The Past and Future of Algeria

2011
Leave a Comment

The population of Algeria is approximately 34,895,000. At least 99% of this population is classified as Berber or Arab. More than 90% of Algerians live in the costal northern region of Algeria.

The climate in the Sahara is hot and humid. The temperatures get very high. Temperatures past 100 degrees is common in the Saharan desert. The costal region has more moderate temperatures. In addition, there is a substantial amount of rain all through the year.

A minority of the population live in the oases in the Sahara. Approximately 1.5 million of the Algerian people are either nomadic or partly nomadic. Also, the fertility rate in this nation is low. More than 30 percent of the population is age 15 or below.

The majority of Algerians speak Algerian Arabic. More than 83% speak this language. Approximately 15% speak the dialect of the Berbers. French is understood by most of the population of Algeria. In addition, Arabic is also taught to most youth in this nation.

Europeans only make up 1% of the population in the land. They inhabit the metropolitan areas of the nation. This is different than in the prior history of the country. During the colonial periods of Algeria, the percentage of Europeans was about 15.2. The European inhabitants were concentrated on the costal regions of Algeria.

When Algeria became independent from France, almost all of the European residents migrated to other areas. Many returned to Europe after the liberation of Algeria.

The turmoil in Algeria is not over. Presently, the people of this nation are protesting the government law and rule. They are frustrated with some of the oppressive conditions in the nation. Unemployment rates are about 30% and poverty is rampant. The people of this nation long for rule that truly looks out for the best interest of all Algerians.

Filed Under: Algeria, Traditions & Customs Tagged With: , ,

The Nature of the Nation of Algeria

2011
Leave a Comment

Algeria lies in the northern portion of Africa mostly between latitudes 19 degrees and 37 degrees north. The coastal part of Algeria is hilly and mountainous. The climate in this land can be extremely hot all year.

The climate does feel more cool at night when the sun sets. There are great variations in daily temperatures in Algeria. There is abundant rainfall along the northern area of eastern Algeria. When it is necessary to travel further inland, the rainfall level is not as high. The climate in Algeria brings different changes, and the government also brings varied changes in the law.

The government in Algeria is run by a president that serves a five year term. The president can serve more than one five year term. The law used to limit the president to two five year terms, but the limitation was taken away in 2008.

The president serves as the head of the Council of Ministers and High Security Council in Algeria. The national age of voting is 18 in Algeria. In addition, the Parliament is composed of an upper and lower chamber.

Currently, Algeria has more than 40 political parties that are active in the land. Algeria has come a long way from its rough history of being invaded by several nations. It took many years for Algeria to gain its freedom from France. Before France, other countries had ruled Algeria.

The liberation from French law involved much blood shed among the population of Algeria. Men, women, and children shed their blood. Most of those killed were those in the military.

The nation of Algeria still has struggles in today’s modern culture. There are high rates of unemployment, poverty, and oppression. The people of Algeria are calling for more equal treatment from the government. They are demanding a change in how their country is run.

Filed Under: Algeria, Traditions & Customs Tagged With: , ,

Take The Family on a Fun and Relaxing Ski Vacation for the Holidays

2011
Leave a Comment
Skier carving a turn off piste

Image via Wikipedia

Every year the same question comes up: what to do around the Christmas holiday to avoid just sitting around the house during break? A wonderful tradition in many families is to take off for a ski trip every year. Finding a good resort to visit will offer a variety of fun to be enjoyed by everyone.

Of course, there is skiing and snowboarding to be enjoyed all day long. In addition to the slopes, there is always hanging out in the lodge, usually with a variety of food, drink and places to hang out with the family. Nightlife at the resort areas is usually happening as well, with music and dancing. In addition to the lodge, there is often nightclubs as well as family oriented venues suitable for children to have fun.

Christmas time is the perfect time to go skiing and have fun with the family. Resorts are so competitive to get your business for a family vacation, that ski deals can be readily found. Resorts at Christmas time are booming with excitement and it is definitely one of the most active times to visit and even meet other families. A family will find that there is definitely fun for everyone. With plenty of other families and kids of all ages, everyone will have a great time.

Of course, one of the best places to look for ski deals is on the Internet. Simply search for the location you want to enjoy and you’ll quickly find a variety of options. Often, travel agents will also have access to deals on ski trips, or you can call up the resorts and just ask if they offer any deals.

Making skiing a part of your Christmas holiday tradition, or even just trying it out, is an excellent choice for the entire family.

Filed Under: General, Travel Tagged With: , ,

Algeria Under the Rule of Early Presidents

2011
Leave a Comment

Algeria has a rich history of different governmental rules. This nation had to fight very hard to gain their independence from the nation of France.

