Tunisia
Libya
Niger
Western Sahara
Mauritania
Mali
MoroccoMasinissa unites Numidia
Around 202 BC the Amazigh king Masinissa, an ally of Rome against Carthage, united the Numidian kingdoms into one state, with its capital at Cirta, today's Constantine.
Northern Africa
Algeria
Africa's largest country, where Roman cities, whitewashed old towns and the green Mediterranean coast give way to the vast Sahara and its painted rocks.
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Overview
Algeria at a glance
Algeria lies in North Africa, between Morocco and Tunisia, with a long Mediterranean coast in the north. As of 2026 it is the largest country in Africa by area, and the Sahara covers most of it. About nine in ten Algerians live in the green, hilly north, where the Tell Atlas mountains rise behind the coast, while the far south holds the volcanic peaks of the Hoggar and the rock art plateau of Tassili n'Ajjer.
The land was home to the Amazigh (Berber) kingdoms of Numidia, then became part of the Roman world, and from the 7th century was shaped by Islam and the Arabic language. Local dynasties ruled from cities such as Tahert, Béjaïa and Tlemcen, and from 1516 Algiers was the capital of a largely self-governing Ottoman regency. France invaded in 1830, and Algeria won its independence in 1962 after a long war.
Today Algeria is a republic of about 47 million people, almost all of them Muslim. Arabic and Tamazight (Berber) are the official languages, most people speak Algerian Arabic in daily life, and French is still widely used. Visitors are few, which makes its Roman ruins, old casbahs, desert oases and generous hospitality all the more rewarding.
CapitalAlgiers
PopulationAbout 47 million (2024 estimate)
Official languagesArabic and Tamazight (Berber). Most people speak Algerian Arabic (Darja) day to day, and French is widely used, although it has no official status
CurrencyAlgerian dinar (DZD)
AreaAbout 2,381,741 km², the largest country in Africa (as of 2026)
GovernmentSemi-presidential republic
Highest mountainMount Tahat in the Hoggar mountains, about 2,900 to 3,000 m (sources give different heights)
Longest riverThe Chelif, about 700 km
NeighboursTunisia, Libya, Niger, Mali, Mauritania and Morocco. To the southwest lies Western Sahara, a disputed territory. Across the Mediterranean: Spain and Italy
Drives on theRight
Calling code+213
The story
A short history of Algeria
Algeria's history runs from Amazigh kingdoms and Roman towns through Islamic dynasties and an Ottoman regency to 132 years of French rule and a hard-won independence in 1962. The events below follow that long story, with approximate dates for the early centuries.
202 BC AD 100 Trajan founds Timgad
Around AD 100 the Roman emperor Trajan founded Timgad as a colony for veterans in the Aurès mountains. North Africa became one of Rome's great grain-growing regions.
AD 354 Saint Augustine is born
Augustine was born in Thagaste, today's Souk Ahras. He became bishop of Hippo Regius, near modern Annaba, and one of the most influential Christian thinkers.
AD 429 The Vandals arrive
The Vandals crossed from Spain in 429 and ended Roman rule in the region. A century later the Byzantine Empire took back parts of the coast.
AD 777 The Rustamids rule from Tahert
After the arrival of Islam, an independent Ibadi state, the Rustamid imamate, was founded around 777 with its capital at Tahert, near modern Tiaret. It grew rich on trade across the Sahara.
1007 The Hammadids build their citadel
Hammad ibn Buluggin built the Qal'a of Beni Hammad in the Hodna mountains in 1007 as the capital of the Hammadid dynasty. Later the Hammadids moved their capital to Béjaïa.
1236 Tlemcen becomes a royal capital
Yaghmurasen ibn Zayyan founded the Zayyanid kingdom in 1236 with Tlemcen as its capital. The city became a centre of learning and trade for three centuries.
1516 The Barbarossa brothers take Algiers
The corsair brothers Aruj and Hayreddin Barbarossa took Algiers in 1516, and in 1519 Hayreddin placed it under Ottoman protection. The Regency of Algiers became a largely self-governing Mediterranean power.
