A large country, Algeria was originally inhabited by the Berbers until the Arabs conquered North Africa in the seventh century. Staying mainly in the mountainous regions, the Berbers resisted the spreading Arab influence, managing to preserve much of their language and culture until the present day. Today, they make up some 20 per cent of the total population. Part of the Turkish Ottoman empire from the 16th century, Algeria was conquered by the French in 1830. The country was given the status of a département in its own right. The struggle for independence began in 1954 headed by the National Liberation Front, which came to power on independence in 1962. In the 1990s Algerian politics was dominated by the struggle involving the military and Islamic militants. Algeria's largest and official language, Arabic, is spoken natively in dialectal form by some 80% of the population, and, as in the entire Arab world, used in the Modern Standard Arabic variant in the media and on official occasions. Some 20% of the population, identified as Berbers or Imazighen, are native speakers not of Arabic, but of some dialect of Tamazight.
Transportation in Algeria
By Car: Road surfaces are reasonably good. All vehicles travelling in the desert should be in good mechanical condition, as breakdown facilities are virtually non-existent. Travellers must carry full supplies of water and petrol. Traffic drives on the right. Travel by road (outside Algiers) in northern Algeria should be avoided, especially after dark.
By Bus: Relatively inexpensive coaches, run by the SNTF, link major towns. Services are regular but this mode of travel is not recommended for long journeys, such as travel to the south from the coastal strip. Services leave from the coach stations close to the centres of Algiers and Oran.
By Rail: Algerian railways are run by the Société Nationale des Transports Ferroviaires (SNTF). Daily - but fairly slow - services operate in the northern part of the country between Algiers and Oran, Béjaia, Skikda, Annaba and Constantine. The southern routes connect once a day from Annaba to Tebessa via Souk Ahras, Constantine with Touggourt via Biskra (twice a day) and Mohammadia with Bechar.
By Ferry: There are cheap and regular car and passenger ferry links between southern Spain and Algeria.
By Air: Algeria’s national airline is Air Algérie.
Algiers, the capital, has been a port since Roman times and many impressive ruins can still be seen. Among all the things there is to do in Algiers you are more likely to end up in a museum at some time. The museums are spread all around the city, and are well worth visiting. Apart form the museums, Algiers has many public buildings of interest, including the whole casbah quarter, the Roman Catholic Cathedral, the Grand and New Mosques and plenty more.
Oran is perhaps most famous for being one of the birthplaces of the Raï music style. This inventive music form is one of the more modern music forms popularly enjoyed in the various parts of Algeria and all over the world. It is Algeria’s second city and has many historic remains and mosques.
Tlemcen was an important imperial city from the 12th to 16th centuries. It stands in the wooded foothills of the Tellian Atlas and is a pleasant retreat from the stifling heat of high summer. Sights include the Grand Mosque, the Mansourah Fortress and the Almohad ramparts.
Main Attractions
Algiers Casbah
The main building of the casbah was built in 1516 on the site of an older building and served as the palace of the deys until the French conquest.
Algiers Grand Mosque
The Grand Mosque is the oldest mosque in Algiers. It is said that this building already existed in 1018. The beautiful interior of the mosque is square and is divided into aisles by columns joined by Moorish arches.
Cathedral de Sacré Coeur
The Cathedral de Sacré Coeur in Oran is a beautiful old building which has been converted into a public library.
