The earliest people to live in Algeria were descendants of Berbers. Later Phoenicians, Romans, and Vandals came to Algeria. Algeria became part of the Muslim world during the Islamic conquests of the sixth century. Turkey controlled Algeria from 1518 - 1830. After 1830, France colonialized Algeria. As a result of French colonization massive amounts of Europeans immigrated to Algeria and French culture spread through the country. The Muslim population of Algeria revolted against the french ocuppation. France engaged in a bitter, and bloody war in an attempt to maintain this colony. An estimated 1 million Algerians were killed by the french troops. French President Charles de Gaulle negotiated a French withdrawal from Algeria and 1 million Europeans left the country. After the French withdrew, several leaders struggled to gain power and in 1962 Ahmed Ben Bella won out. However, in 1965 Col. Houari Boumedienne replaced him by a military coup. Algeria was very busy in 1967. It shifted from being allies with the U.S. to developing military and political affiliations with the USSR. It also declared war with Israel in this same year. In 1971, oil interests held by the French were partly taken over but relations have improved between the West and Algeria in recent times. Currently the government is a one-party socialist regime facing many problems. the regime has set up land reforms and industrialization but Algeria is still afflicted by tremendous unemployment and poverty. @