1830 France captures Algiers
A French army landed in 1830 and captured Algiers, ending the Regency. The conquest of the rest of the country took decades, and many European settlers followed.
1847 Emir Abdelkader surrenders
Emir Abdelkader led the resistance in the west from 1832 and built a state of his own before he surrendered in 1847. He is remembered as a national hero.
1954 The War of Independence begins
On 1 November 1954 the National Liberation Front (FLN) launched coordinated attacks across the country, the start of a war that lasted more than seven years.
1962 Algeria becomes independent
After the Évian Accords and a ceasefire in March 1962, Algerians voted for independence on 1 July. France recognised it on 3 July, and 5 July 1962 was proclaimed Independence Day.
1992 A decade of conflict begins
In January 1992 the authorities cancelled the second round of the first multi-party parliamentary elections. A long armed conflict followed between the state and armed Islamist groups, often called the Black Decade.
1999 The Civil Concord is approved
A referendum in 1999 approved the Civil Concord, which offered a limited amnesty. Violence fell in the following years, and a second reconciliation charter followed in 2005.
2016 Tamazight becomes an official language
Tamazight, the Amazigh (Berber) language, was recognised as a national language in 2002 and became an official language alongside Arabic in the 2016 constitution.
At the table
What to eat in Algeria
Algerian cooking brings together Amazigh, Arab, Ottoman, Andalusian and French influences, with wheat and semolina at its heart. A family meal often starts with a soup such as chorba or with salads, continues with a stew (tajine) or a big shared dish of couscous, and bread comes with almost every meal. Sweet pastries with almonds, dates and honey are served with coffee or mint tea, above all during Ramadan and at weddings.
Main course
Couscous (seksu)
كسكس (seksu)
All of Algeria, and shared across the Maghreb
Tiny grains of semolina, steamed two or three times over a pot of stew and served in a large dish with meat, chickpeas and vegetables such as courgettes, carrots and turnips. In Algeria it comes with a red tomato sauce or a white one, and there is also masfouf, a dry version, sometimes sweet with raisins.
In December 2020 UNESCO added the knowledge and practices of couscous to its intangible heritage list, after a joint nomination by Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.
Main course
Chakhchoukha
شخشوخة
Eastern Algeria, especially Biskra
Thin rounds of semolina flatbread are torn into small pieces and soaked in marqa, a tomato stew with lamb, chickpeas and spices. The bread softens and soaks up the sauce, a filling dish for family gatherings.
Pasta
Rechta
رشتة
Algiers, Blida and Constantine
Fine, flat noodles cut by hand, steamed and served with chicken, chickpeas and turnips in a white sauce flavoured with cinnamon and white pepper. It is the signature dish of Algiers, often made for family celebrations.
The name comes from the Persian word rista, meaning 'thread'.
StarterRecipe
Chorba frik
شربة فريك
All of Algeria, especially the east; also eaten in Tunisia
A thick soup of lamb, tomato, chickpeas and frik, wheat harvested green, roasted and cracked. It is the soup of Ramadan evenings, when families break the fast with it.
See the recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g lamb shoulder, cut into small cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tomatoes, grated
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- Half a teaspoon ground cinnamon
- A pinch of chilli or a teaspoon of harissa (optional)
- 150 g frik (cracked green wheat, sold as freekeh)
- 1 x 400 g tin chickpeas, drained
- A small bunch of coriander, chopped, and a few mint leaves
- Salt, pepper and lemon wedges to serve
Method
- Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the lamb with the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste, grated tomatoes and spices and cook for 2 minutes, then add 2 litres of water and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Rinse the frik, add it to the pot with the chickpeas and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the grains are soft and the soup is thick. Add hot water if it gets too thick.
- Stir in most of the coriander, taste for salt and pepper, and serve with the rest of the herbs, the mint and lemon wedges.
