Africa

Flag of Algeria

Algeria is the largest country in Africa and in the Arab world by area, located in North Africa with a Mediterranean coastline in the north and the Sahara Desert covering about 90% of its territory. The country gained independence from France in 1962 after a long and costly eight-year independence war. Algeria has significant oil and natural gas reserves, and its capital Algiers — known as 'Alger la Blanche' (Algiers the White) — is one of North Africa's most striking cities.

CapitalAlgiers
RegionAfrica
Current flag since1962
Main coloursGreen, White, Red
Populationabout 45 million
Areaabout 2,382,000 km²
Flags in history6

Population and area are rounded.

What the flag of Algeria means

Green is linked to Islam and the land, white to peace and purity, and the red crescent and star to Islam and the blood of those who died for independence. The flag was flown by the National Liberation Front during the war of independence against France and was officially adopted when Algeria became independent on 3 July 1962. Its design is often traced to the nationalist leader Messali Hadj's movement.

More about the flag

Algeria fought an eight-year war of independence against France from 1954 to 1962, and the flag was the banner of that struggle. Its exact proportions and shades were fixed by law in 1963. Algeria is the largest country in Africa, and more than four fifths of it lies in the Sahara. Independence Day, 5 July, is marked by flying the flag across the country.

How to recognise it

Green-white vertical with a red crescent and star in the centre.

Did you know?

Algeria is the largest country in Africa and the Arab world by total area.

Easily confused with

Algeria's flag is often mixed up with these. Learn to tell them apart:

Egypt

Libya

Mauritania

Flag history of Algeria

Every flag that has flown over Algeria, from today back through time.

1962–present

Flag of Algeria

Adopted in 1962, the day before formal independence, with equal green and white vertical bands and a red crescent and star symbolizing Islam.

1958–1962

Provisional Government flag

The green-white flag with red crescent and star, used by the National Liberation Front from 1954 and the Provisional Government in exile, became the basis of the independence flag.

1830–1962

French rule

Under French rule Algeria was administered as an integral part of France rather than a colony, so the French tricolour flew with no distinct Algerian national flag.