Algeria Travel Guide

Algeria — Country and Tourist Information

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Country Facts

Location: North Africa, Mediterranean Coast.
Language: 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.
Area: 2,381,741 sq km (919,595 sq miles).
Time Zone: GMT + 1.
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. The European two-pin plug is standard.
Population: 33.8 million (UN estimate 2007).
Population Density: 14.2 per sq km.
Capital City: Algiers (El Djezaïr). Population: 3.2 million (UN estimate 2005).
Government: Republic. Gained independence from France in 1962.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem since 2006.
Head of State: President Abdelaziz Bouteflika since 1999.
Religion: 99% of the population adhere to Islam.

Recent History

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 recognized 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.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +213.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist but coverage is mostly limited to main towns.

Internet

There are Internet cafés in all larger towns.

Media

Algeria's TV and radio stations are state-controlled, but there is a lively private press which is often critical of the authorities. Although there is no overt censorship, legislation sets out prison terms and fines for insulting or defaming the president, MPs, judges and the army.

Post

Mail posted in any of the main cities along the coast takes three to four days to reach Europe; posted elsewhere, it could take much longer. Parcels sent by surface mail may take up to two months to reach Algeria.Generally Sat-Wed 0800-1700; Thurs 0800-1200; but the main post office in Algiers (5 boulevard Mohamed Khémisti) is open 24 hours.

Press

• Daily newspapers are printed in Arabic or French.
• The main French-language dailies are El Watan, Liberté, Le Quotidien d'Oran and La Tribune.
• El Khabar is one of the leading Arabic-language dailies.
• Another daily, Horizons, has an English section.

Radio

• Algerian Radio, operated by state-run Radio-Télévision Algérienne, runs national Arabic, Berber and French networks and several local stations.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
7 Dec Islamic New Year
16 Dec Ashoura

2011
1 Jan New Year’s Day
15 Feb Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet)
1 May Labor Day
19 Jun Revolutionary Readjustment
5 Jul Independence Day
30 Aug Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
1 Nov Anniversary of the Revolution
6 Nov - 7 Nov Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)
26 Nov Islamic New Year
5 Dec Ashoura

2012
1 Jan New Year’s Day
4 Feb Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet)
1 May Labor Day
19 Jun Revolutionary Readjustment
5 Jul Independence Day
19 Aug Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
25 Oct Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice)
1 Nov Anniversary of the Revolution
15 Nov Islamic New Year
24 Nov Ashoura
Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. The Algerian observance of Ramadan (lasting one lunar month and culminating in the feast days of Eid al-Fitr) has recently relaxed, and restaurants and other business centers will be open during the day. However, in the towns and oases of the south where religious observance tends to be more orthodox, some difficulty might be had in finding eating places and getting transport during the daylight hours.

Contact Information

Office National du Tourisme (ONT)

2 rue Ismail Kerrar, 1600 Algiers, Algeria
Tel: (21) 713 060.
E-mail: ont@wissal.dz

Embassy of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria in the UK

54 Holland Park, London W11 3RS, UK
Tel: (020) 7221 7800.
Website: www.algerianembassy.org.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700.

Algerian Consulate in the UK

6 Hyde Park Gate, London SW7 5EW, UK
Tel: (020) 7589 6885.
Website: www.algerianconsulate.org.uk
Opening hours: Tues-Sat 0900-1600; Tues-Fri 0930-1200 (visa applications); 1600-1630 (visa collection).