Algeria

At a glance

Capital	Algiers
Region	North Africa
Area	2,381,741 km² (#1 of 54 in Africa)
Size vs Kenya	About 4.1× bigger
Languages	Arabic and Tamazight (Berber); French is widely spoken
Currency	Algerian dinar (DZD)
Independence	5 July 1962, from France

The capital: Algiers

Algiers climbs steeply from the Mediterranean, its white buildings earning it the nickname "Alger la Blanche" (Algiers the White). It is Algeria's largest city and has been a port for more than 2,000 years, from Phoenician and Roman times through the Ottoman era and French rule.

The old city, the Casbah, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site: a hillside of narrow lanes, stairways, Ottoman-era palaces and mosques. Below it, the French-built boulevards along the waterfront give the city its grand facade.

What to see in Algiers

• The Casbah

  The historic heart of Algiers, a UNESCO-listed maze of alleys, traditional houses and mosques. It is best explored with a local guide.

• Djamaa el Djazaïr

  The Great Mosque of Algiers, inaugurated in 2024, is one of the largest mosques in the world. Its 265-metre minaret is the tallest anywhere.

• Maqam Echahid

  The Martyrs' Memorial, three giant concrete palm leaves on a hill above the bay, honours those who died in the war of independence. The museum below tells the story.

• Notre-Dame d'Afrique

  A 19th-century basilica on a clifftop overlooking the sea, with sweeping views across the bay of Algiers.

• Jardin d'Essai du Hamma

  A botanical garden founded in 1832, with avenues of palms, fig trees and plants from around the world.

How big is Algeria?

Algeria covers 2,381,741 km², making it Africa's #1 largest country out of 54. That's about 4.1 times the size of Kenya. One place below is DR Congo (2,344,858 km²).

Places to visit in Algeria

• Tassili n'Ajjer

  A Saharan plateau with thousands of prehistoric rock paintings and engravings, and one of the most striking desert landscapes on Earth.

• Timgad

  A Roman town founded around 100 AD, with a near-perfect grid of streets, a theatre and a triumphal arch. It is listed by UNESCO.

• The M'zab Valley

  Five fortified hilltop towns around Ghardaïa, built from the 11th century, whose architecture has influenced modern architects. A UNESCO site.

• Djémila

  Mountain-top Roman ruins with temples, basilicas and mosaics, one of the best-preserved Roman sites in North Africa.

• The Hoggar Mountains

  Volcanic peaks deep in the Sahara near Tamanrasset, home to the hermitage of Assekrem and famous sunrises.

Did you know?

• Algeria is Africa's largest country by area, and the Sahara covers most of it.
• Algeria became Africa's largest country in 2011, when South Sudan's independence made Sudan smaller.
• The minaret of Djamaa el Djazaïr, at 265 metres, is the tallest minaret in the world.
• Algeria has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, from Roman cities to the Casbah of Algiers.

Planning a visit

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best times for Algiers and the north, when it is warm but not too hot. For the Sahara, go between October and March, when days are pleasant and nights can be cold.

Most visitors need a visa arranged in advance. Desert trips usually have to be booked through a licensed local agency. Check your government's travel advice, as some border regions are off limits.