Algeria: landmarks, animals & facts for kids

Algeria is the largest country in Africa by area. It lies in North Africa, with a Mediterranean coastline in the north and a huge stretch of the Sahara Desert in the south. Its capital is Algiers, and about 47 million people live there, most of them near the coast. Its name comes from Algiers, the city on the bay.

On My Earth Toy you can visit Maqam Echahid, the Martyrs' Memorial in Algiers: three giant concrete palm leaves that rise high above the bay and shelter an eternal flame. You can also meet two desert experts: the dromedary camel and the fennec fox, a tiny fox with enormous ears.

Geography and nature

The Sahara covers more than four-fifths of Algeria. It has sand seas, rocky plateaus and the volcanic Hoggar Mountains. In the southeast, the Tassili n'Ajjer plateau is a maze of rock arches and stone forests. The northern strip near the sea has the Atlas Mountains, green valleys and a mild climate, so most towns and farms are there. The fennec fox, Algeria's national animal, uses its big ears to hear prey under the sand and to let out heat.

People, languages and culture

Most Algerians are of Arab and Amazigh (Berber) heritage. Arabic and Tamazight are the official languages, and French is also widely used. Islam is the main religion. Couscous, steamed grains of semolina served with vegetables and meat, is a favourite meal. Raï, a popular music style, comes from the city of Oran. Football is hugely popular, and the national team is nicknamed the Desert Foxes after the fennec.

History in a nutshell

People have lived in Algeria for a very long time: thousands of rock paintings at Tassili n'Ajjer show animals and herders from when the Sahara was greener. Numidian kingdoms, Romans, Arab dynasties and the Ottoman Empire all ruled here. France took control starting in 1830. After a long war of independence from 1954 to 1962, Algeria became an independent country in 1962. Today oil and natural gas are its most important exports.