Algeria has the largest territory of all the countries of North Africa and Southwest Asia.
             About 90 percent of this territory is covered by the Sahara desert. Because of this most of Algeria's population 27 million live in the north near the Mediterranean coast. This region is called the Tell. The farming region of the Tell makes up Algeria's "breadbasket". Crops that are grown include wheat, barley, potatoes, tomatoes, citrus fruits, dates and figs. However Algeria still has to spend 20 percent of its money on food imports. Most air blown off the Mediterranean produces rain and rain- fed streams flow through the farmlands. Many Algerians are farmers or sheep herdsmen who graze their flocks on the mountain sides of the Atlas Mountains. The Mediterranean climate attracted many French farmers during the colonial period. They laid out vineyards and made wine one of Algeria's major exports. The Atlas Mountain ranges have many mineral deposits, iron ore, phosphates, coal, zink, lead, copper, tungsten, natural gas and petroleum.
             Algeria was annexed to France in 1830. France replaced the military rulers with a civilian administration in 1871. In the 1900's France began to develop Algeria. Programs sponsored by the French influenced French citizens to move to their new colony. The French brought most of Algeria's new found oil reserves and supplied more imports to Algeria then any other country. Many Algerians moved to France to work and advisors from France helped Algerians improve their farming techniques. The French also tried to update Algeria with their European culture in the areas of economics, education, industries, and government institutions.
             In the late 1950's a long and bitter battle for independence began. The French tried to put down the revolt but couldn't. The rebels used guerrilla tactics to gain independence. The brutality of the French colonial forces and the fact that the French government coul...