July 5 – Algeria's Independence Day

Posted on July 5, 2015

Happy birthday to Algeria!

On this date in 1962, Algeria became fully independent of France.

Algeria is a pretty large nation: it's the largest country in the Arab world, the largest country on the Mediterranean Sea, AND the largest country in Africa. However, 90% of Algeria is desert.

Check out some of the wonders of Algeria:

The Romans made a strip of Algeria a part of their empire. This town, Thamugadi, included a market, library, and theater, plus ceremonial gates and more than a dozen bath complexes.

Algeria is a modern nation with natural gas and petroleum industries.

Of course, with all that desert, there are some beautiful sand dunes. But there are also some crazy rock structures.

About 99% of Algerians are Muslim.

So I guess you could say that Islam is the “dominant” religion!

Like other nations on the Mediterranean, Algeria has some very nice beaches!

Northern Algeria has at least one ski resort, Tikjda. It isn't the typical picture we have of Algeria, is it?

Also on this date:

Dendrochronology pioneer Andrew Douglass's birthday 

Circus showman P.T. Barnum's birthday

Anniversary of the recording of Elvis's first single

Plan ahead:

Check out my Pinterest boards for:

• July holidays
• July birthdays
• Historical anniversaries in July

And here are my Pinterest boards for:

• August holidays
• August birthdays
• Historical anniversaries in August