Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

that are found all over the world. Algae

are very important because they make

much of Earth’s oxygen, which humans

and other animals need to breathe.

Some algae, such as seaweeds, look like

plants. However, algae are actually neither

plants nor animals. Instead they

belong to a group of living things called

protists.

There are about 27,000 different

species, or types, of algae. They are

most common in water, such as oceans,

rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, and

marshes. Some species live in soil or on

leaves, wood, and stones. Algae even

grow on animals such as turtles and

polar bears.

Alfred the Great

76 Algae BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Algae can be green, blue, red, or brown.

They vary greatly in size. Some species

are so small that they can only be seen

through a microscope. On the other

hand, the algae called kelp can reach

200 feet (60 meters) in length.

Algae differ from plants in several ways.

They do not have stems or leaves, and

their roots are different from plant roots.

Algae also do not produce flowers or

seeds, as plants do. Like plants, however,

algae make their own food through a

process called photosynthesis. Photosynthesis

also releases oxygen into the air.

In addition to making oxygen, algae are

important for other reasons.Water animals

such as whales, seals, fish, octopuses,

and starfish depend on algae for

food. People also eat some types of algae.

In many parts of the world farmers use

seaweeds as fertilizer (a material to help

crops grow).

#More to explore

Living Things • Protist • Photosynthesis

An alligator hides in algae-covered water.

A magnified view of red algae shows that it looks like a plant. But algae belong to a group

of living things called protists.

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Algae 77

 

Algeria

Algeria is a country on the north coast of

Africa. It is the second largest country on

the continent. Its history, language, customs,

and Islamic religion make it a part

of the Arab world. The capital is Algiers.

Geography

Algeria is bordered by Tunisia, Libya,

Niger, Mali, Mauritania,Western

Sahara, and Morocco. The Mediterranean

Sea lies to the north.

The northern part of the country is

known as the Tell. Most of the people

live there. The Atlas Mountains separate

the Tell from the Sahara Desert, which

takes up about four fifths of the country.

The Sahara contains plateaus and large

areas of sand called ergs. It also features

Algeria’s highest peak, Mount Tahat,

which rises to 9,573 feet (2,918 meters).

Northern Algeria has warm, dry summers

and mild, rainy winters. The

Sahara can be very hot or quite cold,

depending on the season and time of

day. It rarely rains there.

Plants and Animals

Plants in Algeria survive without much

water. The Tell region has evergreen

shrubs and low trees. In the desert are

tufts of grass, shrubs, and acacia and

jujube trees.

Hyenas, jackals, monkeys, hawks, and

desert snakes are native to Algeria. So are

some antelope, hares, rodents, and wild

boars. Scorpions are common in the

Sahara.

People

Most Algerians have Berber or Arab

ancestors. The Berbers were the people

who lived in North Africa before the

arrival of the Arabs. Arabs now make up

more than 70 percent of the population.

Almost all Algerians are Muslim.

The Erg Admer is a large area of sand

dunes in southern Algeria.

78 Algeria BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Economy

The Algerian government controls the

economy. Algeria’s main products are

petroleum (oil) and natural gas. However,

most Algerians work in the government,

the military, or in agriculture.

Crops include wheat, potatoes, tomatoes,

barley, dates, onions, oranges,

olives, and grapes. Sheep and goats are

the main livestock. Manufacturers make

food and tobacco products; cement,

bricks, and tiles; and iron and steel

products.

History

Mainly Berbers lived in ancient Algeria.

Waves of invaders—Phoenicians,

Carthaginians, Romans, and Vandals—

conquered them at different times. Muslim

Arabs invaded in the 600s and 700s.

The Turkish Ottoman Empire gained

control of northern Algeria in 1518.

France invaded in 1830 and made Algeria

a French colony.

In the 1920s Algerians began to seek

more rights. In 1954 a group called the

National Liberation Front (FLN) began

a war against France. Algeria won independence

in 1962. The FLN controlled

the new government.

Algeria held its first elections in 1991.

One of the parties in the election was

the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), which

wanted to establish an Islamic state.

When it appeared likely that the FIS

would win the largest number of seats,

the military canceled the elections and

took over the government. That action

sparked a devastating civil war. In 1999

Algerians elected Abdelaziz Bouteflika,

their first nonmilitary president since

1965. However, the violence continued

into the 21st century as various groups

continued to protest the actions of the

government.

..More to explore

Algiers • Arabs • France • Islam • Sahara

Algeria borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north. In ancient times the land was part of

several different empires that stretched along the sea.

Facts About

ALGERIA

Population

(2008 estimate)

34,574,000

Area