List of Algerians
Appearance
This is a list of famous or important Algerians:
In the news
Artists
Authors and poets
- Apuleius, classical author
- Mohammed Dib, 20th century writer
- Assia Djebar, novelist, translator and filmmaker
- Kateb Yacine, 20th century writer
- Jean Amrouche, 20th century poet and writer
- Taos Amrouche, author
- Rachid Boudjedra, poet, author
- Tahar Djaout, poet, journalist, critic
- Mouloud Feraoun, author and independence war hero
- Moufdi Zakaria, author of the Algerian National Anthem Kassaman
- Malek Haddad, poet, writer
- Said Mekbel, satirist, journalist
- Rachid Mimouni, author, poet
- Yasmina Khadra, also known as Mohamed Moulessehoul, author
- Abul-Kasim Saadallah, historian, author, poet, professor
- Albert Camus, author, philosopher, journalist
- Ahlam Mostaghanemi, writer
Painters
- M'hamed Issiakhem, painter, calligraphist
- Mohamed Khadda, painter and sculptor
- Baya Mahiedienne, female painter
Calligraphists
- Mohamed Racim, Painter, Miniaturist, Calligraphist
- Omar Racim, Painter, Miniaturist
Cartoonists
Cinema artists
Actors
- Yahia Benmabrouk, also known as "l'apprentit", comedian
- Biyouna, female actor, dancer, comedian
- Abderahmane Hadj, also known as "l'inspecteur tahar", comedian
- Mohamed Fellag, actor and comedian
- Hassan El Hassani, actor and comedian
- Sid Ahmed Agoumi, actor
- Sid Ali Kouiret, actor
- Mohamed Hilmi, actor
- Rouiched, actor
- Farida Saboundji, actress
Directors & Filmmakers
- Mohamed Lakhdar Hamina, Film director, Palme d'Or at the 1975 Cannes Festival, pioneer of Algerian cinema
- Merzak Allouache, film director
- Abdelkader Alloula, theatre producer
- Salem Brahimi, Film producer
Musicians and Singers
Classical
- Cheikh Larbi Ben Sari, composer and musician from the Tlemcen school of Andalusian music
- Abdelkrim Dali, Master of Hawzi classical music
- El Hadj Mohamed El Anka, Master of Chaabi classical music
- Cheikh Mohamed El Ghafour, musician from the Tlemcen school of Hawzi music
- Mohamed Tahar Fergani, musician and master of the Malouf classical style
- El Hachemi Guerouabi, musician and reformer of the Chaabi classical style
- Fadela Dziria, singer of Hawzi classical style music
- Kamel Messaoudi, singer of Chaabi music
- Warda El Djazaria, singer of classical Arab oriental music
- Dahmane El Harrachi, a brilliant singer composer and songwriter of Chaabi music
Berber
- Lounis Ait Menguellet, singer, musician
- Idir, singer, musician, composer
- Aissa Djermouni, master of the Chaoui song, performed at the Olympia in Paris in 1917
- Matoub Lounes, rebel singer of Kabyle music
- Djamel Allam, singer
- Malika Domrane, singer
- Cherif Kheddam, singer
- Mohammed fellag, actor, comedian
Pop
- Baaziz, singer
- Souad Massi, singer
- Lynda Thalie,singer
Rai
- Khaled, raï musician, also known as Khaled El Hadj Brahim
- Safy Boutella, musician, composer
- Cheb Hasni, raï musician
- Cheb Mami, raï musician, also known as Mohamed Khelifati
- Faudel, raï musician
- Cheikha Rimitti, rai musician
- Rachid Taha, raï/rock musician
- Ahmed Wahby, Founder of the Aasri style which will later become Rai music style
International
- Cheb Tarik, with various influences he blends an awesome musical gumbo ranging from Arabic, rai, reggae, funk, dance to disco
Leaders and politicians
Ancient Algeria
- Massinissa, 3rd century BC, King of Numidia
- Jugurtha, 2nd century BC, King of Numidia
- Juba I, 1st century BC, King of Numidia under Roman rule
- Juba II, 1st century BC, King of Numidia under Roman rule
- Tacfarinas, leader of a rebellion against the Romans
- Kahina, 7th century Queen, fought the Arab invasions
- Tin Hinane, Queen of the Touareg
Early Islamic Algeria
- Tarik Ibn Ziad, One of the first Berber princes converted to Islam, he conquered Iberia in the 8th century
- Buluggin ibn Ziri, 10th century prince, founder of the city of Algiers (Al Jazair in Arabic)
Ottoman Algeria
- Baba Aruj, 16th century corsair, leader of the Regency of Algiers
- Khair ad Din Barbarossa, Brother and successor of Aruj
- Hassan Agha, 16th century Prince of Algiers. Defeated Emperor Charles V in Algiers
- Rais Hamidou, the last great leader of the Algerian Corsair Navy.
- Salah Benmostefa, also Salah Bey, 18th century prince of Constantine
French Algeria
- Emir Abdelkader, 19th century leader of the resistance against French colonisation.
- Hadj Ahmed Bey, last Bey of Constantine. Fought the French army during two sieges in 1836 and 1837
- Lalla Fatma N'Soumer, 19th century female leader of the Kabyle resistance against the French.