Starter
Bourek
بوراك
All of Algeria; the large bourek annabi comes from Annaba
Thin pastry sheets, called dyoul, rolled or folded around minced meat, potato, cheese, egg or tuna and fried until crisp. In eastern Algeria it is called brik, and it is a fixture of the Ramadan table.
SnackRecipe
Karantika (garantita)
كارنتيكا
Oran and western Algeria, now sold across the country
A baked chickpea-flour custard with a golden, egg-glazed top, sold hot by street vendors in squares or tucked into bread and sprinkled with cumin and harissa.
The name is usually traced to the Spanish word caliente, 'hot', from the centuries when Spain held Oran.
See the recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g chickpea flour (gram flour)
- 1 litre water
- 100 ml sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more to serve
- 1 egg, beaten, for the top
- Harissa and baguettes to serve
Method
- Heat the oven to 220 °C and oil a baking tin of about 30 x 20 cm.
- Whisk the chickpea flour with the water, oil, salt and cumin until smooth, then leave it to rest for 10 minutes.
- Pour the batter into the tin; it should be about 2 cm deep. Bake for 20 minutes, until it starts to set.
- Brush the top with the beaten egg and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, until it is firm and golden. Make sure the egg is fully cooked.
- Cut into squares and serve warm, sprinkled with cumin, with harissa, on its own or inside a piece of baguette.
BreadRecipe
Mhadjeb
محجب (mahdjouba)
Southern and eastern Algeria, such as Biskra and Touggourt; now eaten everywhere
A very thin semolina dough, stretched by hand, filled with a spicy mixture of onion, tomato and pepper, folded into a square and cooked on a griddle. The name means 'veiled' or 'covered'.
See the recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g fine semolina
- 1 teaspoon salt
- About 300 ml warm water
- Sunflower oil for stretching and cooking
- For the filling: 3 onions, finely chopped
- 3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 green pepper, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon paprika, half a teaspoon ground cumin and a pinch of chilli
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Make the filling: soften the onions in 3 tablespoons of oil for 10 minutes, add the pepper, garlic, tomatoes and spices and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until thick and dry. Leave to cool.
- Mix the semolina and salt, then add the water little by little and knead for 10 to 15 minutes into a soft, very smooth dough.
- Divide the dough into 12 balls, coat them in oil and leave to rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
- On an oiled surface, press and stretch each ball with oiled hands into a very thin sheet. Spread a spoonful of filling in the middle and fold the sides over to make a square parcel.
- Cook the squares on a hot, lightly oiled frying pan or griddle for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until golden. Serve warm.
BreadRecipe
Kesra
كسرة
Eastern Algeria; baked all over the country
A round, flat semolina bread cooked on a clay or iron griddle. It is eaten warm or cold with almost anything, from stews to olive oil, honey or a glass of fermented milk (leben).
The name comes from an Arabic root meaning 'to break', as the bread is broken by hand to share.
See the recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g medium or fine semolina
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
- About 250 ml warm water
- A teaspoon of nigella seeds (optional)
Method
- Mix the semolina, salt and nigella seeds, then rub in the oil or butter with your fingertips.
- Add the water little by little and knead gently into a soft dough that holds together. Do not overwork it.
- Divide into two balls and flatten each on a floured surface into a round about 1 cm thick. Prick it all over with a fork.
- Cook in a dry heavy frying pan or on a griddle over a medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, turning a few times, until golden and cooked through. Cut into wedges.
Main course
Mtewem
مثوم
Algiers
Meatballs and pieces of lamb or chicken cooked with plenty of garlic, almonds or chickpeas, in a red or a white sauce. It is a favourite for guests and weddings in Algiers, and during Ramadan.
The name means 'with garlic', and there is a lot of it in the sauce.
Main courseRecipe
Chtitha djej (chicken in red sauce)
شطيحة دجاج
Algiers, and eaten across the country
Chicken and chickpeas simmered in a red sauce with a lot of garlic, tomato paste, paprika and a little chilli. Chtitha is a whole family of red stews, made with chicken, meat, liver or even potatoes.
