9781422280690

North and Central Africa

Much of Algeria is now developing into an emerging economy, and the revenue from its oil and gas are being used to improve the country’s infrastructure, industry and agricultural land. Overseas investment in Algeria has recently increased.

calls for democratic change, but protests were not experienced on the same scale as in other Arab- speaking countries. Nonetheless, President Bouteflika announced a program of constitutional change in an effort to avert pressure for more radical reform.

Salvation Front (FIS) won a surprise victory from the FLN, and violent civil strife ensued. This escalated into an insurgency resulting in 100,000 deaths between 1992 and 1998. Abdelaziz Bouteflika became president in 1999 in a doubtful election, but was backed by a landslide victory in 2004. The FIS’s Islamic Salvation Army was disbanded in 2000, though small numbers of militants persisted in attacking villages. In 2009 Bouteflika secured a second landslide election victory. Like many other countries in the region, during the following years, the government faced

Text-Dependent Questions 1. What sea lies to the north of Algeria?

2. What is the name given to Algeria’s mountain range?

3. What countries do Berbers inhabit?

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