Africa: All about Algeria Trivia Quiz

Answer: Biskra

Biska is in northeastern Algeria, located almost 250 miles away from the capital, Algiers. The city of Biskra is relatively flat despite being surrounded by mountains.

Biskra is the capital city of Biskra Province. It has seen many civilizations live there, from the Romans to the Arabs to the French. It was occupied by the Turks in 1552, and the French in 1844.

Answer: Annaba

The Basilica of St Augustine was completed in 1900. It features a statue of Saint Augustine, with a glass urn purported to contain one of his arm bones.

Annaba has gone by other names. The Phoenicians named it Hipponensis Sinus, but once the Romans had taken over Carthage, they took this city and called it Hippo Regius. Hippo Regius is known for being the place where Saint Augustine spent his last years.

Answer: Aures Mountains

The Aures Mountains are an eastern extension of the Atlas Mountains, which run about 1,600 miles through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Djebel Chélia is the second highest natural peak in Algeria, after Mount Tahat.

The Aures Mountains were historically a refuge and hide-out for Berber tribes, who were fighting with the Romans, Byzantines, Arabs etc throughout the centuries. It was in these mountains where the Berber freedom fighters began the Algerian War of Independence.

Answer: Tamanrasset

Tamanrasset is situated in the Ahaggar Mountains, at an altitude of 4,330 feet. Although high, it is very hot, its desert climate owing to being surrounded by the Sahara. Tamanrasset is the capital of the Tamanrasset Province, in the south of Algeria.

French Catholic priest Charles de Foucauld was shot in Tamanrasset in 1916. The Catholic Church considers him a martyr.

In 2003, Air Algérie Flight 6289 crashed into Tamanrasset, killing everyone (except one) of the 103 people who had boarded. The investigation into the crash stated the engine had failed upon take off.

Answer: Algiers

The Maqam Echahid reaches over 300 feet at its highest point. The monument took seven months to build. Algeria gained independence from France in 1962.

The Martyrs' Memorial is in the shape of three upright palm leaves. Each palm leaf has a statue of a soldier, representing Algeria's fight for freedom.

Houari Boumedienne (who was the second President of Algeria) originally conceived the idea of a monument like this, to remember those who fought for Algerian independence. It was however completed under his successor, Chadli Bendjedid.

Algiers is the capital of Algeria, and stands on the Sahel Hills. Algiers became the headquarters of the Allies during their time in North Africa, during World War II.

Answer: Jean-Eugène Fromageau

Construction of the Notre-Dame d'Afrique was completed in 1872. The basilica was founded by Charles Lavigerie, a French cardinal, but Jean-Eugène Fromageau designed it. In 2003, the basilica was damaged in an earthquake, and had to be repaired.

Answer: Oran

Yves Saint Laurent was born in Oran when Algeria was still under French occupation. Oran is a coastal city situated in north-west Algeria. It possesses Algeria's second-largest sea port, second only to the one at Algiers.

During World War II, Oran was one of the top priorities when it came to territories the Allies wanted to capture. The U.S army captured Oran on November 10, 1942. This would lead to a great number of Europeans in the city, and the conflicts between them and the Algerians was a catalyst for the Algerian War of Independence.

Answer: 80 - 90%

The Sahara Desert covers most of North Africa. It touches a total of 11 African countries.

The Algerian city of Ouargla, and the Algerian towns of Adrar and In Salah are located among the hottest places in the Sahara.

Answer: Mediterranean Sea

The Chelif reaches the sea near the city of Mostaganem. It is approximately 450 miles long. Its source is in Saharan Atlas Mountains, close to the city of Aflou, Algeria.

The Chelif is unnavigable with an irregular flow. Three dams have been constructed on this river in order to regulate the water flow more.

Answer: It contains the lowest point in Algeria

Chott Melrhir contains the lowest point in Algeria, at approximately -130 feet. It increases and decreases in size, with the seasons. It is an endorheic (it retains water and does not flow out to any other bodies of water) salt lake, and is said to omit an odor similar to that of garlic. The area that surrounds the lake is almost barren, due to the high salt concentration. Due to the high level of salt, the soil also absorbs more condensation through the night, which keeps the lake humid in the day.

During the summer, Chott Melrhir usually dries out and becomes a salt pan.