List of Algerians
Notable Algerians include:
Artists
Writers (including poets)
- Moufdi Zakaria (born 12 June 1908), poet, writer, martyr
- Malek Alloula (born 1937), poet, writer, and critic
- Jean Amrouche (1906–1962), 20th-century poet and writer
- Ferhat Abbas (1899–1995), political leader and essayist
- Djamal Amrani (1935–2005), poet and essayist
- Abdelkader Alloula (born 1939), playwright
- Zighen Aym (born 1957), writer and engineer
- Mohammed Arkoun (born 1928), scholar and thinker
- Farida Belghoul (born 1958), author
- Omar Belhouchet (born 1954), journalist
- Mohammed Benchicou (born 1952), director and publisher of the Algerian newspaper Le Matin
- Salah Benlabed (born 1950), architect, academic, novelist and poet
- Malek Bennabi (born 1905), writer and philosopher
- Latifa Ben Mansour (born 1950), writer, psychoanalyst, and linguist
- Rachid Boudjedra (born 1941), poet, novelist, playwright and critic
- Taos Amrouche (1913–1976), singer and writer
- Apuleius (c. 125 – c. 180 C.E.), Latin prose writer
- Rachid Boudjedra (born 1941), poet, novelist, playwright and critic
- Hélène Cixous, feminist writer
- Mohammed Dib (1920–2003), 20th-century writer
- Tahar Djaout (1954–1993), poet, journalist, critic
- Assia Djebar (born 1936), novelist, translator and filmmaker
- Mouloud Feraoun (1913–1962), writer and independence war hero
- Miloud Hmida (born 1961), poet, critic, translator
- Yasmina Khadra (also known as Mohamed Moulessehoul) (born 1955), writer
- Rachid Mimouni (1945–1995), writer, poet
- Ahlam Mostaghanemi, writer
- Kateb Yacine (1929–1989), 20th-century writer
- Moufdi Zakaria (1908–1977), lyricist of the Algerian national anthem "Kassaman"
New media
Actors
- Hadj Abderrahmane, actor, comedian [1]
- Allalou, playwright, theatre director, and actor known as the father of Algerian theater
- Mahieddine Bachtarzi, singer of opera (tenor), actor, writer, and director of the TNA (Théâtre National Algérien)
- Jean-Pierre Bacri, actor & screenwriter
- M'hamed Benguettaf, actor & playwright
- Jean Benguigui, actor of the screen, stage, and television
- Biyouna, female actor, dancer, comedian
- Mohamed Bouchaïb, Libya-born Algerian actor
- Patrick Bruel, singer, actor, and professional poker player
- Alain Chabat, actor & director
- Mohamed Chouikh, film-maker
- Mohamed Fellag, actor & comedian
- Khaled Habib, singer, songwriter, composer, actor, film director
- Roger Hanin, film actor & director
- Sid Ali Kouiret, actor
- Rachid Ksentini, actor & comedian
- Rouiched, comedy actor
- Lyes Salem, actor & film director
- Hadj Smaine Mohamed Seghir, actor, director, and man of stage
- Patrick Timsit, comedian, writer, and film director
- Larbi Zekkal, actor & comedian
Directors and filmmakers
Illustrators
Leaders and politicians
Ancient Algeria
- Abd el-Kader, 19th-century leader of the resistance against French colonisation
- 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
Early Islamic Algeria
Ottoman Algeria
- Baba Aruj, 16th-century corsair; leader of the Regency of Algiers
- Hayreddin Barbarossa, brother and successor of Aruj
- Hassan Agha, 16th-century Prince of Algiers; defeated Emperor Charles V in Algiers
- Rais Hamidou, last great leader of the Algerian Corsair Navy
Algeria under French colonization
- 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
- 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
- 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 1957 Battle of Algiers; actor in the 1966 war 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
- 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
- Lakhdar Brahimi, former Foreign Affairs Minister, Peace Envoy in Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq
- 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
Martyrs
Scientists and philosophers
- Elias Zerhouni, radiologist and medical researcher
- Henri Atlan, biophysicist and philosopher
- Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, physicist, Nobel prize (1997)
- Jacques Derrida, deconstructionist philosopher
- Frantz Fanon, psychologist
- Mohamed Arkoun, author, philosopher, historian
- Malek Bennabi, social and religious philosopher
- Mouloud Mammeri, anthropologist, linguist, poet, writer
Military and intelligence services
Musicians and singers
Berber
- Lili Boniche, singer of Andalusian-Arab music
- Lounis Ait Menguellet, singer, poet, musician
- Idir, singer, musician, composer
- Matoub Lounes, rebel singer of Kabyle music
- Takfarinas, singer
- Aïssa Djermouni, singer, poet
Classical
- El Hachemi Guerouabi, musician and reformer of the Chaabi classical style
- Dahmane El Harrachi, singer, composer and songwriter of Chaabi music
- El Hadj M'Hamed El Anka, the Grand Master of Andalusian classical music and Chaabi (Algeria) music.
