Algeria’s Country Profile

Official country name: People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
Area: 919,595 sq miles (2,381,740 sq km)
Population: 33 million (2006 est.)
Median age: 25.5
Ethnic Groups: Arab-Berber 99 percent
GDP and GDP per capita: $115.5 billion and $3,463 (2006 estimates)
See the complete country profile of Algeria

Algeria’s Olympic History

First time represented at Summer Olympics: 1964
Gold medals won: 4
Silver: 1
Bronze: 7
Medals at 2008 Beijing Olympics: 2

Algeria’s Olympic Playbook

Algeria's runners have been carrying the hopes of Africa's second-largest country, with Noureddine Morceli winning gold in the 1500m in 1996, and Nouria Merah-Benida winning it in Sydney in 2000. Hassiba Boulmerka had also won gold in the 1500 in Barcelona in 1992. But Algeria has also had success in boxing (Hocine Soltani winning gold in the lightweight division in 1996).

At the 2008 Olympics, with some 61 Athletes qualifying, Algeria is sending its largest delegation to a summer Games in its history, including, for the first time ever, its women's volleyball team. They won't have it easy at all. In their group, they'll have to face Serbia, Italy, Russia, Kazakhstan and Brazil before qualifying for the next round.

The country's Olympic establishment is talking up Algeria's many chances at medals. But Chafik Boukabes, a veteran Algerian journalist who's covered five Olympics, is not as hopeful: "The medal chances for Algerians are practically nil this time," he tells Magharebia , a Web-based North African news service sponsored by the United States Africa Command.

"This is due to the lack of preparation and internal problems experienced by some federations which have had an impact on the quality of athletes' preparation for this important event."

Algeria’s Athletes at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

Boxing
Ouradi Abdelhalim (54 kgs)
Chadi Abdelkader (57 kgs)
Kramou Hamza (60 kgs)
Kassel Nabil (75 kgs)
Benchebla Abdelhafidh(81 kgs)
Touilbini Abdelaziz (91 kgs)
Noufel Ouettah (+91 kgs)

Badminton
Nabil Lasmari

Cycling
Hichem Chaabane

Canoe/Kayak
Sarah Sonia Dupire

Fencing
Anissa Khelfaoui (Cadette)
Nadia Bentaleb

Judo, Men
Amar Rebahi (-60kgs)
Mounir Ben Madhi (-66 kgs)
Amar Meridja (-73 kgs)
Amar Ben Yekhlef (-90 kgs, wins silver)
Hassan Azzoune (-100kgs)

Judo, Women
Meriem Moussa (-48 kgs)
Souraia Haddad (-52 kgs) (Wins bronze)
Leila El-Atrous (-57 kgs)
Kahina Saidi (-73 kgs)
Rachida Ouerdane (-70 kgs)

Rowing
Deries Chawki
Ait-Daoud kamel
Garidi Mohamed

Swimming
Mahrez Mebarek
Salim Iles
Nabil Kebbab
Sofiane Daid
Mehdi Hamama

Table Tennis
Kourta Idir Abdallah

Track & Field/Athletics
Nabil Madi
Manceur Nadjim (800m)
Tarek Boukenza
Kamel Boulehfane
Antar Zerguelaïne (1500m)
Rabie Makhloufi (3.000 steeple)
Khoudir Aggoune (10.000 m)
Saidi-Sief Ali (5.000m)
Mohamed Ameur (20 km marche)
Nima Issam (longueur)
Nahida Touhami(1500 m)
Widad Mendil (3.000 m steeple)
Baya Rahouli ( triple saut)
Souad Ait-Salem (Marathon)

Volleyball
Mouni Abderrahim
Tassadit Aissou
Akkouche Benhamouda
Safia Boukhima
Semryne Hennaoui
Narimene Madani
Nawal Mansouri
Nassima Saleha
Fatma Zahra Oukazi
Lydia Oulmou
Raouya Rouabhia
Faiza Tsabet

Wrestling
Samir Bouguerra (96kg)
Mohamed Serrir (66kg)
Mohamed Zegdhane (74 kg)

Weightlifting
Leila Lassouani (69kg)