About two-thirds of Algeria’s 31 million inhabitants are under the age of 26. The country also has one of the world's highest rates of population growth, with the total set to double every 30 years. The majority of Algerians are Arabic-speakers of Arab or mixed Arab/Berber origin, though there are other ethnic groups.

More than 90 per cent of Algerians live in the far north of the country, within a relatively narrow strip of fertile land which follows the Mediterranean coastline, away from the savage heat of the Sahara to the south.

The economic and educational profile of Algerian society changed dramatically with Algerian independence in 1962, when most of the French and other Europeans left. As the majority of technicians and administrators had been European, Algeria was left with a shortage of highly skilled and educated people. As a result, the country has often found itself in economic difficulties, which it has struggled to overcome.

The country has the world’s fourth-largest reserves of natural gas, and major deposits of oil. But the economy is weak, and Algeria has big external debts. With unemployment standing at about 30 per cent, dissatisfaction and anger among young people is a growing problem. Following years of drought, a lot of people have moved away from desert areas and into the cities, creating acute housing problems. Between one and two million Algerians live in France, where many have encountered racism and hostility.

Many aspects of life in Algeria’s towns and cities, from fashion to food, show a strong European influence. The liveliest streets of Algiers and other cities resemble those of a southern French city, with the buzz of mopeds, street cafés, loud music, and fashionable clothes shops. Rural and Saharan Algeria are generally more conservative.

Algeria today, and conflict