Algeria

Understand

Politics and government Algeria is officially known as the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. Although the term "People's Republic" is commonly associated with communist states, Algeria is not a communist country. The term was adopted primarily because Algeria gained its independence through a revolutionary struggle against France. Algeria is a multi-party republic with a strong executive branch led by a president. The president is both the head of state and the commander in chief of the army, and is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. Legislative power is vested in the two chambers of Parliament, the Council of the Nation and the People's National Assembly.

Geography Algeria covers an area of 2,381,741 square kilometres (919,595 sq mi), making it the world's tenth-largest country and the largest country in Africa. It is slightly larger than Mexico, four times smaller than the United States, and nearly 200 times larger than Africa's smallest country, Gambia. Algeria has diverse terrain, with the Mediterranean coast, the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara. Algeria is made up of 58 provinces and more than 1,541 communities.

History

Early history The history of Algeria can be traced back to the earliest civilisations that inhabited the region and beyond. The earliest known inhabitants of Algeria were the Berber people, who have inhabited the region since at least 10,000 BCE. From the 8th century BCE, Phoenician traders established trading posts along the North African coast, introducing the region to the wider Mediterranean world, and were the first to settle Hippo Regius, now Annaba. The subsequent Carthaginian Empire, headquartered in what's now Tunisia, built cities including Leptis Magna. Following the destruction of Carthage by the Romans, Ber

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Algeria is brimmin

Getting there

Algeria is not a country you can just show up to and get in; most visitors require a visa to visit the country and the government hasn't exactly opened up the country to the rest of the world. An Algerian visa requires reams of paperwork and often back-and-forth with consular officials. Merely obtaining one is often an accomplishment in its own right.

Visa requirements

Citizens of Libya, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Western Sahara, Seychelles, and Tunisia can enter the country without a visa for 90 days. Hong Kong passport holders are entitled to 14-day visa free arrangement. If you're not a citizen of any of the countries listed above, you are required to apply for an Algerian visa at an Algerian diplomatic mission. Obtaining an Algerian visa can be challenging, as the process often involves heaps of paperwork and high fees. For example, the Algerian Embassy in the United States usually charges US$160 for any kind of Algerian visa and the Algerian consulate in Alicante charges €95 for visas for Spanish citizens staying up to 90 days. As a general rule of thumb, the longer you intend to stay, the more expensive the visa will be.

Visa application requirements

An Algerian diplomatic mission can be found in almost every country. If your country does not have an Algerian diplomatic mission, you may need to travel to another country to apply for an Algerian visa. Most missions will accept applications by mail so long as you send a prepaid return envelope (be sure to follow the instructions exactly). Although visa requirements vary from country to country, you're typically asked to submit the following to apply for an Algerian visa:

A copy of your passport (must have a validity of more than six months) Two passport-sized photographs (European size) Two visa applic

Getting around

With an area of 2,381,741 square kilometres (919,595 sq mi), travelling between major cities in Algeria can take a lot of time and can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.

By plane Due to the country's immense geography, the most convenient way of travelling long distances is by plane. That said, schedules are more guidelines in Algeria; expect delays. Algeria has a very small airlines industry ― only four airline companies, all state-owned, operate in the country. The two main airline companies are as follows:

Air Algérie is Algeria's national carrier and offers flights to almost any Algerian city. The airline uses Houari Boumediene Airport as its hub. Tassili Airlines, like Air Algérie, uses Houari Boumediene Airport as its hub and will take you all over Algeria. It is a subsidiary of Sonatrach, the largest company in Africa and one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world.

By taxi It's usual to take a taxi to travel near or in cities. The prices are pretty moderate but when travelling between bigger cities with large distances taxis are the same or more expensive as flying. Try to avoid unofficial taxis since it's very likely the driver will rip you off. Most taxis in Algiers have meters and you should insist on using the meter. The presence of meters in other large cities such as Oran varies. Do not negotiate the price before you enter the taxi, as this will clue the driver in that you have no idea what you are doing and he will invariably scam you on the price. Instead, only negotiate the price once you enter the taxi and determine it has no meter. Tipping is not necessary but you can round up to the next DA10. Shared taxis, known as “taxi-libre” in Algeria, operate along fixed routes and depart once fully occupied. These taxis provi