Algeria is a country located in North Africa, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Tunisia and Libya to the northeast, Niger to the southeast, Mali and Mauritania to the southwest, Western Sahara to the west, and Morocco to the northwest. It is the largest country in Africa and the 10th largest in the world by land area. The capital and largest city is Algiers. Algeria has a rich history influenced by various cultures, including Berber, Arab, French, and others, due to its strategic location and past as a center of trade and commerce in the Mediterranean. The country gained independence from France in 1962 after a lengthy struggle, and it has since developed a diverse economy primarily based on hydrocarbons, particularly oil and natural gas. Algeria is characterized by its diverse geography, which includes the Sahara Desert, the Atlas Mountains, and a Mediterranean coastline. The official languages are Arabic and Berber, and the country has a predominantly Muslim population.
As tensions escalate between Algeria and France, two high-profile situations shine a light on the strained relations. **Boualem Sansal**, a prominent Franco-Algerian writer, continues to face arbitrary detention in Algeria,…