activity in the cities, where
portable consoles are a huge hit. Algerian kids love using the internet. They use it to
learn languages, watch foreign shows, play games, listen to music, and communicate
with people from other countries.
Government
Capital: Algiers
Head of State: Pres. Abdelaziz Bouteflika
Head of Government: PM Abdelmalek Sellal
Algeria has a president elected to a five-year term and a prime minister appointed by
the president. There is no limit to how many terms the president can serve.
Parliament’s lower house is the 462-seat National Assembly, whose deputies
(members) are directly elected to five-year terms. The upper house is the National
Council. Of its 144 members, one-third are appointed by the president and two-thirds
are chosen by local councils. Members of the National Council serve six-year terms.
Laws passed by the National Assembly must be approved by the National Council. The
country is divided into 48 wilayaat (provinces). The voting age is 18.
9
TM
CultureGrams
Algeria
Money and Economy
Currency: Algerian dinar
Algeria’s main exports (products sold to other countries) include oil, iron ore, zinc, coal,
salt, and natural gas. The town of Hassi Messaoud, in southeastern Algeria, is
considered the heart of the Algerian economy because the country's biggest oil
companies are based there. With four major natural gas deposits, Algeria holds about 3
percent of the world’s total reserves. The town of Hassi R’mel, in central Algeria, is the
18th-largest natural gas field in the world.
Farming employs about one-quarter of the work force, but the country still cannot
produce enough food to feed its population. Traveling herding is the primary economic
activity in the lightly populated desert regions. The gross domestic product (the value of
all goods and services produced in a country) per person in Algeria is fairly high
because of the income from oil, but most Algerians have a low income, and many
struggle with high unemployment and political chaos. The state controls most
industries, and the government employs more than one-quarter of workers. The
currency is the Algerian dinar (DZD).
Getting Around
Most highways are paved, but desert roads are less reliable. Some people have cars,
but many ride buses to get where they need to go. The number of cars has doubled in
major cities such as Algiers and Oran over the last 10 years. A new highway, linking
eastern Annaba with western Tlemcen, makes it possible for travelers to save time and
has increased the number of companies able to operate outside of Algiers. Traveling by
train has become more popular in recent years as new railways have opened. Kids ride
their bicycles everywhere. Seven international airports link Algeria’s major cities with
other countries.
Rai
Algeria is famous for its unique form of folk and pop music known as Rai, which
combines traditional Berber music with Arabic, African, French, and Spanish musical
styles. Shepherds from the Oran area first pioneered the musical form in the 1930s.
From the very beginning, Rai has been popular with the youth and the poor, as the
lyrics to the songs often center on social issues, freedom, and modernizing traditional
Islamic values. Famous artists like Cheb Mami (best known for his duet with Sting) and
Khaled took the Rai tradition to new heights by achieving great success in other
countries, especially other North African countries as well as Spain, France, and India.
Although Rai is traditionally sung by men, female Rai singers have grown and become
very popular in recent years. Typical instruments used to accompany the singers
include drums and synthesizers. Rai sounds like pop music with an especially strong
rhythm and beat.
10
TM
CultureGrams
Algeria
Learn More
Contact the Embassy of Algeria, 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008; phone (202) 265-2800; web site
www.algeria-us.org.
© 2014 ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University. It is against the law to
copy, reprint, store, or transmit any part of this publication in any form by any
means without strict written permission from ProQuest.
11
CultureGrams
TM
ProQuest
789 East Eisenhower Parkway
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106 USA
Toll Free: 1.800.521.3042
Fax: 1.800.864.0019
www.culturegrams.com
12