Algerian Religion

The nation of Algeria possess very few religions because the majority of the country's religious make up is predominantly Sunni Islam. Islam is by far the most practiced by the country's inhabitants but Sunni Islam or Muslim religion permeates through every aspect of life in Algeria. Islam is engrained in the culture of Algeria in that Islam gives Algeria its cultural and social identity as well as its principles which govern most of the nations behavior and ethics. Apart from the large following of Islam in Algeria, there are also small numbers of Christians, Jews, Atheists, and some additional religions.

There are no myths in the  history of Algeria or in our textbook which explain how Islam became such a dominant religion in Algeria. However, the explanation for the supremacy of Islam in Algeria is due to Muslim armies which invaded from Cairo for over a thousand years. It was these armies who brought Islam to the Berbers who are the descendants of the pre-Arab populations of North Africa. Berbers are primarily Sunni Muslim, but many traditional practices can be found among them. This is the explanation of the origins of Islam in the country of Algeria.

The Berbers slowly converted to Islam over centuries and the religion was not dominant until the sixteenth century. Before this mass conversion to Islam began, some of the Berber groups converted to Christianity or Judaism while others decided to practice polytheism. Due to the influence of Islamic culture some religions which briefly existed were over swept by Islam. The indigenous religion of Algeria is the beliefs of the Berbers prior to their conversion to Islam, which was nothing necessarily specific. It seems to be that the Berbers did not have a specific religion prior to the invasion of Islam.

The impact of Islam and Christianity in Algeria has given the country a sense of identity. Before the invasion of Islam, Algeria seemed to have minor ties to any sort of religion. Through the countries synchronization with Islam over the years, Algeria has created its own set of governing principles and beliefs.

"Gain Insight into Algeria's Religions." Religion in Algeria. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2015.

"Algeria Demographics Profile 2014." Algeria Demographics Profile 2014. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2015.

"Algeria - History Background." - Percent, French, Muslim, and Arabic. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2015.

"Berber." - New World Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2015.

Algerian History - Embroidery, Music, and Dance

Algeria has a very colorful history that can be told through the many different art forms which are valued in Algerian culture. During my research, one of the primary art forms I found prevalent in Algeria was that of embroidery. Embroidery is similar to that of quilting but these giant works of art would not always display different stories about the country's history. Embroidery had a large focus on colors and space as you can see in the example to the left. Complimentary colors are a large focus in embroidery and the content of these large pieces was left to the interpretation of the viewer. 


Apart from Embroidery, Algeria also has many similar forms of art which help to create more of a surrounding culture and history for the country. In addition to Embroidery, Algerian's practice many other unique forms of art as well such as rug making, pottery, and Jewelry making. Although certain regions are known for particular items, such as the carpets of Ghardaia and the silver jewellery and swords of the Berber and Tuareg regions.



Algeria also stays true to its traditional forms of both music and dance. One of Algeria's most well known forms of dance is called Chaabi which is becoming widely accepted across the country once again. The most popular style of music in the country of Algeria is a Rap style known as Rai. Algerians also uses many original instruments from their country to create music. Local instruments include the Oud (seen to right) which is a stringed lute type of instrument and a Maqrunah which is an Arabic wind instrument which uses a pouch similar to that of a bagpipe. 


Algeria is a country with many traditional values which are reflected in the countries arts. Although the art has little historical detail about specific events which occurred through the country's existence, Algerian culture has stayed true to its traditions. It is these traditions that allow us to peer into Algeria's history and observe the country's rich culture. 

Geography and Brief History of Algeria

Week One:

The nation of Algeria is located in the northwest 
corner of Africa. Algeria has a total area 
of 2,381,741 square kilometers which ninety 
percent of is made up of deserts. To put this in perspective, Algeria is four times the size of Texas. The country of Algeria is bordered to the northeast by Tunisia, to the east by Libya, to the west by Morocco, to the southwest by Western Sahara, Mauritania, and Mali, to the southeast by Niger, and to the north by the Mediterranean Sea. The primary language of Algeria is Arabic and the country has a population of 39,500,000 as of 2015. 





The capital city of Algeria, Algiers, is located at 36°42′N 3°13′E and is the largest city in the country. Algiers is located on the west side of one of the bays of the Mediterranean seas. The city has two separate components, one which is ancient and is located on a large hill behind the modern city, and the modern city which was built close to sea level which is made up of many different large white buildings. The name of the city translates from Arabic to be "the islands" in english. This name is derived from the four islands which lay off the coast of the city. 

The history of Algeria is very interesting in regard to the history of mankind. Due to excavations which have been conducted in Algeria, modern scientists have been lead to believe that Homo Erectus had lived there about 500,000 years ago. Algeria was also once part of the Roman colonies during the Punic Wars. The country was attacked and pillaged by barbarians around 440 AD but was restored when it was invaded by Arabs in 660. Algerian independence movements began in the 1950's but it was not until July 5, 1962, Algeria was proclaimed independent. In 1963, Ahmed Ben Bella was elected president, and the country became Socialist.