Algeria

Algeria occupies 2.38 million km² in northern Africa, bordering Tunisia and Libya to the east, Morocco to the west, and Mali, Niger, Mauritania, and Western Sahara to the south, with roughly 1,200 km of Mediterranean coastline to the north. The capital is Algiers. Arabic and Tamazight are both official languages; French remains widely used in government and commerce. The currency is the Algerian dinar. Algeria's identity is woven from Amazigh, Arab, Ottoman, and French colonial threads, with Islam as the dominant cultural and religious foundation.

Many nationalities require a visa obtained in advance from an Algerian embassy or consulate; visa-on-arrival and visa-free arrangements are limited compared with neighbouring countries. Algeria does not currently operate a widely available eVisa system. Travellers should consult their nearest Algerian diplomatic mission well ahead of travel for current conditions, as requirements shift periodically.

The Casbah of Algiers, a UNESCO-listed Ottoman-era medina of narrow alleys and whitewashed houses spilling down to the harbour, is the country's most visited urban landmark. Timgad in the Aurès mountains preserves a remarkably intact Roman grid city. Tassili n'Ajjer in the southeastern Sahara holds thousands of prehistoric rock engravings and natural sandstone arches. The M'Zab Valley contains five medieval Mozabite ksour built in strict geometric form. Ghardaïa, the valley's main town, offers a rare glimpse of a self-contained desert urbanism still in use.

Algeria divides sharply into two climate zones. The northern coast has a Mediterranean climate: warm, dry summers of 28–35 °C and mild, wetter winters of 5–15 °C, with the best travel window from April to June and September to October. The interior high plateau is semi-arid with colder winters. The Sahara south sees summer highs routinely above 40 °C and cool nights below 10 °C in winter — the most comfortable desert travel occurs between November and February. Pack layers for any itinerary involving both zones.

• Africa's largest country by total land area.
• Home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
• Timgad was buried under sand for centuries before excavation.
• Tamazight gained constitutional official-language status in 2016.
• Algeria is among the world's top natural gas exporters.

• algeria.travel — official Algerian tourism promotion portal
• interieur.gov.dz — Ministry of Interior, visa and border information
• mta.gov.dz — Ministry of Tourism and Artisanal Crafts
• meteo.dz — Office National de la Météorologie, national weather service