northern algeria stretches along the mediterranean sea

8/14/2019 Northern Algeria Stretches Along the Mediterranean Sea.

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ALGERIA

Northern Algeria stretches along theMediterranean Sea. The country's narrowMediterranean region has a warm climateand rich farmland. Almost all Algerians livein this region. Algiers, the country's capitaland largest city, lies on theMediterranean. To the south, the sun-scorched wastes of the Sahara cover morethan four-fifths of Algeria. Beneath thesurface of this desert area lie hugedeposits of natural gas and petroleum.



ALGERIA

Most Algerians are of mixed Arab andBerber descent. However, the peopleform two distinct cultural groups —Arab and Berber. Each group has itsown customs and language. Butnearly all Algerians are Muslims —

that is, followers of Islam.



ALGERIA

Ancestry. Most of Algeria's people are of mixed Arab and Berber ancestry. Berberslived in what is now Algeria at least 5,000years ago. Arabs began to arrive from theArabian Peninsula during the A.D. 600's.Through the years, so many Arabs andBerbers intermarried that it is now difficultto separate the groups by ancestry.However, many Berbers in the country stillmaintain their own language and culture.Less than 1 percent of the people are of European descent.



ALGERIA

For about 130 years, Algeria belonged toFrance. In 1962, it gained independencefollowing a bloody revolution. Algeriansthen formed a socialist government thatbegan a program of rapid industrialdevelopment. The program has beenfinanced chiefly by income from Algeria'sgovernment-owned natural gas andpetroleum industries. But industry has notgrown fast enough to eliminate povertyand widespread unemployment.



ALGERIA

Way of life. Since Algeria gained itsindependence from France in 1962, thegovernment has worked to rid the countryof French cultural influences. For example,it requires that legal proceedings be inArabic rather than French. Arabic has alsoreplaced French as the language used toteach the country's elementary and highschool students. Many Algerians havecalled for stricter observance of Islamicteachings, which regulate family andcommunity relationships and many otheraspects of daily life.



ALGERIA

Rural life. Rural Algerians typicallylive in large family groups made upof several generations. Most housesare built of stone or concrete or of sun-dried bricks made of mud andstraw. Most also have flat tile or tin

roofs. The majority of rural Algeriansmake a living raising livestock orfarming small plots.



ALGERIA

City life. The architecture of Algeria'slarger cities reflects Islamic and Europeaninfluences. Mosques (Islamic houses of

worship) and open-air markets arecommon. Older sections of the cities arecalled casbahs. In these sections, shopsand houses are crowded along narrowstreets. Newer sections have broadboulevards and tall office and apartmentbuildings.



ALGERIA

In Algeria's cities, many men work infactories or offices. The typicalhousehold consists of only a fatherand mother and their children. Citypeople have much more contact withWestern ideas than do rural

Algerians. As a result, some citydwellers follow Western customs.



ALGERIA

Since Algeria gained independence,many poor rural people have movedto cities to seek factory work. Butmany of them have not been able tofind jobs. The migration and a severehousing shortage have resulted in

the growth of large slums in manyAlgerian cities.



ALGERIA

Clothing. Many Algerians, especially inrural areas, wear traditional clothing. Awoman may wear a long, white cottonouter garment called a haik. It covers thehead and the lower part of the face andextends down as far as the feet.Traditional clothing for men includes along, hooded cloak called a burnoose. Many people in urban areas wear clothingsimilar to that worn by North Americansand Europeans.



ALGERIA

Foods made from such grains aswheat and barley form the chief partof the diet of most Algerians. Thenational dish is couscous. It consistsof steamed wheat served with meat,vegetables, and a souplike sauce.

Many city dwellers eat dishes similarto those eaten by North Americansand Europeans.



ALGERIA

Recreation. Soccer is the mostpopular sport in Algeria. ManyAlgerians enjoy playing the game or

watching soccer matches. A favoritepastime in cities is going to motionpictures. Algerians celebrate severalnational holidays, including theircountry's independence day on July5. They also enjoy a number of religious festivals.



ALGERIA

Religion. The Constitution of Algeriadeclares Islam to be the country'sofficial religion. About 99 percent of the people are Muslims, but they donot all agree about the role thatIslam should play in the country's

political and social life.



ALGERIA

Education. More than half of allAlgerians aged 15 or older can readand write. Algerian law requires all

children from 6 to 15 years old toattend school. More than 90 percentof all children attend elementaryschool. However, only about a thirdof them go on to high school. TheUniversity of Algiers is the country'slargest university.



ALGERIA

Algiers, the capital and largest city of Algeria, is often called Algiers theWhite because of its many whitebuildings. The city has an excellentharbor on the Mediterranean Sea.

Most Algerians live in cities in thecountry's narrow Mediterraneancoastal region.

northern algeria stretches along the mediterranean sea

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