See the recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken pieces (legs and thighs)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, grated
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- Half a teaspoon ground cumin and half a teaspoon black pepper
- Chilli flakes or harissa to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 x 400 g tin chickpeas, drained
- Salt, chopped parsley and bread to serve
Method
- Heat the oil in a heavy pot and cook the chicken with the onion and half the garlic for 8 to 10 minutes, turning, until lightly browned.
- Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, cumin, pepper, chilli and the rest of the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the bay leaf, a teaspoon of salt and about 500 ml of water. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas and cook uncovered for 10 minutes more, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and red. Scatter with parsley and serve with bread.
Main course
Lham lahlou
لحم لحلو
Algiers and the whole country
A sweet dish of lamb cooked with prunes, dried apricots, raisins and almonds in a syrup scented with cinnamon and orange blossom water. Its name means 'sweet meat', and it is made especially during Ramadan and for weddings.
Dessert
Makroud
مقروض
All of Algeria, and the rest of the Maghreb
Diamond-shaped pastries of semolina filled with date paste, fried or baked and then dipped in honey or syrup. They are a classic sweet for Eid and for serving with coffee or tea.
The oldest known recipe for date-filled maqrud comes from a 13th-century Arabic cookbook.
Dessert
Qalb el louz
قلب اللوز
All of Algeria; also called chamia in the west
A dense semolina cake filled with ground almonds, flavoured with orange blossom and soaked in honey syrup, each piece topped with a whole almond. It is a favourite on Ramadan evenings with mint tea or coffee.
The name means 'heart of almonds'.
Dessert
Tcharek
تشاراك
Algiers
Small crescent-shaped pastries of thin, buttery dough wrapped around almond paste with cinnamon and orange blossom water. Tcharek msaker is rolled in icing sugar, while tcharek el ariane is left bare.
In Morocco, and in parts of Algeria such as Tlemcen and the east, the same pastry is called 'gazelle heels' or 'gazelle horns'.
Table manners
- Eat with your right hand, and use pieces of bread to scoop up sauce and stew.
- When a dish is shared, eat from the part in front of you rather than reaching across.
- Guests are usually offered coffee or tea with sweets; accepting at least a little is polite.
- Many people say 'bismillah' ('in the name of God') before eating; you can simply wait for your host to start.
- During Ramadan the fast is often broken at sunset with dates and milk, followed by a bowl of chorba.
Cities
12 cities to know
Most Algerians live in the north, in port cities along the Mediterranean and in inland cities on the high plains. Far to the south, oasis towns such as Ghardaïa, Tamanrasset and Djanet are the gateways to the Sahara.
Algiers Capital
Algiers Province, Mediterranean coast
The capital and largest city, with more than four million people in the urban area, climbing the hills around a wide bay. Its whitewashed buildings earned it the nickname 'Algiers the White'. It was the capital of the Ottoman regency and of French Algeria before becoming the capital of independent Algeria in 1962.
- The Casbah, the old town on the hill
- Djamaa el Djazaïr, the Great Mosque of Algiers
- Maqam Echahid, the Martyrs' Memorial
Oran
Oran Province, northwest coast
Algeria's second city and the capital of the west, a busy port about 430 km west of Algiers. Spain held it for most of the time between 1509 and 1792, and it grew fast under French rule.
- Raï music
- The Santa Cruz fort and chapel above the bay
- Karantika, the chickpea street snack
Constantine
Constantine Province, northeast
An inland city built on a rock plateau cut by the deep gorge of the Rhumel river, about 80 km from the sea. As Cirta it was the capital of the Numidian kings, and it was renamed after the Roman emperor Constantine.
- The "City of Bridges" across the gorge
- The Sidi M'Cid suspension bridge
- The old town on the rock
Annaba
Annaba Province, northeast coast
A port city near the Tunisian border. Beside it lie the ruins of Hippo Regius, the Roman town where Saint Augustine was bishop, and a basilica in his honour stands on the hill above them.
