| ||||||||||||||||||||||
INTRODUCTION
Algeria has weathered rough times in the past and is trying hard to tread the peace path. Formerly a French colony, Algeria became independent in 1962.
But even this was followed by many massacres. A referendum was held in September 99 on the peace plan to end the 7-year Islamic insurgency. President Bouteflika has acknowledged that over 100,000 people have been killed during the insurgency.
Algeria is located in Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia.
Physical Map of Algeria
Algeria is made up high plateau and desert, some mountains and a narrow, discontinuous coastal plain. The country is bordered by Libya, stretching to 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km, Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km. The coastline stretches to 998 km.
The flag of the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria constitutes of a green and white rectangle embossed by a red star and a red crescent.
Climate of Algeria
While the climate is Mediterranean in nature in the coastal areas, it is semi-arid in the southeast and arid in the south. The coastal areas experience mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers;the high plateau is drier with cold winters and hot summers. During summers, sirocco, a hot, dust or sand-laden wind, is a common feature in Algeria.
Flora And Fauna of Algeria
Owing to years of deforestation, the vegetation is considerably sparse in Algeria. Trees like pines, Atlas cedar, oaks, form the main vegetation. The High Plateau is mainly barren with scattered turfs of esparto grass and brushwood here and there. Even the wild life is limited due to limited vegetation. Scavengers, such as jackals, hyenas, and vultures, are found in many regions. Antelopes, hare, gazelles, and reptiles are also present in smaller numbers.
People of Algeria
Algeria is mainly made up of Arab-Berber, who are Sunni Muslims and constitute 99% of the population. The Europeans, who before independence accounted for 10% of the total, now are only 1% of the population. Arabic and Tamazight, a Berber language, are official languages, while French is also widely spoken. About a quarter of Algeria's workforce are farmers, producing cereals, wine, citrus fruits, and cork. Mining and manufacturing, developed since the 1960s, contribute the bulk of the national income.
Culture of Algeria
French tradition formerly dominated the cultural life of Algeria. Although the French suppressed much Algerian writing during the 1950s, the war for independence stimulated a considerable resurgence of interest in the Arabic-language national literature. Even before independence, however, there was a growing movement among Algerian artists and intellectuals to revive national interest in Arab-Berber origins, a movement that, since 1962, has gained official support. Noted 20th-century Algerian writers (who wrote in French) are Kateb Yacine, Mohammad Dib, and Malek Haddad. The French novelist Albert Camus was born and educated in Algeria.
Economy of Algeria
Algeria figures as one of Africa's wealthiest nations.The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the fifth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the second-largest gas exporter; it ranks 14th in oil reserves. Agriculture also plays a strong role in the economy, but because of low productivity, foodstuffs have to be imported. The principal food crops include grains, vegetables, and fruits. Sheep and cattle are the principal livestock, and fishing also plays an important role. Algeria's financial and economic indicators improved during the mid-1990s, in part because of policy reforms supported by the IMF and debt rescheduling from the Paris Club. Algeria's finances in 2000-03 benefited from substantial trade surpluses, record foreign exchange reserves, and reductions in foreign debt.
Real GDP has risen due to higher oil output and increased government spending.
