Algeria, North African country between Morocco and Tunisia.
Algeria is a North African nation that stretches from the Mediterranean coast across the Atlas mountain ranges into the Sahara, covering 2.38 million square kilometers. The territory includes coastal plains in the north, mountain ranges in the center, and wide desert expanses in the south that make up most of the landmass.
The region remained under Ottoman rule for centuries before becoming a French colony in 1830 and gaining independence in 1962 after an eight-year liberation war. The conflict claimed over one million lives and shaped the national identity of the new republic.
The kitchen brings together Near Eastern and Mediterranean influences, with couscous served as the main dish alongside vegetables, meat or fish. Cafés in cities like Oran and Algiers fill up in the evening with guests drinking strong coffee and chatting.
The state-controlled economy relies on oil and gas exports, which provide the bulk of foreign currency earnings. Travelers need a visa to enter, with certain southern desert areas closed to visitors.
Tassili N'Ajjer National Park preserves more than 15,000 prehistoric rock carvings that depict Saharan life when the region still supported vegetation and large mammals. The images range from hunting scenes to everyday moments and document the change before desertification.
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