- The Basilica of Saint Augustine
- The ruins of Hippo Regius
- Beaches and the large bourek annabi
Tlemcen
Tlemcen Province, northwest
A historic city near the Moroccan border, the capital of the Zayyanid kings from the 13th to the 16th century. It mixes Amazigh, Arab, Andalusian and Ottoman influences and is called 'the Pearl of the Maghreb'.
- The Great Mosque of Tlemcen
- Andalusian music
- Mansourah, a ruined medieval city nearby
Béjaïa
Béjaïa Province, Kabylie coast
A port on a curved bay below Mount Gouraya, once the capital of the Hammadid dynasty. In the Middle Ages its beeswax was shipped to Europe for candles, and the French word for candle, bougie, comes from the city's old name.
- Mount Gouraya above the bay
- A gateway to the Kabylie mountains
- Medieval trade with Europe
Sétif
Sétif Province, eastern high plains
A busy trading and industrial city on the high plains, at about 1,100 m above sea level and about 270 km east of Algiers. It is the nearest large city to the Roman ruins of Djémila.
- Trade and industry
- Its cool high-plains climate
- Day trips to Djémila
Batna
Batna Province, Aurès mountains
The main city of the Aurès mountains, home of the Chaoui Amazigh people. The Roman city of Timgad lies about 35 km to the east.
- Timgad nearby
- The Aurès mountains
- Chaoui Amazigh culture
Ghardaïa
Ghardaïa Province, northern Sahara
The main town of the M'zab valley, about 600 km south of Algiers, built as a hill of houses around a mosque with a tall, tapering minaret. It is a centre of the Ibadi Mozabite community.
- The M'zab valley, a World Heritage Site
- Its market square
- Mozabite architecture
Tamanrasset
Tamanrasset Province, far south
An oasis town at about 1,320 m in the Hoggar mountains, the main town of the Algerian Tuareg. It is the starting point for trips to the volcanic peaks of the Hoggar.
- The Hoggar (Ahaggar) mountains
- Sunrise at Assekrem
- Tuareg culture
Djanet
Djanet Province, southeast Sahara
A small oasis town of the Kel Ajjer Tuareg, surrounded by palm groves and sandstone cliffs. It is the gateway to the Tassili n'Ajjer plateau and its rock art.
- Tassili n'Ajjer and its rock paintings
- Desert treks
- The Kel Ajjer Tuareg
Tipaza
Tipaza Province, coast west of Algiers
A small seaside town west of Algiers. Its Roman and early Christian ruins run down to the sea, and the author Albert Camus wrote about them.
- The ruins of ancient Tipasa by the sea
- Beaches
- Albert Camus's essays about it
Landmarks
Places everyone should see once
Algiers
The Casbah of Algiers
The old town of Algiers, a steep maze of narrow lanes, stairways, mosques and Ottoman houses with inner courtyards, climbing the hill above the port. It reached its peak as the seat of the Ottoman regency, and it has been a World Heritage Site since 1992.
UNESCO World Heritage
Algiers
Djamaa el Djazaïr (Great Mosque of Algiers)
A vast mosque on the bay of Algiers, opened in 2019, with room for up to 120,000 worshippers across the complex. Its 265 m minaret is the tallest in the world as of 2026.
Tipaza
Tipasa
The ruins of a Punic trading post that became a Roman town, with an amphitheatre, temples, villas and early Christian basilicas set among pines on the edge of the sea.
UNESCO World Heritage
Near Sétif
Djémila
The Roman town of Cuicul, built about 900 m above sea level on a narrow mountain ridge. Its forums, temples, theatre, basilicas and arches are among the best-preserved Roman ruins in North Africa.
UNESCO World Heritage
Near Batna
Timgad
A Roman colony founded by the emperor Trajan around AD 100, laid out on a perfect grid of streets. Its Arch of Trajan, theatre and library make it one of the best examples of a planned Roman town.
