ALGERIA, one of the Barbary states of north Africa, belonging to France, extending from 20° W. to 10° E. longi tude. Area, 184,474 square miles. It is divided into the three departments of Oran, Constantine, and Algiers. It is regarded as part of France, but has a civil governor-general and a Council. The principal rivers—none of which are navigable—are the Shelif, Wadel-Kebir, and Seybus. There are several salt water lakes, some of which are tem porary; the largest of these is Shot Mel rhirh, 100 feet below sea-level. In the district of the Tell Atlas, grain, sorghum, vegetables, and tobacco are produced; on the slopes the vine is cultivated, the wine being exported to France for re export as French wine. The chief prod ucts of the country are wheat, barley, oats, wine, oil, vegetables, tobacco, fruit, iron, lead, zinc, and other minerals. During the war considerable progress was made in the development of coal and lignite. The fisheries are important. The imports in 1919 amounted to 137, 727,000, and the exports to £53,760,000. The principal imports were cotton, paper, coal, sugar, and coffee. The chief exports were wine, fruit, tobacco, oats, and barley. The customs receipts in 1919 amounted to about £1,300,000. There are about 2,500 miles of railway. The chief cities are Algiers, Oran, Con stantine, and Bone. There are about 1,300 primary schools with about 4,000 teachers and about 150,000 pupils.
History.—The country, which was in habited by Moors and Numidians, was conquered by Carthage, and after the fall of the latter came into the hands of Rome, under which it flourished until its conquest by the Vandals (450 A. D.).
In the 7th century it was conquered by the Saracens. In 1516 the country was seized by Horuk Barbarossa, a renegade Greek corsair, who, as well as his suc cessors (until 1710), recognized the suzerainty of Turkey. For three cen turies the pirates of Algeria terrorized the Mediterranean. They became bolder in the 19th century, but were checked by Napoleon, and in 1815 were compelled by the United States squadron to sue for peace. In 1827, the French, after a three years' blockade of the ports, captured it. After the Franco-Prussian War there was a considerable immigra tion of Alsatians who preferred to re main under French rule.
The administration of the country is under a governor-general, assisted by a consultative council. The executive power is vested in the governor-general, who has charge of all services except that of the treasurer, justice, public in struction,and worship. The budget which is prepared by the governor-general is voted by the Financial Delegation and the Superior Council. The delegations represent the French colonists, the r'rench taxpayers who are not colonists, and native Moslems. The Superior Coun cil consists of elected members and the higher officials. The legislative power is vested in the French Parliament to which each department sends one sen ator and two deputies. Algerian troops fought bravely for France in the World War. Pop. about 5,600,000.