- Cheikh Amoud BenMokhtar, Head of the Touareg resistance against France, 1877 to 1912
- Mohamed El Mokrani, 19th century leader of the Kabyle resistance against the French
- Emir Khaled, grandson of Emir Abdelkader, leader of a rebellion against French rule in Algeria in the 20th century
- Messali Hadj, Founder of the first North African and then Algerian Nationalist Parties.
Revolutionary War of Independence
- Abane Ramdane, political leader of the independence war, author of the "political over military" and "interior over exterior" principles.
- Krim Belkacem, independence war hero, Vice president of the provisional government of Algeria.
- Larbi Ben M'hidi, Commander of Zone 5 during the independence war
- Mostefa Benboulaid, Commander of Zone 1 during the independence war
- Mourad Didouche, Commander of Zone 2 during the independence war.
- Zighout Youcef, Commander of Zone 2 during the independence war
- Colonel Amirouche, independence war hero.
- Ferhat Abbas, President of the provisional government of Algeria before independence, 1958-1961
- Yacef Saadi, fighter in the independence war in the Battle of Algiers. Also actor in film by the same name after independence.
- Ali Ammar, also known as Ali la Pointe, independence war hero.
- Hassiba Benbouali, female hero of the independence war
- Djamila Bouhired, female hero of the revolution
Independent Algeria
- Ahmed Ben Bella, Algeria's first President, 1962-1965
- Abdelhafidh Bouaoudia, Mayor of Béjaïa, 2005 - 2007
- Houari Boumedienne, President of Algeria, 1965-1978
- Chadli Bendjedid, President of Algeria, 1979-1992
- Mohamed Boudiaf, President of Algeria, 1992 (also a prominent Independence war leader)
- Liamine Zeroual, President of Algeria, 1994-1999
- Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President since 1999
- Ahmed Ouyahia, Former Prime Minister
- Hocine Ait Ahmed, political leader and head of the Socialist Forces Front opposition party (also a prominent independence war leader)
- Rabah Bitat, Vice president of Algeria's first government, president of parliament
- Drif-Bitat Zohra, Vice-president of the Senate (also a female figure of the independence war)
- Lakhdar Brahimi, Former Foreign Affairs Minister, Peace Envoy in Lebanon, Afghanistan and Irak
- Mahfoud Nahnah, founder and former leader of the HMS party
- Abdallah Djaballah, founder and leader of Al-Islah party
- Said Sadi, founder and leader of the RCD party
- Louisa Hanoune, founder and female leader of the PT (Workers Party)
- Redha Malek, founder and leader of the ANR party
- Abassi Madani, founder and leader of the Front Islamic of Salvation (FIS) party
- Amine Ahriche, Just a citizen
Military and intelligence services
- Larbi Belkheir, former general, Ambassador to Morocco
- Mohamed Lamari, former Chief of Staff of the People's National Army
- Smain Lamari, head of the Department of Counter-Espionage and Internal Security
- Mohamed Mediène ("Toufik"), head of the Department of Information and Security
- Khaled Nezzar, retired general
Religious figures
- Augustine of Hippo, Christian theologian
- Abdelhamid Benbadis, 20th century religious reformer
Scholars and Academics
Historians
- Mohamed Harbi independence war historian
- Mahfoud Kaddache historian
Scientists & Philosophers
- Frantz Fanon, psychologist
- Mohamed Arkoun, author, philosopher, historian
- Malek Bennabi, social and religious philosopher
- Ibn Qunfudh Al Qassantini, 14th century astronomer and mathematician
- Mouloud Mammeri, anthropologue, poet, writer
- Djilali Liabes, Minister for Scientific Research from 1992 to 1993
- Jacques Derrida, philosopher
- Louis Althusser, marxist philosopher
Explorers and travellers
Architects
Sports
- Lakhdar Belloumi, football player, world cup participation in 1982, 1986
- Noureddine Morceli, athlete, 1500 m world and olympic champion
- Hassiba Boulmerka, female athlete, 1500 m world and olympic champion
- Aziz Derouaz, handball player
- Mahieddine Khalef, football player and trainer
- Ali Fergani, footbal player and trainer
- Rabah Madjer, football player, 2 world cup participations with Algeria, European champion with Porto, etc...
- Rachid Mekhloufi, one of the founding fathers of the Algerian football team
- Abdelhamid Kermali, one of the founding fathers of the Algerian football team
- Said Brahimi, one of the founding fathers of the Algerian football team
- Mostefa Zitouni, one of the founding fathers of the Algerian football team
- Abdelaziz Bentifour, one of the founding fathers of the Algerian football team
- Zinedine Zidane, one of the greatest football players of all time, born in France but of Algerian descent
- Sofia Boutella, rhythmic gymnast in France she played in several nike-commercials, she also is a model for H&M. She's a french national of Algerian descent
- Djamel Zitouni, Algerian ice hockey player, plays at the top level in France, and an original member of the Algerian national ice hockey team.
Other
Famous Westerners in Algeria
Famous Algerians abroad
- Elias Zerhouni, Head of the US National Institutes of Health, graduated from Algiers University's School of Medicine.
- Salah Brahimi, Consultant (Strategic Advisory Services), and former Adviser & Senior Cofinancing Officer, CGIAR, Vice Presidency for Sustainable Development, The World Bank
- Rym Brahimi - Former CNN Reporter and currently H.R.H. Princess Rym Ali of Jordan
- Yves Saint-Laurent - Famous Fashion Designer