UNESCO World Heritage
Ghardaïa
The M'zab Valley
Five fortified towns (ksour) founded by the Mozabites between the 11th and 14th centuries on rocky hills in the northern Sahara, each clustered around its mosque, with palm groves in the valley below.
UNESCO World Heritage
Near Djanet
Tassili n'Ajjer
A vast sandstone plateau of more than 72,000 km² with rock 'forests' and one of the world's great collections of prehistoric rock art. Its paintings show herds of cattle and wild animals from a time when the Sahara was green. The pin marks the middle of the plateau.
UNESCO World Heritage
Constantine
The Sidi M'Cid Bridge
A 164 m suspension bridge that opened in 1912, hanging about 175 m above the Rhumel gorge. It was the highest bridge in the world until 1929.
Oran
The Santa Cruz Fort and Chapel
A Spanish fort built between 1577 and 1604 on Mount Murdjadjo, more than 400 m above the bay of Oran, with a chapel crowned by a statue of the Virgin Mary just below it. The views over the city and the sea are the best in Oran.
Annaba
The Basilica of Saint Augustine
A Catholic basilica completed in 1900 on a hill above the ruins of Hippo Regius, where Augustine was bishop. Its style mixes Roman, Byzantine and Moorish influences.
Fun facts
Things you might not know
- 01
As of 2026, Algeria is the largest country in Africa by area. It took that title in 2011, when South Sudan became independent and Sudan grew smaller.
- 02
The Sahara covers most of Algeria, but about 90% of Algerians live in the narrow northern, coastal part of the country.
- 03
The minaret of Djamaa el Djazaïr, the Great Mosque of Algiers, is 265 m tall, the tallest minaret in the world as of 2026.
- 04
As of 2026, Algeria has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including three Roman towns (Timgad, Djémila and Tipasa) and the rock art of Tassili n'Ajjer.
- 05
When it opened in 1912, the Sidi M'Cid suspension bridge in Constantine, about 175 m above the gorge, was the highest bridge in the world. It kept that record until 1929.
- 06
The French word for candle, bougie, comes from Bougie, the old European name of Béjaïa, whose beeswax was shipped to Europe in the Middle Ages.
- 07
In 2020 couscous was added to UNESCO's intangible heritage list after a joint nomination by Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.
- 08
The fennec fox, a tiny desert fox with huge ears, is Algeria's national animal, and the national football team is nicknamed the Fennecs.
- 09
As of 2026, Algeria has won the Africa Cup of Nations twice: at home in 1990 and in Egypt in 2019.
- 10
The writer Albert Camus, winner of the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature, was born in French Algeria in 1913 and was the first literature laureate born in Africa.
- 11
In 1860, living in exile in Damascus, Emir Abdelkader intervened to stop a massacre of the city's Christians, and several countries honoured him for it.
- 12
As of 2026, Algeria is divided into 69 provinces (wilayas), up from 58 before November 2025. Each province is named after its capital city.
- 13
Raï, the popular music of the young singers called cheb and cheba, grew up in the city of Oran.
Algerian Arabic (Darja) words
20 words to start with
Two words are in Tamazight, the Amazigh (Berber) language, and are marked. Arabic is written from right to left; the Latin spellings are simple guides, and 'kh' sounds like the ch in Scottish 'loch'. Pronunciation is written the way it sounds; the capital letters show where the stress goes. Audio is coming soon.
