When you think of the largest wine-producing countries in the world, which country comes top of mind? France or Italy? Australia maybe – or the United States? But did you know that there is a country in Africa which, until 1962, was the world’s largest exporter of wine? Watch the latest episode of Curiously Connected and find out more about this amazing country!
Timeline:
00:00 Welcome to Curiously Connected
00:11 Opening question on wine…
00:32 This is Algeria
01:27 Algeria and Wine, the Curious Connection
02:03 History of Algeria
03:10 French invasion of Algeria
03:57 Pieds-Noirs, the French Algerians
05:14 Self-Determination for Algeria
05:40 Algerian Declaration of Independence
06:34 The Black Decade
07:00 Visiting Algeria
10:23 Modern Algeria and Wine
Welcome to Curiously Connected – the channel that connects you to places around the world and tells you something about them that makes you go “Wow, I never knew that…”
Welcome to Curiously Connected – the channel that connects you to places around the world and tells you something about them that makes you go “Wow, I never knew that…” When you think of the largest wine-producing countries in the world, which country comes
Top of mind? France, for many people. Italy perhaps? Maybe even Australia or the United States? But did you know that there is a country in Africa which, until 1962, was the world’s largest exporter of wine? This is Algeria. A predominantly Islamic North
African country, Algeria is the largest country on the continent of Africa, with a population of 45 million people. Despite its size, Algeria remains relatively unknown to the rest of the world – and receives very few tourists annually. With the Sahara desert to the south and the Mediterranean
To the north, Algeria boasts stunning landscapes and thriving cities that might surprise those who have never had a chance to visit this amazing country. From Berber civilisations, to Arab conquests, Ottoman rule and French colonization – many have come and left their mark on this
Historic land. Following several difficult decades internally, Algeria is deservedly receiving the attention of the world once again and people are beginning to visit this fascinating country… Curiously however, Algeria was, until 1962, the world’s largest exporter of wine. In fact,
In the 1930s Algeria accounted for an incredible 67% of global wine exports. Today that number is a mere 0.1%. What led to the huge growth in Algeria’s wine exports? And what happened since the 1960s to cause such a decline? Stay connected if you want to find out
More – and please like this video and subscribe to the channel if you would like to discover more curious connections around the world… To understand Algeria’s connection with wine, we must look back into Algerian history – and in particular, as you might have guessed, Algeria’s
Relationship with France. However, France did not introduce wine to Algeria, that happened a long time ago. The introduction of wine to Algeria can be attributed to the ancient Phoenicians, who were skilled seafarers and traders from the eastern Mediterranean region. The Phoenicians established
Colonies around the 1st millennium BC along the Mediterranean coast, including areas that are now part of modern-day Algeria. The Cathaginians and Romans also expanded and developed wine-making in the region, with Algeria becoming a prominent wine-producing region of the Roman Empire.
Wine-making declined with the arrival of Islam in the 600s – as alcohol is considered forbidden or haram in the Islamic religion. Wine production remained subdued for centuries afterwards, through the various Arab and Berber Islamic dynasties that rose up and governed Algeria.
This situation continued also through the period of Ottoman rule of the country from the 16th to the 19th centuries. However, everything changed in 1830 when France invaded Algeria, defeating the Ottomans and taking control of the country. France, like other European powers, was interested in expanding its colonial interests and realised
That Algeria offered incredibly lush and fertile lands that were very suitable for agriculture, including wine-production! Indeed, Algeria developed to be of such significance for France, that it was incorporated into French territory and became a part of France in 1848.
