Algeria

Algeria is the largest country in Africa. Most of it is covered by the Sahara Desert. Algeria has ancient Roman ruins, a Mediterranean coastline, and stunning sand dunes that stretch for hundreds of miles.

Land and People

About 45 million people live in Algeria. The capital is Algiers. About 80 percent of Algeria is Sahara Desert. The north has a green Mediterranean coast where most people live. The Saharan part has rocky plateaus and huge sand seas.

Old drawing of Algeria from an old history book.
Old drawing of Algeria from an old history book. (Georg Braun, Franz Hogenberg / Wikimedia Commons)

Culture and Fun Facts

Algerians speak Arabic and many also speak French and Berber languages. Couscous with vegetables is a favorite meal. The Sahara in Algeria has some of the tallest sand dunes in the world. Ancient rock paintings in the desert show that it was once green with rivers and animals.

Fun Facts

  • Algeria is the largest country in Africa.
  • The Sahara Desert covers about 80 percent of Algeria.
  • Ancient rock paintings in Algeria show hippos and giraffes, proving the Sahara was once green.

Did You Know?

Thousands of years ago, the Sahara Desert in Algeria was a green land with rivers, lakes, and forests. Ancient people painted pictures of hippos, crocodiles, and giraffes on rocks there. The climate slowly changed and turned it into the dry desert we see today.