ABSTRACT
Algeria is a country with a history of turmoil dating back to its days as a French colony, where the roots of the current political strife lie. Algeria's long occupation by France produced a postcolonial population that remains divided across cleavages that existed before the French arrived, though widened by the colonial experience. Algeria has transitioned to democracy in its more recent history, offering hope to Algerians that a more peaceful and prosperous future may lie ahead. Algeria's future includes the possibility that its petroleum resources may one day provide the springboard for sustained economic development and political stability. Algeria consists of a coastal area with fertile farmland, seaports, and cities along a narrow Mediterranean strip, and a Saharan region covered by desert and mountains. Algeria's history as a modern country dates back only four decades. It begins with an effort to transition the Front de Liberation Nationale’s from a revolutionary organization to a political leadership organ for the country.