Greetings
- salam (سلام)sah-LAHMhello (literally 'peace')
- saha (صحة)SAH-hathanks, well done (literally 'health')
- bslama (بالسلامة)bess-LEH-magoodbye
- azul (ⴰⵣⵓⵍ)ah-ZOOLhello (in Tamazight)
- tanemmirttah-nem-MEERTthank you (in Kabyle and Chaoui, Tamazight languages)
Everyday
- ih (إيه)EEyes
- la (لا)LAHno
- wesh (واش)WESHwhat (also used as a friendly hello)
- bezzaf (بزاف)bez-ZAHFa lot, very
- shwiya (شوية)SHWEE-yaa little
- mlih (مليح)MLEEHgood
Numbers
- zouj (زوج)ZOOJtwo
Food
- khobz (خبز)KHOBZbread
- ma (ماء)MAHwater
- qahwa (قهوة)KAH-wacoffee
Family
- yemma (يما)YEM-mamum
- khouya (خويا)KHOO-yamy brother (also a friendly way to address a man)
Places
- dar (دار)DARhouse, home
- souq (سوق)SOOKmarket
- oued (واد)WEDriver or river valley, often dry (wadi)
Say it like a local
Useful phrases
Some phrases change slightly depending on whether you speak to a man or a woman; the form for a man is given, with the other where it matters. Most Algerians also understand French.
As-salamu alaykum (السلام عليكم)
ah-sah-LAH-moo ah-LAY-koom
Peace be upon you (hello)
The polite greeting for anyone, at any time of day
Wa alaykum as-salam (وعليكم السلام)
wah ah-LAY-koom ah-sah-LAHM
And upon you be peace (the reply)
Answering someone who greets you
Wesh rak? (واش راك)
wesh RAHK
How are you? (to a man; to a woman, wesh raki?)
A friendly question after the greeting
Labas, el hamdoulillah (لاباس الحمد لله)
lah-BAHS, el ham-doo-lil-LAH
Fine, thank God
The usual answer to how are you
Sbah el khir (صباح الخير)
SBAH el KHEER
Good morning
Greeting someone in the morning
Msa el khir (مسا الخير)
MSAH el KHEER
Good evening
Greeting someone in the afternoon or evening
Sahit (صحيت)
sah-HEET
Thank you (to a man; to a woman, sahiti)
Thanking a shopkeeper, a waiter or a host
Rabbi yhafdek (ربي يحفظك)
RAB-bee YAH-fdek
May God protect you (a warm thank you)
Thanking someone for a real favour
Smahli (سمحلي)
SMAH-lee
Excuse me, sorry
Getting past someone, or apologising
Ma fhemtsh (ما فهمتش)
mah FHEMTSH
I don't understand
When the conversation goes too fast
Wesh ismek? (واش اسمك)
wesh ISS-mek
What is your name?
Getting to know someone
Ismi ... (اسمي)
ISS-mee
My name is ...
Introducing yourself
Bshhal? (بشحال)
besh-HAHL
How much?
Asking a price at a market or a shop
Win kayen ...? (وين كاين)
ween KAH-yen
Where is ...?
Asking the way
Makach mushkil (ماكاش مشكل)
mah-KASH mush-KEEL
No problem
Reassuring someone
Inshallah (إن شاء الله)
in-SHAH-lah
God willing
Said about anything planned for the future
Bslama (بالسلامة)
bess-LEH-ma
Goodbye
Leaving a shop or saying goodbye to friends
Local tips
Before you go
Check official travel warnings first
Read your government's travel advice before you book, especially for the south and the border areas. As of September 2026, for example, the UK advises against all travel within 30 km of Algeria's borders with Libya, Mali, Mauritania and Niger, and parts of the border with Tunisia. The Sahara is best visited with a licensed local agency.
Get your visa in advance
As of 2026 most visitors need a visa from an Algerian consulate before they travel, and the application asks for a lot of paperwork. A visa on arrival is possible only in some cases, such as desert trips booked through an approved local travel agency.
Bring cash in euros
Cards are accepted in few places, so most travellers bring euros in cash. Visitors without Algerian residency may not carry dinar banknotes into or out of the country, and larger sums of foreign cash must be declared on arrival (as of 2026).
Fly between distant cities
Algeria is huge: Tamanrasset is about 1,600 km from Algiers as the crow flies, and much farther by road. Domestic flights save days of driving, and desert roads are no place to travel at night or without experience.
