North Africa, Mediterranean Coast.

GMT + 1.

2,381,741 sq km (919,595 sq miles).

33.8 million (UN estimate 2007).

14.2 per sq km.

Algiers (El Djezaïr). Population: 3.2 million (UN estimate 2005).

Algeria is situated along the North African coast, bordered to the east by Tunisia and Libya, to the southeast by Niger, to the southwest by Mali, and to the west by Mauritania and Morocco. It is Africa’s second-largest country, with 1,200km (750 miles) of coastline. Along the coastal strip are the main towns, fertile land, beach resorts and 90% of the population. Further south lies the area of the Hauts Plateaux, mountains of up to 2,000m (6,600ft) covered in cedar, pine and cypress forests with broad arable plains dividing the plateaux. The remaining 85% of the country is the Sahara Desert in its various forms, sustaining only 500,000 people, many of whom are nomadic tribes with goat and camel herds. The oil and minerals boom has created new industrial centres like Hassi Messaoud, which have grown up within previously barely inhabited regions of the northern Sahara. The plains of gravel and sand in the deep south are interrupted by two mountain ranges: the dramatic Hoggar massif, rising to almost 3,000m (9,800ft), and the Tassili N’Ajjer or ‘Plateau of Chasms’. Both have long been important centres of Tuareg culture.

Republic. Gained independence from France in 1962.

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika since 1999.

Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem since 2006.

In the 1990s, Algerian politics was dominated by the struggle involving the military and Islamic militants. Violence has largely abated, although a state of emergency remains in place. More recently, the government has also been confronted with agitation from the country's Berber ethnic minority pressing for greater cultural and political recognition. Despite limited concessions to their demands (Tamazight, the Berber tongue, is now recognised as an official national language) Berber protests have continued. Since the beginning of 1999, when President Zéroual announced his intention to step down, several elections have been held in order to bolster the regime's legitimacy. A new presidential poll was arranged but under such tightly controlled conditions that candidates who initially chose to oppose the official candidate eventually decided to boycott it. Abdelaziz Bouteflika, formerly Algeria's long-standing and respected foreign minister, was thus elected unopposed. A parliamentary election was held in May 2002, which was also subject to a partial boycott and returned the ruling FLN with a working majority in the National Assembly. In 2003, in the general election, Ali Benglis of the FLN also won as prime minister. However, this election recorded a low turnout and was marred by violence. In April 2004, Bouteflika emerged as president for a second term with an overwhelming majority, although contentions continued.

The official languages are Arabic and Berber (Tamazight), but French is still used for most official and business transactions. Berber (Amazigh) is spoken in the northern mountainous regions of the Kabylias and the Aures and also in the south. In general, English is spoken only in major business or tourist centres.

99% of the population adhere to Islam.

220 volts AC, 50Hz. The European two-pin plug is standard.

Courtesy should be adopted with new acquaintances. The provision and acceptance of hospitality are as important a part of Algerian culture as elsewhere in the Arab world. In the main cities, the urban population lives at a frantic pace much akin to European urban dwellers, but in the south and in rural areas people are much more open and friendly. Algerian women are expected to dress modestly in rural areas but this is not necessary in Algiers. Homosexuality is illegal and punishable by imprisonment. Tourist visits should be avoided during Ramadan.

Photography: Military installations and personnel should not be photographed. Visitors are advised to make sure there is nothing that could be of a governmental or military nature around their prospective photographic subject.