Algeria – 10 Interesting Facts About Algeria

10. People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria is the official name of Algeria and its National Holiday is also known as Revolution Day, honoring the day the final bid for independence began on the first of November decades ago.

9. Algeria’s official religion is Islam and it is illegal to proselytize that is to advocate or promote to the people about any other religion. The legal system is based on the French court system. The penalty for blasphemy can be years of imprisonment as well as a fine.

8. A mint tea known as Etzai is the most popular gift. Drinking tea throughout the day is a part of the day in Algeria and North Africa. There are tea rooms or tea bars dedicated to tea lovers. Hence, teas especially mint teas make the perfect gift. It is considered disrespectful to decline tea when offered.

7. Major Algerian dishes include couscous, a pasta-like dish made from semolina wheat. It is served as a bed for chicken, meat, lamb, and vegetables. It can even be a dessert with a topping of cinnamon or other toppings. Another is Mechoui, a whole roasted lamb cooked on an outdoor spit. . Seasoned with herb butter, the skin turns crispy while the meat inside is cooked tender and juicy. It is usually served with vegetables and dried fruits as well as bread. Let’s go on and explore a few more interesting facts about algeria.

6. There is no such language as Algerian, there is Algerian Arabic, also called darja, which is a local dialect of Arabic and is spoken by 60% of the population. French is widely spoken and is used in the school curriculum. Although English is not widely spoken, it is also taught in schools.

5. You Will Struggle to Find Alcohol in Algeria. This is largely due to the dominance of Islam in the country. Very few restaurants sell alcohol at all. Besides, even if an establishment does sell alcoholic drinks, they will not usually list them on the menu.  

The trend for prohibition started in Algeria in 2005 and has forced sales and consumption of alcohol underground.

4. The colors and symbols on the Algerian flag are very precise and loaded with symbolic meaning. The red symbolizes the blood of those Algerians who died fighting for the country’s independence from France. The green represents nature, while the white on the flag represents peace. The red star and crescent represent the Islamic religion.

3. It is the 10th largest country in the world. However, only 12% of the country is inhabited, heavily covered by the Sahara. This Desert covers 90% of the land and with some of the hottest temperatures ever recorded, it is not suitable for occupation. Therefore, only 12% of the country has human communities. The fennec fox found in the Sahara is the smallest of all the world’s foxes, but its large ears, measure 6 inches, which sometimes grow half of their body’s size.

2. There are seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Algeria. These sites were marked as world heritage sites because of the wealth of information they have about people and time long gone. Among these sites are Al Qal’a of Beni Hammad and Tassili n’Ajjer. Al Qal’a of Beni Hammad consists of ruins that give visitors an idea of a fortified mosque in the 11th century. These sites are worth a visit!

1. Algeria is commonly called the country of cherries and dates. This refers to the various types of weather found here; a mild climate in the north and a dry, hot one in the Saharan south. Algerian dates are known to be some of the best on earth. Visitors are traditionally greeted by being offered dates and milk.So that was all about intereting facts abou Algeria! For more on the latest news about algeria check this link. Do like, share, and subscribe to our channel, Explified!

Also Yemen is not that far from Algeria and you might want to explore that culture as well. Do check it out! See you in the next article or the next video.

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