History of Algeria

The history of Algeria traces societies and states in North Africa from prehistoric times through ancient kingdoms, Ottoman rule, French colonization, independence in 1962, and the modern republic.

Connect

Capsian culture: A prehistoric North African culture known for distinctive microlithic tools and shell-midden sites. Its sites document communities in the region thousands of years before written histories.
French conquest of Algeria: The French invasion and gradual military occupation of Algeria beginning in 1830. The conquest initiated more than a century of French colonial rule.
Emir Abdelkader: An Algerian religious and military leader who resisted French conquest and founded an early state in the 1830s. His resistance became a lasting symbol of Algerian opposition to colonial rule.
Algerian Civil War: The 1990s conflict between the Algerian government and Islamist armed groups following the cancellation of elections. The violence reshaped state security, political participation, and collective memory.
History of Tunisia: The history of Tunisia, from ancient Carthage and successive empires to independence and the modern republic. Tunisia’s French protectorate and negotiated independence differed from Algeria’s settler colony and prolonged war.
Numidia: An ancient North African kingdom formed by Berber peoples in what is now Algeria and neighboring regions. Numidian rulers established an influential kingdom before Roman control expanded across the region.
French Algeria: The French colonial territory in Algeria, governed by France from 1830 until independence in 1962. Its settler institutions and unequal political order became central targets of anticolonial resistance.
Messali Hadj: An Algerian nationalist leader who advocated independence and helped build mass anticolonial politics. His movements helped establish organized nationalism before the FLN-led war.
Algerian oil and gas industry: The extraction and export of hydrocarbons, a central sector of Algeria’s economy. Hydrocarbon revenues have financed the state while tying its fortunes to global energy markets.
History of Morocco: The history of Morocco, from ancient North African societies through dynasties, colonial rule, and the modern kingdom. Morocco’s monarchy and route to independence contrast with Algeria’s republican revolution.