“French people were encouraged to move to and settle in Algeria. The French colonial administration implemented policies to transform Algeria into a major agricultural region, with a primary focus on exporting crops to France and abroad. This community of French settlers to
Algeria was given the name “”Pieds-Noirs”” or “”Black Feet””. There is much debate over the origins of this term, ranging from a term used for sailors working barefoot on a ship, or for the black boots worn by Europeans whilst on horseback, to even the colouring
Of the feet from trampling grapes in the making of wine itself! Whatever the origin of the term, Pieds-Noirs became widely recognised and used as a term for the French citizens of European origin who lived in Algeria. The Pieds Noirs community grew quickly and this
Period also saw huge growth in wine-production in the country – with Algeria accounting eventually for 67% of global wine exports by the 1930s, a truly staggering figure by today’s standards. However, the agricultural and economic activities during the time of the French
Occupation primarily served the interests of France, with the majority of profits and benefits flowing back to the colonial power. The exploitation of Algeria’s resources and the focus on export-oriented agriculture contributed to socioeconomic disparities and inequalities within Algerian society. Many Algerians felt marginalized and oppressed
Within their own country and this created a sense of injustice and fueled a desire for self-determination which led in 1954 to the Algerian War of Independence. This protracted and bloody conflict, fought between the Algerian National Liberation Front and
The French government, lasted for 8 years. The writing was on the wall for the Pieds-Noirs. The French government repatriated many of the community back to France, and many others left of their own accord over time. Algeria declared independence in 1962. The
Population of Pieds-Noirs had declined from about one million before the war to 200,000 just after, and continued to decline reaching about 30,000 in the mid 1990s. The Pieds Noirs took their knowledge, management skills and captial with them. The impact on wine production (as well
As the wider economy) was also, as one might expect, extensive. Algeria never reached such levels of wine production again and exports fell consistently in the decades that followed. The period following independence was characterized by nation-building, socialist policies, relative political stability and an attempt to establish Algeria as a regional
Power. However, Algeria also faced many problems including economic challenges, corruption and inequality. This led to social and political tensions that erupted into the Algerian civil war. This bloody and difficult chapter in Algeria’s history was called the Black Decade – and its impact on the country’s social fabric was devastating. Reconciliation
Efforts by the government in the late 1990s however bore fruit and stability and economic growth gradually returned. The country has emerged from this dark period and has been opening up more and more in recent years – with tourists finally rediscovering the country.
Visiting Algeria is getting easier, though still not easy – with an Algerian visa considered one of the more difficult visas in the world to obtain. Independent travel is possible in the northern coastal region, where the vast majority of population lives, though is more
Restricted in the south. Most tourists still visit Algeria as part of an organised tour. I visited Algeria in 2022, combining a mix of independent travel with organised tours. As a tourist, the Roman ruins in Algeria, and the state of their preservation, probably had
The largest impact on me. Algeria contains ancient Roman sites that are better preserved than many others elsewhere in the Mediterranean, even in Italy itself. From the coastal ruins of Tipaza, to the perfectly preserved city scapes of Timgad, to the beautifully photogenic town
Of Djemila nestled in the mountains. I was often the only tourist standing alone amidst such ancient beauty – it was a very special feeling. Who knows how long this may last into the future. The exceptional preservation of these Roman ruins in Algeria can be attributed to
Various factors – for sure the lower levels of tourism compared to other countries, but also Algeria’s arid and relatively stable climate, plus efforts by Algerian authorities to safeguard and conserve these historical treasures. In these days of ever-increasing mass tourism, this certainly felt…different! Algiers, the vibrant capital city of Algeria,
Is a fascinating blend of history, culture, and modernity. I took this photo of Algiers on a ferry from Marseilles as it approached the city. It shows the city in layers. From the fascinating organised chaos of the historic UNESCO world heritage Casbah at the top,
The grandeur of the Haussman-style Parisian-like buildings just underneath – to the more practical rail and traffic systems of modern Algiers below. You wil be able to explore these layers and much much more on a visit to Algiers… And then the south – ah, the south. Here you
Need to come with a guided tour – everything is on too remote and vast a scale. Escape on a 4*4 into the desert – cooking in the open air, sleeping under the stars. The mesmerizing landscapes of the Tassili n’Ajjer park, another UNESCO world heritage site, are truly unforgettable. Your
Guide, who might very well be a Tuareg, will bring you to Neolithic stone age carvings under dramatic sandstone formations that have lain unprotected for more than 10,000 years. I had only four days here and it was certainly not enough… The variety and vibrancy of the other major cities
In Algeria will also not disappoint. Who could not be amazed by the sheer drama of Constantine, the “City of Bridges” built over the Rhumel Gorge; the openness of Oran, considered to be the most European or French of all Algerian cities. Then the Islamic architectural marvels of Tlemcen,
Capital of the medieval Berber Kingdom of Tlemcen in the west, to the conservative Mozabite city of Ghardaia, in the UNESCO world heritage M’zab valley, with its unique architecture and cultural practices. Then all of this contrasted with the azure, turquoise waters of the Mediterranean coastline of Annaba… Modern Algeria’s relationship with France remains
Complicated – despite the fact that there is an estimated population of two million people of Algerian descent living in France. And modern Algeria’s relationship with wine is also changing. Algerian wines have gained recognition in international competitions, and there is a
Growing focus on quality production. New wineries are emerging and even some of the Pieds Noirs or their descendants are returning to the country, but now working in tandem with the local population. The dust over the wine industry in Algeria has settled and it seems that things are
In place to allow the industry to grow once again. So, the next time you savor a glass of wine, take a moment to consider the rich history and promising future of Algerian wines, and if you
Happen to see Algerian wine on the menu of a restaurant, or in a shop, why not give it a go!