- Warda Al-Jazairia, singer
- Boudjemaâ El Ankis, singer, musician, a performer of chaâbi music
- Kamel Messaoudi, performer of chaâbi music
- Abdelkader Chaou, chaabi music interpreter
- Cheikh El Hasnaoui, singer
- Hadj Bouchiba, songwriter, lyricist, composer, poet and painter
- Reda Doumaz, singer
- Mustapha Skandrani, pianist, performer of chaâbi music
- Khelifa Belkacem, singer
- Hsissen, singer
- Farid Ali, singer
- Hadj M'rizek, songwriter, lyricist, composer, poet and painter
- Hadj Menouar, singer
Jazz
Musiques du monde
Pop
- Baaziz, singer
- Enrico Macias (Gaston Ghrenassia), singer
- Souad Massi, singer
- Line Monty (Eliane Sarfati), singer
- Rajae El Mouhandiz, Dutch/Moroccan/Algerian singer, recording artist, producer and poet; 2009, 2010, 2011 only contemporary female singer on the list of the world's 500 most influential Muslims[3]
- Zaho, singer
Rai
- Raïna Raï, band [4]
- 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
- Cheb Tarik, raï musician
Rock
Religious figures
Scholars and academics
Economists
Historians
Sports
Association football
- William Ayache, footballer
- Lakhdar Belloumi, footballer; world cup participation in 1982, 1986
- Zahir Belounis, footballer
- Abdelaziz Ben Tifour, footballer; one of the founders of the Algerian football team
- Karim Benzema, French national footballer; parents are Algerian
- Said Brahimi, footballer; one of the founders of the Algerian football team
- Ali Fergani, footballer and trainer
- Rabah Gamouh, international footballer; finished twice as the top scorer of the Algerian Champion at National with 25 goals in 1970/71 and 24 goals in 1971/72
- Abdelhamid Kermali, footballer; one of the founders of the Algerian football team
- Mahieddine Khalef, footballer and trainer
- Rabah Madjer, footballer; two world cup participations with Algeria, European champion with Porto, etc.
- Rachid Mekhloufi, footballer; one of the founders of the Algerian football team
- Samir Nasri, French national footballer; parents are Algerian
- Zinedine Zidane, French national footballer; parents are Algerian
- Karim Ziani , Algerian national footballer; world cup participation in 2010
- Islam Slimani, Algerian national footballer; His goal against Russia 1-1 (WorldCup 2014) made Algeria get into the history of WorldCup by arriving to the 2nd tour for the first time ever.
Athletics
Boxing
Fencing
Ice hockey
- Josef Boumedienne, professional ice hockey player; Algerian and Finnish descent
- Yassine Fahas, ice hockey player; one of the original members of the Algerian national ice hockey team
- Karim Kerbouche, Algerian ice hockey player; founder of the Algerian national ice hockey team
- Harond Litim, ice hockey player; one of the original members of the Algerian national ice hockey team
Other sports
- Ali Boulala, professional skateboarder; Algerian and Swedish descent
- Sofia Boutella, rhythmic gymnast; in France, appeared in several Nike commercials; model for H&M; French national of Algerian descent
- Alfred Nakache, Olympian world champion swimmer and water polo player
Criminals
- Djamel Beghal, French Algerian convicted of terrorism
- Abdul Nacer Benbrika, found guilty of being the leader of a terrorist organisation
- Mokhtar Belmokhtar, sentenced to death for murder and terrorism
- Slimane Khalfaoui, French-Algerian terrorist convicted of the Strasbourg cathedral bombing plot
- Ahmed Ressam, Algerian al-Qaeda member convicted of attempting to bomb the Los Angeles International Airport on New Year's Eve 1999
- Abu Musab Abdel Wadoud, leader of the Algerian Islamic militant group Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb
See also
References