Algeria Photos

Algiers Port
Photograph by Thomas J. Abercrombie
"Algiers, the white," Algerians call their capital, here awakening under a pale winter sun. The city's arcaded quay was built by the French, whose 132-year rule of this North African land ended in 1962. Beyond Algiers, on opposite sides of a rugged mountain range, lie fertile coastal plains and the vast oil-rich desert.
—From "Algeria: Learning to Live With Independence," August 1973, National Geographic magazine
El Bordj
Photograph by Thomas J. Abercrombie
In a nation of abstaining Muslims, lush vineyards flourish. . . . Stripped of fruit, vines near El Bordj serve as fodder for sheep. Generations of French vintners converted Algeria's best land to grape cultivation and made their colony the world's major wine exporter. The heady vintage was usually mixed with a lighter French product to create the vin ordinaire that appeared on almost every family table in France. At independence most colons fled the country, taking their skills and capital. Algerian farm laborers assumed management of the estates, later nationalized but still operated by the workers.
—From "Algeria: Learning to Live With Independence," August 1973, National Geographic magazine
Ornate Brooch
Photograph by Thomas J. Abercrombie
Ornate brooch, a heavy antique pin is offered for $125 in Beni Yenni. The silversmiths of this Kabyle village still use the patient techniques of their ancestors to produce intricate ornaments. Women build up savings accounts by collecting the jewelry, made from coral, local silver, and enamel.
—From "Algeria: Learning to Live With Independence," August 1973, National Geographic magazine
Saddlebag Guardian
Photograph by Thomas J. Abercrombie
Hands gleaming darkly with the indigo dye that colors her robe, a woman of the Tuareg—wandering Berbers of the Sahara—clasps her traditions close. The incised brass key marks her as guardian of the family's saddlebags.
—From "Algeria: Learning to Live With Independence," August 1973, National Geographic magazine
Sahara Sand Dunes
Photograph by Thomas J. Abercrombie
Fickle sculptor, the wind each day reshapes Sahara dunes. These 150-foot-high [46-meter-high] waves flow across the Erg Bourarhet region. Sand covers less than a fifth of the vast Sahara; the rest is a harsh world of gravel plains, stark mountains, and dry salt lakes.
—From "Algeria: Learning to Live With Independence," August 1973, National Geographic magazine