II.

Land and Resources

Algeria has four main physical regions, which extend east to west across the country in parallel zones. In the north, along the Mediterranean coast and extending inland for 80 to 190 km (50 to 118 mi), is the Tell. The region consists of a narrow and discontinuous coastal plain backed by the mountainous area of the Tell Atlas Mountains. The numerous valleys of this region contain most of Algeria’s arable land. South of the second region, the High Plateau, lie the mountains and massifs of the Saharan Atlas. The fourth region, comprising more than 90 per cent of the country’s total area, is the great expanse of the Algerian Sahara. Much of the terrain is covered by gravel, although the Great Eastern Erg and the Great Western Erg are vast regions of sand dunes. In the south, rising above the desert, are the Ahaggar Mountains, which culminate in Mount Tahat (3,003 m/9,852 ft), the highest peak in Algeria.

A.

Rivers and Lakes

The country’s principal river, the Chelif (725 km/450 mi long), rises in the Tell Atlas and flows to the Mediterranean Sea; no permanent streams are found south of the Tell. The High Plateau, the region lying to the south and south-west, is a highland region of level terrain. Several basins here collect water during rainy periods, forming large, shallow lakes; as these dry they become salt flats, called chotts, or shotts.

B.

Climate

The Tell region in the north has a typical Mediterranean climate, with warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. This is the most humid area of Algeria, with an annual precipitation ranging from 400 to 1,000 mm (16 to 39 in). The mean summer and winter temperatures are 25° C (77° F) and 11.1° C (52° F), respectively. During the summer an exceedingly hot, dry wind, the sirocco (known locally as the chehili), blows north from the Sahara. To the south the climate becomes increasingly dry. Annual precipitation in the High Plateau and Saharan Atlas ranges from about 200 to 400 mm (8 to 16 in). The Sahara region experiences daily temperature extremes, wind, and great aridity; annual rainfall is less than 130 mm (5 in) in all places.

C.

Natural Resources

Most of the natural wealth of Algeria lies in its sizeable mineral deposits, notably oil, natural gas, phosphates, and iron ore. Other minerals include coal, lead, and zinc. The arable land comprises only about 3 per cent of the total area and is located mainly in the valleys and plains of the coastal region.

D.

Plants and Animals

The northern sections of Algeria have suffered from centuries of deforestation and overgrazing. Remnants of forests exist in a few areas of the higher Tell and Saharan Atlas. Trees include pines, Atlas cedar, and various oaks, including cork oak. Lower slopes are bare or covered with a scrub vegetation of juniper and other shrubs. Much of the High Plateau is barren, but tracts of steppe vegetation containing esparto grass and brushwood are present. Plant life in the Sahara is widely scattered and consists of drought-resistant grasses, acacia, and jujube trees.

The relatively sparse vegetation of the country can support only a limited wildlife population. Scavengers, such as jackals, hyenas, and vultures, are found in most regions. Some antelopes, hares, gazelles, and reptiles are also present.

E.

Environmental Concerns

Among the North African countries, Algeria is the most advanced in nature conservation, with a comprehensive environmental law that includes nature conservation, a protected areas system, and universities and institutions with specialized training in conservation. The government now manages nine national parks, five nature reserves, and five special hunting areas. Other protected areas include special forest areas and private holdings. No marine parks exist, but the government has the authority to close maritime areas to fishing. Overall, about 24 per cent of the country is within the protected area system, although only about 2.5 per cent (1997) is truly protected. National parks, including the giant Tassili N’Ajjer National Park in the eastern part of the country, comprise a large proportion of this total.

The country is approximately 0.8 per cent (1995) forested, with most of this land in the northern region. Algeria possesses 250 endemic plants and representatives of a total of 3,140 plant species, over one third of which are nationally threatened. A number of Algeria's animal species are also threatened with global extinction, including 15 (1996) mammals and 8 (1996) birds. Algeria's population grew rapidly after independence from France in 1962, and the impact of people on the fragile landscape has been severe. The greatest ecological threats are deforestation and burning of maquis vegetation, conversion of steppe habitat to arable land, and soil erosion due to overgrazing and poor farming practices.

Pollution of Mediterranean coastal waters is pervasive. Wetlands, including part of a recently established national park, are in particular danger of destruction. Fresh water is scarce in Algeria, but per capita consumption is low, and the majority of urban and rural populations have access to potable supplies. Algeria is an oil-producing country, and as such, generates much of its energy from fossil fuels. However, it has a keen interest in alternative energy technologies and has applied to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Solar Program for funding of several projects, including solar electrification of villages. Algeria has agreed to cooperate with other nations in protecting the Mediterranean Sea from pollution, preventing the degradation of sensitive habitats, and to work towards a goal of the protection of more than 5 per cent of its land. Algeria has ratified the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, is party to the World Heritage Convention, and has two designated biosphere reserves under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program.