Geographic Features and Location of Algeria

Algeria is located in the northernmost part of Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea in the north and the Sahara Desert in the south. Algeria is one of the largest states in Africa, second only to Sudan with around 919,600 square miles (World Almanac). 40 percent of the total population is concentrated in four cities located primarily in the coastal region: Algiers, the largest city and the capital (latitude 36° N, longitude 3° E),  Constantine (latitude 36° N, longitude 6° E), Annaba (latitude 36° N, longitude 7° E), and Oran (latitude 35° N, longitude 0° W) (Nyrop, 83).

(Coastal region of Algeria)

Being surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea in the north and the Sahara Desert in the south, Algeria has a complex climate. It has four distinct climate zones: the coastal region, the inland hills and plains of the Tell Mountain, the continental climate of the high plateaus and Saharan Atlas ranges, and the desert climate of the Sahara (Nyrop, 68). The coastal region receives much rain during the wet season while also having a relatively small gap in temperatures from summer to winter. The Tell Atlas is farther away from the coast and therefore has average rainfall, snow in the winter, cold winters and very hot summers. The high plateaus also receive frosting and ice during the winters and are hot in the summers. They are more removed from rainfall. Lastly, the Sahara represents extremes of both sides of weather: during the summers, temperatures can reach up to 120°. Very little rainfall occurs in the desert and temperatures drop significantly in the winters.

Besides the Mediterranean Sea, other important geographic features in Algeria are the Tell Atlas Mountains. Because of the mountainous region, this area receives the most rainfall and therefore is most conducive to agriculture. The other mountainous region is the Saharan Atlas which is in the high plateau area of Algeria. Very little agriculture is produced because of the harsh, mountainous area. The Sahara is also a significant geographical area. The Algerian Sahara covers over 800,000 square miles and contains about 500,000 inhabitants (Nyrop, 64).

 

(Tell Atlas Mountain Range)

The vast geographic differences in Algeria have altered its history. The coastal area gave Algeria contact with European nations during the great imperialistic fervor. Along with Morocco and Tunisia, piracy was an integral part of the Algerian economy in the 18^th and 19^th centuries. The Saharan Desert obviously attracted Bedouin tribes and other nomadic peoples moving west from the Middle East. From this area, they brought Islam which is the dominant religious belief in Algeria today. The agriculture of Algeria is made complicated by the little space there is room for cultivating produce. Most of the country is composed of the desert climate and not conducive to producing food. Disease in Algeria is probably less severe than in the tropics of Africa.

Bibliography

Nyrop, Richard. Area Handbook for Algeria. Washington D.C.: US Government Printing Office, 1972. Accessed September 2, 2016. http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&u=vic_liberty&id=GALE|A119451344&v=2.1&it=r&sid=summon&userGroup=vic_liberty&authCount=1#.

The World Almanac and Book of Facts. New York City: World Almanac Books, 2004. Accessed September 2, 2016.http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&u=vic_liberty&id=GALE|A119451344&v=2.1&it=r&sid=summon&userGroup=vic_liberty&authCount=1#.