A republic in northwestern Africa; colonized by France in the 19th century but gained autonomy in the early 1960s; Also called: Algerie.
Country in N Africa, bounded E by Tunisia and Libya, SE by Niger, SW by Mali and Mauritania, NW by Morocco, and N by the Mediterranean Sea.
government
The 1976 constitution, amended 1979, 1988, and 1989, provided for a president and a single-chamber national people's assembly of 430 deputies, elected for a five-year term, with Islam as the state religion. A multiparty system was adopted from 1989 but after the Islamic fundamentalist Front for Salvation (FIS) won the first round of assembly elections Dec 1991, the electoral process was suspended, a state of emergency declared, and power assumed by an emergency military body, the High Security Council. The president is appointed by the military council.
history
From the 9th century BC the area now known as Algeria was ruled by Carthage, and subsequently by Rome 2nd century BC–5th century AD. In the early Christian era, St Augustine was bishop of Hippo (now called Annaba) 396–430. The area was invaded by the Vandals after the decline of Roman rule and was ruled by Byzantium from the 6th to the 8th century, after which the Arabs invaded the region, introducing Islam and Arabic. Islamic influence continued to dominate, despite Spain's attempts to take control during the 15th and 16th centuries. From the 16th century Algeria was under Ottoman rule and flourished as a center for the slave trade. The sultan's rule was often nominal, and in the 18th century Algeria became a pirate state, preying on Mediterranean shipping. European intervention became inevitable, and an Anglo-Dutch force bombarded Algiers 1816.
French colonization
A French army landed 1830 and seized Algiers. By 1847 the north had been brought under French control, and was formed 1848 into the départements of Algiers, Oran, and Constantine. Many French colonists settled in these départements, which were made part of metropolitan France 1881. The mountainous region inland, inhabited by the Kabyles, was occupied 1850–70, and the Sahara region, subdued 1900–09, remained under military rule.
struggle for independence
After the defeat of France 1940 by Germany in World War II, Algeria came under the control of the Vichy government, which collaborated with the Nazis, until the Allies landed in N Africa 1942. Postwar hopes of integrating Algeria more closely with France were frustrated by opposition in Algeria from both those of non-French and French origin. An embittered struggle for independence from France continued 1954–62, when referenda in Algeria and France resulted 1962 in the recognition of Algeria as an independent one-party republic with Ben Bella as prime minister 1962 and the country's first president from 1963. Colonel Houari Boumédienne deposed Ben Bella in a military coup 1965, suspended the constitution, and ruled through a revolutionary council.
Chadli’s presidency
A new constitution confirmed Algeria as an Islamic, socialist, one-party state 1976. Boumédienne died 1978, and power was transferred to Benjedid Chadli, secretary-general of the National Liberation Front (FLN). During Chadli's presidency, relations with France and the US improved, and there was some progress in achieving greater cooperation with neighboring states, such as Tunisia. Algeria acted as an intermediary in securing the release of the US hostages in Iran 1981. A proposal by Colonel Khaddhafi for political union with Libya received a cool response 1987.
Riots and protests at economic austerity measures Oct 1988 prompted reforms, and revisions to the constitution, approved by referendum Feb 1989, deleted any reference to socialism, and opened the way for a multiparty system. Islam remained the state religion, and the political reforms were designed, at least in part, to stem the growing fundamentalist movement. Ben Bella returned Sept 1990 after nine years in exile.
military rule
In the first round of assembly elections Dec 1991, the Islamic Front for Salvation (FIS) won 188 of the 231 seats contested. Chadli resigned Jan 1992. The army stepped in and canceled the second round of the elections, forming a junta headed by a former opponent of the president, Mohammed Boudiaf. Political activity in mosques was banned and FIS leaders were detained in an attempt to halt the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. A state of emergency was declared Feb 1992 and in March the FIS was ordered to disband.
Disquiet and potential violence persisted. Boudiaf was assassinated in June and replaced by Ali Kafi.
mounting civil strife
From 1993 Islamic fundamentalists mounted a retaliatory campaign against the government, targetting politicians, members of the police and armed forces, secularist intellectuals, and foreigners in successive waves of killings. The brutal tactics employed by the government in return were condemned by the human-rights organization Amnesty International, including its use of torture, summary executions, and unfair trials. In Jan 1994 former minister of defense General Lamine Zeroual was chosen to replace Kafi as president. Talks were opened with the Islamic fundamentalists in an attempt to resolve the political deadlock, but the militant campaign continued unabated, and the talks collapsed in Nov.
opposition proposals rejected
Proposals for ending the civil strife were drawn up by opposition groups, including the outlawed FIS, the FLN, and the Berber-based Socialist Forces Front (FSS), at a meeting in Rome Jan 1995. Algeria's most radical militant faction, the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), expressed its support, but the military regime rejected the proposals outright, launching several full-scale offensives against the fundamentalist guerrillas in the months that followed. Around 40,000 people were estimated to have died in the ongoing civil strife 1992–95. In March 1995, the FLN and FSS agreed to begin talks with the regime. + prikaži više