French Algeria: Map & History
French Algeria, also known as Colonial Algeria, was a colony and later an integral part of France.
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French Algeria, also known as Colonial Algeria, was a colony and later an integral part of France. French rule lasted from the beginning of the French conquest in 1830 until the end of the Algerian War which resulted in Algeria gaining independence on 5 July 1962.
Modern Countries Once Part of French Algeria
At its mapped extent, French Algeria covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside French Algeria's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
French Algeria in Depth
Government and administration
In November 1830, French colonial officials attempted to limit the arrivals at Algerian ports by requiring the presentation of passports and residence permits. The regulations created by the French government in May 1831 required permission from the Interior Ministry to enter Algeria and other French controlled territories.
By 1839, there were 25,000 Europeans living in Algeria, while only just less than half of these being French; the others being Spanish, Italian and Germans. And of these, the majority of them stayed within the coastal towns. These recent arrivals were mostly men, outnumbering women by five times.
Background
Since the capture of Algiers in 1516 by the Ottoman admirals, brothers Oruç Reis and Hayreddin Barbarossa, Algeria had been a base for conflict and piracy in the Mediterranean basin. In 1681, French King Louis XIV asked Admiral Abraham Duquesne to fight the Barbary pirates. He also ordered a large-scale attack on Algiers between 1682 and 1683 on the pretext of assisting and rescuing enslaved Christians, usually Europeans taken as captives in raids. Again, Jean II d'Estrées bombarded Tripoli and Algiers from 1685 to 1688. An ambassador from Algiers visited the Court in Versailles, and a treaty was signed in 1690 that provided peace throughout the 18th century.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: French Algeria (CC BY-SA 4.0).
French Algeria: Key Facts
| Capital | Algiers |
|---|---|
| Official languages | French, Arabic, Berber |
| Currency | Algerian franc |
| Founded | 1832 |
| Dissolved | 5 July 1962 |
Preceded by
- Sultanate of Tuggurt
- Sharifian Empire
Facts from Wikidata Q218272 (CC0).
French Algeria Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 211,876 km² in 1846 CE.
French Algeria: Frequently Asked Questions
When did French Algeria exist?
French Algeria is dated to 1830 CE – 1847 CE, in the Industrial era.
What was the capital of French Algeria?
The capital of French Algeria was Algiers.
How large was French Algeria at its peak?
At its peak in 1846 French Algeria covered about 211,876 km².
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