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Figure 4. Topography and Drainage

Algeria comprises 2,381,741 square kilometers, more than four-fifths of which is desert. Its Arabic name, Al Jazair (the islands), is believed to derive from the rocky islands along the Mediterranean coastline. The northern portion, an area of mountains, valleys, and plateaus between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara Desert, forms an integral part of the section of North Africa known as the Maghrib (see Glossary). This area includes Morocco, Tunisia, and the northwestern portion of Libya known historically as Tripolitania (see fig. 4).

Data as of December 1993

NOTE: The information regarding Algeria on this page is re-published from The Library of Congress Country Studies and the CIA World Factbook. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Algeria PHYSICAL SETTING information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Algeria PHYSICAL SETTING should be addressed to the Library of Congress and the CIA.