Algeria

The People's Democratic Republic of Algeria (Arabic: ????????? ????????? ??????????? ???????) , or Algeria (Arabic: ???????), is a presidential state in north Africa, and the second largest country on the African continent, Sudan being the largest. It is bordered by Tunisia in the northeast, Libya in the east, Niger in the southeast, Mali and Mauritania in the southwest, and Morocco as well as a few kilometers of its annexed territory, Western Sahara, in the west. Constitutionally, it is defined as an Islamic, Arab, and Amazigh (Berber) country. The name Algeria is derived from the name of the city of Algiers, from the Arabic word al-jazā’ir, which translates as the islands, referring to the four islands which lay off that city's coast until becoming part of the mainland in 1525.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Algeria

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Algerian literature, split between Arabic and French, has been strongly influenced by the country's recent history. Famous novelists of the 20th century include Mohammed Dib and Kateb Yacine, while Assia Djebar is widely translated. As early as Roman times, Apuleius, born in Mdaourouch, was native to what would become Algeria.

Related Topics:
Famous novelists - Mohammed Dib - Kateb Yacine - Assia Djebar - Apuleius - Mdaourouch

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In philosophy and the humanities, Malek Bennabi and Frantz Fanon are noted for their thoughts on decolonization, while Augustine of Hippo was born in Annaba, and Ibn Khaldun, though born in Tunis, wrote the Muqaddima while staying in Algeria.

Related Topics:
Malek Bennabi - Frantz Fanon - Augustine of Hippo - Annaba - Ibn Khaldun - Tunis - Muqaddima

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Algerian culture has been strongly influenced by Islam, the main religion. The works of the Sanusi family in precolonial times, and of Emir Abdelkader and Sheikh Ben Badis in colonial times, are widely noted.

Related Topics:
Islam - Sanusi - Abdelkader - Ben Badis

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Algerian musical genre best known abroad is raï, a pop-flavored, opinionated take on folk music, featuring international stars such as Khaled and Cheb Mami. However, in Algeria itself the older, highly verbal chaabi style remains more popular, with such stars as El Hadj El Anka or Dahmane El Harrachi, while the tuneful melodies of Kabyle music, exemplified by Idir and Ait Menguellet, have a wide audience. For more classical tastes, Andalusi music, brought from Al-Andalus by Morisco refugees, is preserved in many older coastal towns.

Related Topics:
Algerian musical - Raï - Khaled - Cheb Mami - Chaabi - El Hadj El Anka - Dahmane El Harrachi - Kabyle - Idir - Ait Menguellet - Andalusi music - Al-Andalus - Morisco

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~