About 90 percent of this territory is covered by the Sahara desert. Because of this most of Algeria's population 27 million live in the north near the Mediterranean coast. This region is called the Tell. The farming region of the Tell makes up Algeria's "breadbasket". Crops that are grown include wheat, barley, potatoes, tomatoes, citrus fruits, dates and figs. However Algeria still has to spend 20 percent of its money on food imports. Most air blown off the Mediterranean produces rain and rain- fed streams flow through the farmlands. Many Algerians are farmers or sheep herdsmen who graze their flocks on the mountain sides of the Atlas Mountains. The Mediterranean climate attracted many French farmers during the colonial period. They laid out vineyards and made wine one of Algeria's major exports. The Atlas Mountain ranges have many mineral deposits, iron ore, phosphates, coal, zink, lead, copper, tungsten, natural gas and petroleum.

Algeria was annexed to France in 1830. France replaced the military rulers with a civilian administration in 1871. In the 1900's France began to develop Algeria. Programs sponsored by the Fre

In the late 1950's a long and bitter battle for independence began. The French tried to put down the revolt but couldn't. The rebels used guerrilla tactics to gain independence. The brutality of the French colonial forces and the fact that the French government could not find a political solution helped move world opinion against France. The French government was brought down in 1958 and the Algerians were allowed to choose their own government. They voted for their independence and established a republican government. The government is led by a powerful president and a legislature who are elected from one political party. The party supports socialism in which the government owns the nations' means of production. [Blij, p.427]

ArabNet-- Algeria Culture, Language. www.Arabnet.com

OTN's Political Islam World Guide: Algeria. www.com.Algeria.

ArabNet--Algeria Overview. www.Arabnet.comBlij, Harm and Gerald Danzer, Roger Hart, and Dorthy Drummond. World Geography, Illinois:

Some common words found in the essay are:
Southwest Asia, Political Islam, France French, Muslims Islam, Algeria European, Algeria Programs, Saharan Atlas, Atlas Mountain, Skikda Algerian, Mountains Mediterranean, political islam, natural gas, french government, islam p2, french tried, political islam p2,
Approximate Word count = 872
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)