Algeria

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Useful links

Algeria.com: Business, travel, news, sport, you name it!

AllAfrica.com:  A news website aggregating information from over 300 sources, together with specially commissioned articles and commentaries

AfricaGuide.com: Exhaustive resource website covering the whole of Africa – climate, travel and medical advice, visas and money, public holidays, getting around, people and culture, shopping and forums.

The Lonely Planet and TripAdvisor websites may also provide useful information.

Algeria is the second largest countries in the continent of Africa, with a population of around 36 million, almost entirely Berber Arabic in origin. Its coastal region, bordering the Mediterranean, is quite hilly, leading on to the Sahara desert inland. Enormous ranges in daily temperature occur, from mid-forties during the day to quite chilly at night.

Algeria achieved independence in 1952, following a hundred years of French rule. Its chief cities are Algiers and Oran. The economy is largely based on Algeria’s vast oil, natural gas and petroleum reserves.

Although it is fair to say that tourism is still rare in Algeria, its attraction lies in its fascinating mix of cultures, from purely French charm, with churches crowning vine-covered hills and cafés lining the streets, to purely Arabic areas where Europe feels a world away. There are also a number of fascinating UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Roman sites of Timgad and Tipasa, all free from thronging crowds.

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