The first president of the independent government of Algeria was Ahmed Ben Bella. The law of Ben Bella was not popular, and in 1965, the government of Ahmed Ben Bella was overthrown by Houari Boumédienne. Algeria law reflected more authoritarian and socialist rhetoric during the reign of both of these presidents.

In contrast to Ahmed Ben Bella, Boumedienne used a heavy military presence to keep the population in order. This was totally different than his predecessor. Agriculture and industrialization were launched full fledged. Also, there was a mass extraction of natural resources like oil and gas.

Algeria’s economy became extremely dependent on oil. This became a problem during the 1980’s when there was a oil crisis during this time. Modernization was prevalent during this time in Algeria’s history. Village customs changed tremendously. A great urbanization began to take place in the land.

One big change was education. There was a move to educate more people in the population, so the rate of literacy rose from 10% to 60%. Also, female fertility seemed to increase substantially. Each mother was having an average of 7-8 kids per family.

The 1980’s was a time in which the youth tried to come to terms with the nations obsession with the prior war years. During this time, there was an extreme housing crisis brought on by certain government law.

Algerian Civil War broke out after 1991. There was mass conflict among the political entities. All political parties that were founded on religion were banned. This war killed nearly 160,000 people during this time. The war started to burn out around 1998. The country began to establish some semblance of order again.

Filed Under: Algeria, General Tagged With: , ,

The Culture and Customs of Algeria

2011
Leave a Comment

Algeria has some very distinct customs that include certain foods. For example, the staple of their diet is couscous. This wheat dish is steamed and served with vegetables, gravy, lamb or chicken.

The entire culture and population in Algeria consider this meal as “food.” It is considered a very basic meal in this culture. Onions, turnips, red peppers, and raisins are common seasonings in this culture. In addition, salt, cumin, pepper, and coriander are important flavors in the culture.

Customs in Algeria include roasting a lamb over a open fire. This practice goes way back into their history, and this food is as natural to the people as their warm climate.

The government of Algeria has oil and gas as the primary sources of revenue. The land has abundant resources of these natural fuels. Algerian law favors industry more than farming, so there are more benefits to those in industry. There are many evils that hinder the farming industry. Droughts, poor irrigation, and the desert are all major problems for farmers in Algeria. The climate is also not conducive to agriculture at certain times of the year.

The government of Algeria employs about 30 percent of the population in the land. Another approximately 16 percent work in construction or public work. Those in industry account for about 13 percent of the population, and there are about 5 percent employed in communications and transportation.

There is still a huge problem of unemployment in the land. Many adult men must travel to other cities to find places to work and earn money. Some immigrate to France to find employment, and they come back during the summer to visit their families.

Filed Under: Algeria, Culture Tagged With: , ,

The History of the Government of Algeria

2011
Leave a Comment

Algeria is located in northern Africa, and it is the second largest country in Africa. Originally Berbers occupied this land. The history of Algeria stems all the way back to these first people in this region. The Phoenicians invaded the land, and this changed history forever.

The cities of Constantine and Annaba were built along the Mediterranean coast. The Phoenicians interacted very little with the Algerians. These invaders did teach the Algerian people how to raise crops in the African climate.

The Romans began establishing Roman law in Algeria, and the Romans ruled the government in Algeria for a period of 600 years. Numidia is the name they gave to the new kingdom that lasted for 600 years.

The land was captured again in 1510 by Spain. Law changed again when in the 19th century the French began to travel into Algeria. The French took over the government again. French people began to move to Algeria in large numbers. They were intent on replacing Algeria’s customs with French customs.

In 1954, Algeria began to fight for its independence from the French. The National Liberation Army starting attacking the French strongholds. During the next four years, the French government shipped over half a million troops into the land of Algeria.

The United Nations and the U.S. were against the tactics the French used to gain control. The French resorted to torturing and capturing people. De Gaulle issued a promise in 1959 to the nation of Algeria. He was now the president of France, and he made a promise for freedom from the French government.

In 1962, Algeria had finally secured its independence. This nation was finally free from French rule. It had been a long, arduous journey but Algeria was finally free to govern itself.

Filed Under: Algeria, Law Tagged With: , ,

Learing from History

2011
Leave a Comment

Throughout time history has found a way to repeat itself. Time and time again the human race has suffered the same fate due to the lack of knowledge of the past.

We can talk politics or natural disasters, history always repeats itself and he have the opportunity to learn from it and stop the repetition as long as we go back and learn from where we came from and want to learn where we are headed. It doesn’t take much to turn on the television and see what is happening around the world and even here in our own country to see that these similar events have already taken place.

Economy’s, race’s and entire countries are in turmoil at current date and it has all happened before, Maybe not at the exact location and time but it has happened and we haven’t taken the time to realize the similarities to prevent them from happening again over and over.

