Algeria

Algeria, located on the northern coast of Africa, was part of the Ottoman Empire before becoming a French colony in 1830. After a long and devastating war of independence, Algeria gained independence from France in 1962 and emerged as one of Africa's largest countries and a major producer of oil and natural gas.

Algeria has produced a distinctive range of postage stamps reflecting its changing political and cultural identity. Early issues were influenced by French colonial administration, while post-independence stamps celebrated national heroes, Islamic and Berber heritage, historic monuments, landscapes, and the country's natural resources. Algerian stamps provide a fascinating record of the transition from French colonial rule to an independent Arab-Berber state.

The country used the Algerian franc during the colonial period before introducing the Algerian dinar after independence in 1964. Its philatelic history therefore traces Algeria's transformation from a French colony to a sovereign nation while preserving its rich North African heritage.