Be thoughtful during Ramadan
During the holy month of Ramadan most Algerians fast from dawn to sunset. Avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public in the daytime, and expect shorter opening hours. The evenings are lively, with special soups and sweets.
Leave the drone at home
Bringing drones, binoculars and some other camera equipment into Algeria without permission is illegal (as of 2026). Do not photograph police, soldiers or government buildings, and ask before taking pictures of people.
Dress modestly and take it slow
Covering shoulders and knees is respectful, especially in the south and in mosques. Algerians are known for their hospitality: accept a coffee when it is offered, and show interest in the country's history and culture.
Plan your route around the Morocco border
The land border between Algeria and Morocco has been closed since 1994 (as of 2026), so travel between the two countries is by air.
Sources (74)
- Algeria (Wikipedia)
- Mount Tahat (Wikipedia)
- Chelif River (Wikipedia)
- Provinces of Algeria (Wikipedia)
- Telephone numbers in Algeria (Wikipedia)
- Left- and right-hand traffic (Wikipedia)
- Algeria and Morocco border (Wikipedia)
- Algeria, World Heritage properties (UNESCO)
- Rustamid dynasty (Wikipedia)
- Augustine of Hippo (Wikipedia)
- Regency of Algiers (Wikipedia)
- Emir Abdelkader (Wikipedia)
- Algerian War (Wikipedia)
- Timgad (Wikipedia)
- Djémila (Wikipedia)
- Tipasa (Wikipedia)
- Casbah of Algiers (Wikipedia)
- M'zab (Wikipedia)
- Tassili n'Ajjer (Wikipedia)
- Qal'at Bani Hammad (Wikipedia)
- Djamaa el Djazaïr (Wikipedia)
- Maqam Echahid (Wikipedia)
- Sidi M'Cid Bridge (Wikipedia)
- Fort of Santa Cruz, Oran (Wikipedia)
- Basilica of Saint Augustine, Annaba (Wikipedia)
- Algerian cuisine (Wikipedia)
- Couscous (Wikipedia)
- Chakhchoukha (Wikipedia)
- Rechta (Wikipedia)
- Chorba frik (Wikipedia)
- Algerian bourek (Wikipedia)
- Karantika (Wikipedia)
- Mahdjouba (Wikipedia)
- Makroudh (Wikipedia)
- Kesra, pain (Wikipédia, French)
- Mtewem (Wikipédia, French)
- Chtitha (Wikipédia, French)
- Lham hlou (Wikipédia, French)
- Kalb el louz (Wikipédia, French)
- Corne de gazelle, tcharek (Wikipédia, French)
- Algiers (Wikipedia)
- Oran (Wikipedia)
- Constantine, Algeria (Wikipedia)
- Annaba (Wikipedia)
- Tlemcen (Wikipedia)
- Béjaïa (Wikipedia)
- Sétif (Wikipedia)
- Batna (Wikipedia)
- Ghardaïa (Wikipedia)
- Tamanrasset (Wikipedia)
- Djanet (Wikipedia)
- Tipaza (Wikipedia)
- Assekrem (Wikipedia)
- Raï (Wikipedia)
- Algerian Arabic (Wikipedia)
- Algerian Arabic phrasebook (Wikivoyage)
- azul (Wiktionary)
- tanmmirt, from Kabyle tanemmirt (Wiktionary)
- Thank you in Algerian Arabic (Algerian with Mona)
- Arabe algérien (Wikipédia, French)
- saha (Wiktionnaire, French)
- tanemmirt (Wiktionnaire, French)
- خبز, bread (Wiktionary)
- chouïa (Wiktionary)
- بزاف, a lot (Wiktionary)
- بالسلامة, goodbye (Wiktionary)
- yemma (Wiktionary)
- واد, river valley (Wiktionary)
- Kabyle language (Wikipedia)
- Algeria (Wikivoyage)
- Algeria travel advice (UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
- Algeria national football team (Wikipedia)
- Albert Camus (Wikipedia)
- Fennec fox (Wikipedia)