There are people out there who do see what is going on and some are taken seriously while others are mocked. The truth is we could all learn from our mistakes and correct the error of our ways. Some things to look out for,

  • global economies, what is happening in your own country
  • politics, if it hasn’t worked before why are we trying it again
  • natural disasters, if the flood took your home more than once why are you rebuilding,”again”

This writer doesn’t mean any harm nor am I trying to conclude that we are all idiots, but some things happen for a logical and sometime scientific or natural reason. Learn from them and grow as a person and as a people.

This will create less hardship and fewer fatalities in the future, that’s all I am saying.

Filed Under: General, Traditions & Customs Tagged With: ,

Global Warming

2011
Leave a Comment

In the recent years so much has been made of global waring and the effect it is having on our planet. The ice caps are melting, our summers are getting hotter and so on.

Can any one explain to me then why just two weeks ago every state in the country except for Florida had snow in it. the eastern sea board for the past two years has been hit with unexplainable snow storms causing cities to literally shut down.

So much has come out in the past year to debunk the idea of global warming however it is a business and if these people want to continue to put money in their pockets then they will need to continue to come up with different stories on why their theories should hold water.

Until these crazy winters stop paralyzing the country no one is going to be selling global waring with much success. If you can legitimately explain why we should listen to the stories then I will be the first to listen and many people will follow however with the state of the climate in today’s news I doubt to many people now or any time soon will be listening to your stories.

When I was growing up it was all about the ozone, today it is global warming and when my young daughter enters her tweenties and thirties I’m sure there will be some new and improved story on why and how to save the planet as long as it is making someone some money some how.

Don;t get me wrong I’m all about keeping the planet healthy and in the same or better shape than we found it for our children but stop already with the global warming when forty eight out of fifty states are under snow.

Filed Under: General, Travel Tagged With: , ,

The Economic Impact of Population

2011
Leave a Comment

Whether you a talking about a small rural town or the bustling city of Chicago or New York the economic impact that the population has on a community is a direct correlation to that community. Each member of that community has a responsibility to provide an economic impact in a positive way or either that entire community shall suffer the burden of that one individual.

These are what social programs were created for, for non-active economic members of the community. These certain indiviuals are a negative impact on the population as there money is being used to suport these certain individuals. These tax dollars spent on these people could be kept in the pockets of active members and then either spent or invested in the community creating a much more economic beneficial cycle.

Although every community has them and always will these people could be and should be cared for by private donations that if not taxed so heavily more people would donate to these projects.

A more positive way communitities are impacted is by the greater number of people who are active and are generating income and streaming it back into the community to keep it vibrant and above ground financially. These individuals are pro contributors to the community and their dollars and earned and spent in that same community, for the most part.

It is these to groups of people that are found in every community across this country and as long as the contributing members strongly out weigh the non contributing members the community as a whole will continue to work.

Some of the factors that come into play when discussing contributing versus not contributing are the,

  • employment rate in that community
  • the housing market
  • availability to social programs and the non profit organizations in that community
  • the proactiveness the the churches to help individuals and their families to keep them off those social programs

These are just to name a few. So next time you are in a different town than which you live in, take a look around and see if you can learn any thing from what they are doing to keep their community thriving and bring those ideas back home with you.

Filed Under: Living, Travel Tagged With: , ,

Travel Accomodations

2011
Leave a Comment

Choosing the right travel accommodations for your next vacation is just as important as choosing where to travel to. Knowing where and why to stat in a certain location is paramount in a vacation. some of your choices could include but are not limited to.

  • a traditional hotel
  • a bed and breakfast
  • timeshare unit
  • a rental home or condo

These are just a few options and they all have their own benefits. A hotel serves well when your looking for all the leisure’s and amenities of a full service accommodation type setting, such as a spa and room service.

A bed and breakfast can offer up some great locations at some affordable pricing. You also get the service of some one else preparing meals for you when you are in and they usually have wonderful trip advice for your stay.

Timeshare accommodations depending on your choice offers you all the creature comforts of home with the accommodations and the benefits of a resort style vacation. Some resorts offer spa’s, restaurants, and many other amenities sometimes not even found at a hotel.

Renting a home or condo for your vacation is absolutely a great way to travel when taking the entire family and you need the extra space. Not to mention these accommodations offer kitchen facilities so a big party could save a tremendous amount of money on meals when you don’t have to eat out for every meal. Many of these rental homes are also located in some of the greatest vacation spots in the world so supply is usually not a problem.

Like I said in the beginning these are just a sample of the type of accommodations you have at your disposal and are not meant to be your final choice. Do your research and figure out what will work best for you on your particular vacation.

Filed Under: Living, Travel Tagged With: , ,
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »