Algiers

Algiers
Algiers
Capital city
	الجزائر (al-Jazāʾir)
	The Martyrs' Memorial in Algiers
	Flag Coat of arms
	Nickname: Alger la Blanche (Algiers the White)
	Coordinates: 36°45′09″N 3°02′31″E / 36.75250°N 3.04194°E
Country	Algeria
Province	Algiers Province
Founded	944 AD (current city)
Government
• Type	Mayor-council
• Wali (Governor)	Mohamed Abdennour Rabehi
Area
• Total	363 km2 (140 sq mi)
Elevation	424 m (1,391 ft)
Population (2026)
• Total	3,120,000
• Density	8,600/km2 (22,000/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Algerine, Algiersian
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
Postal code	16000–16132
Area code	+213 (0) 21
Website	wilaya-alger.dz

Algiers is the capital of Algeria which is a North African country. It is the biggest city of the country. The white buildings make it commonly referred to as Alger la Blanche (Algiers the White).

The city is located at the Mediterranean Sea coast. Approximately, 3.1 million residents are estimated in the city and surrounding areas in 2026.

History

It is a very long history in Algiers:

Ancient times: It was initially initiated by the Phoenicians and it was subsequently a Roman town known as Icosium.
Berber and Ottoman reign: The present day city was established in the year 944 AD by the Berber. It was later incorporated in the Ottoman Empire.
French occupation: In 1830, the city became French occupied and remained the case in a period of more than 130 years.
Independence: Algeria gained its freedom in the year 1962 following a protracted war. Algiers was then taken as the capital of the new country.

Geography and Climate

Algiers is constructed in hilly areas. The ancient part of the city is way on a steep hill on the other hand the new parts are close to the water.

Climate: It is of a Mediterranean climate. This implies that the summers are dry and hot and winters are wet and mild. Snow is not very common in Algiers.
Location: It is located to the north-central of Algeria and it faces a vast bay.

Important Places

In Algiers, there are numerous landmarks:

The Casbah: It is the old and historic center of the city. It possesses narrow and winding streets and lovely old houses. It is conserved as a UNESCO world heritage site.
Martyrs' Memorial: It is a monument which resembles three palm leaves and is constructed of concrete. It is a tribute to those people who lost their lives in the struggle to liberate Algeria.
Great Mosque of Algiers: It is one of the largest mosques in the world that was recently completed and has the tallest minaret (tower) in the world.
Botanical Garden of Hamma: It is a popular park containing numerous exotic plants and trees.

Economy and Transport

The most crucial city to do business in Algeria is Algiers. The government, oil, and gas are the main employers of many individuals.

In order to move around, they use:

The Algiers Metro: A high speed rail network.
Trams and Buses: The trams and buses assist individuals to move around the city.
Cable Cars: Algiers is highly hilly and therefore, it has cable cars to transport people up and down the steep hills.

Names

The city's name is gotten from the Arabic name al-Jazāʾir (الجزائر), which means "The Islands". This name refers to the four former islands which were off the city's coast before becoming part of the mainland in 1525.