The name Algeria is derived from the name of the city of Algiers (French Alger), which translates as the islands, referring to the four islands which lay off the city's coast until becoming part of the mainland in 1525.

Modern Algerian literature, split between Arabic and French, has been strongly influenced by the country's recent history.

• Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad
• Tipasa, a Phoenician town
• Djémila and Timgad both Roman ruins
• M'Zab Valley, a limestone valley
• Tassili n'Ajjer, a mountain range
• the Casbah of Algiers is an important citadal