Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria

Al-Jumhuriyah al-Jaza'iriyah ad-Dimuqratiyah ash-Sha'biyah

CAPITAL: Algiers (Alger)

FLAG: The national flag consists of two equal vertical stripes, one green and one white, with a red crescent enclosing a five-pointed red star in the center.

ANTHEM: Kassaman (We Pledge).

MONETARY UNIT: The Algerian dinar (DA) is a paper currency of 100 centimes. There are coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, and 50 centimes and 1, 5 and 10 dinars, and notes of 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 dinars. DA1 = $0.0127 (or $1 = DA78.46) as of May 2003.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: The metric system is the legal standard.

HOLIDAYS: New Year's Day, 1 January; Labor Day, 1 May; Overthrow of Ben Bella, 19 June; Independence Day, 5 July; Revolution Day, 1 November. Muslim religious holidays include 'Id al-Fitr, 'Id al-'Adha', 1st of Muharram (Muslim New Year), and Milad an-Nabi. Christians observe their own religious holidays.

TIME: GMT.

Location, Size, and Extent

Situated in northwestern Africa along the Mediterranean Sea, Algeria is the second-largest country on...