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ALGERIA

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... form two distinct cultural groups Arab and Berber. Each group has its own customs ... Arabs began to arrive from the Arabian Peninsula during the A.D. 600's. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: ALGERIA


1
ALGERIA
2
ALGERIA
  • Northern Algeria stretches along the
    Mediterranean Sea. The country's narrow
    Mediterranean region has a warm climate and rich
    farmland. Almost all Algerians live in this
    region. Algiers, the country's capital and
    largest city, lies on the Mediterranean. To the
    south, the sun-scorched wastes of the Sahara
    cover more than four-fifths of Algeria. Beneath
    the surface of this desert area lie huge deposits
    of natural gas and petroleum.

3
ALGERIA
  • Most Algerians are of mixed Arab and Berber
    descent. However, the people form two distinct
    cultural groupsArab and Berber. Each group has
    its own customs and language. But nearly all
    Algerians are Muslimsthat is, followers of
    Islam.

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ALGERIA
  • Ancestry. Most of Algeria's people are of mixed
    Arab and Berber ancestry. Berbers lived in what
    is now Algeria at least 5,000 years ago. Arabs
    began to arrive from the Arabian Peninsula during
    the A.D. 600's. Through the years, so many Arabs
    and Berbers intermarried that it is now difficult
    to separate the groups by ancestry. However, many
    Berbers in the country still maintain their own
    language and culture. Less than 1 percent of the
    people are of European descent.

5
ALGERIA
  • For about 130 years, Algeria belonged to France.
    In 1962, it gained independence following a
    bloody revolution. Algerians then formed a
    socialist government that began a program of
    rapid industrial development. The program has
    been financed chiefly by income from Algeria's
    government-owned natural gas and petroleum
    industries. But industry has not grown fast
    enough to eliminate poverty and widespread
    unemployment.

6
ALGERIA
  • Way of life. Since Algeria gained its
    independence from France in 1962, the government
    has worked to rid the country of French cultural
    influences. For example, it requires that legal
    proceedings be in Arabic rather than French.
    Arabic has also replaced French as the language
    used to teach the country's elementary and high
    school students. Many Algerians have called for
    stricter observance of Islamic teachings, which
    regulate family and community relationships and
    many other aspects of daily life.

7
ALGERIA
  • Rural life. Rural Algerians typically live in
    large family groups made up of several
    generations. Most houses are built of stone or
    concrete or of sun-dried bricks made of mud and
    straw. Most also have flat tile or tin roofs. The
    majority of rural Algerians make a living raising
    livestock or farming small plots.

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ALGERIA
  • City life. The architecture of Algeria's larger
    cities reflects Islamic and European influences.
    Mosques (Islamic houses of worship) and open-air
    markets are common. Older sections of the cities
    are called casbahs. In these sections, shops and
    houses are crowded along narrow streets. Newer
    sections have broad boulevards and tall office
    and apartment buildings.

9
ALGERIA
  • In Algeria's cities, many men work in factories
    or offices. The typical household consists of
    only a father and mother and their children. City
    people have much more contact with Western ideas
    than do rural Algerians. As a result, some city
    dwellers follow Western customs.

10
ALGERIA
  • Since Algeria gained independence, many poor
    rural people have moved to cities to seek factory
    work. But many of them have not been able to find
    jobs. The migration and a severe housing shortage
    have resulted in the growth of large slums in
    many Algerian cities.

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ALGERIA
  • Clothing. Many Algerians, especially in rural
    areas, wear traditional clothing. A woman may
    wear a long, white cotton outer garment called a
    haik. It covers the head and the lower part of
    the face and extends down as far as the feet.
    Traditional clothing for men includes a long,
    hooded cloak called a burnoose. Many people in
    urban areas wear clothing similar to that worn by
    North Americans and Europeans.

12
ALGERIA
  • Foods made from such grains as wheat and barley
    form the chief part of the diet of most
    Algerians. The national dish is couscous. It
    consists of steamed wheat served with meat,
    vegetables, and a souplike sauce. Many city
    dwellers eat dishes similar to those eaten by
    North Americans and Europeans.

13
ALGERIA
  • Recreation. Soccer is the most popular sport in
    Algeria. Many Algerians enjoy playing the game or
    watching soccer matches. A favorite pastime in
    cities is going to motion pictures. Algerians
    celebrate several national holidays, including
    their country's independence day on July 5. They
    also enjoy a number of religious festivals.

14
ALGERIA
  • Religion. The Constitution of Algeria declares
    Islam to be the country's official religion.
    About 99 percent of the people are Muslims, but
    they do not all agree about the role that Islam
    should play in the country's political and social
    life.

15
ALGERIA
  • Education. More than half of all Algerians aged
    15 or older can read and write. Algerian law
    requires all children from 6 to 15 years old to
    attend school. More than 90 percent of all
    children attend elementary school. However, only
    about a third of them go on to high school. The
    University of Algiers is the country's largest
    university.

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ALGERIA
  • Algiers, the capital and largest city of
    Algeria, is often called Algiers the White
    because of its many white buildings. The city has
    an excellent harbor on the Mediterranean Sea.
    Most Algerians live in cities in the country's
    narrow Mediterranean coastal region.
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