National Flag:
Two equal vertical bands of green and white; a red, five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the two-color boundary; the colors represent Islam (green), purity and peace (white), and liberty (red); the crescent and star are also Islamic symbols, but the crescent is more closed than those of other Muslim countries because the Algerians believe the long crescent horns bring happiness
Capital: Algiers
Langauges: Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Currency: Algerian dinars
Main industries:
Hydrocarbons are the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the eighth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the fourth-largest gas exporter; it ranks 15th in oil reserves.
Did You Know?
- Algeria was under French rule for more than a century.
-
It is the second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
