Noun
1. a republic in northwestern Africa on the Mediterranean Sea with a population that is predominantly Sunni Muslim; colonized by France in the 19th century but gained autonomy in the early 1960s
(synonym) Algerie, Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria
(hypernym) African country, African nation
(member-holonym) Arab League
(part-holonym) Maghreb, Mahgrib
(member-meronym) Algerian
(part-meronym) Algiers, Algerian capital
(class) Armed Islamic Group, GIA
Flag of Algeria
Background
After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), has dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the subsequent generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to counter the FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991 balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army began a crack down on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin attacking government targets. The government later allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties, but did not appease the activists who progressively widened their attacks. The fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw intense fighting between 1992-98 and which resulted in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. However, small numbers of armed militants persist in confronting government forces and conducting ambushes and occasional attacks on villages. The army placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the presidency in 1999 in a fraudulent election but claimed neutrality in his 2004 landslide reelection victory. Longstanding problems continue to face BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including the ethnic minority Berbers' ongoing autonomy campaign, large-scale unemployment, a shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies, government inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing - although significantly degraded - activities of extremist militants. Algeria must also diversify its petroleum-based economy, which has yielded a large cash reserve but which has not been used to redress Algeria's many social and infrastructure problems. Algeria assumed a two-year seat on the UN Security Council in January 2004.
Map of Algeria
More about Algeria:
DZ (ISO 3166),
DZA (ISO 3166),
AG (FIPS 10-4)
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Birthdate: October 8, 1968
Birthplace: Oran, Algeria
Height: 1.71 mts
Weight: 67 kgs
Position: Midfielder
International: 0 caps, 0 goals (as of July 16, 2000)
World Cups: 0
Previous Clubs: Narbonne, Bresil Martigues, AS Monaco, Girondins Bordeaux, Paris St.
Germain Transfer Fee: $3.60 Millions of Dollars
Stocky Algerian-born midfield dynamo and playmaker who helped Monaco win the championship in 1997. Arguably the best current player in France never to have been capped either by the French or his country of birth Algeria. Key figure in Bordeaux's 1998-99 title success, having struck up an instant understanding with Micoud after joining Bordeaux from Monaco in the summer of '98. Can dictate play. Has excellent vision and is a very accurate passer. Holder of dual nationality, he has turned down invitation to play for Algeria and suprisingly never been called by France.
Birthdate: March 6, 1969
Birthplace: Theniet-el-Had, Algeria
Height: 1.76 mts
Weight: 78 kgs
Position: Midfielder
International: 82 caps, 1 goals (as of July 16, 2000)
World Cups: 0
Previous Clubs: Jeunesse Sportive Kabylie, Auxerre, Valencia, Tottenham Hotspur
Transfer Fee: $3.77 Millions of Dollars
Birthdate: February 11, 1969
Birthplace: Oran, Algeria
Height: 1.70 mts
Weight: 65 kgs
Position: Forward
International: 28 caps, 3 goals (as of August 1, 2000)
World Cups: 0
Previous Clubs: Auxerre
Transfer Fee: -
