Algeria is an empire of geography. As the largest country in Africa (and the tenth largest in the world!), its borders contain an astonishing variety of landscapes, from fertile coastal strips to the monumental heart of the Sahara. This incredible natural duality has shaped everything from its ancient history to its modern economy. Forget what you think you know about deserts and mountains—get ready for six eye-opening facts about Algeria’s truly wild and wonderful nature and geography. 1. Africa's Largest Country... by a Landslide The scale of Algeria is often underestimated. It’s not just big; it's immense, and its size defines its natural contrasts. The Eye-Opening Fact: Algeria covers 2.38 million square kilometers (over 919,000 square miles) . To put that in perspective, the country is roughly the size of Western Europe or over three times the size of Texas! This massive area is what allows it to encompass two fundamentally different worlds: the densely populated, ferti...