List of notable Algerians

This is a list of famous or important Algerians:

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 independance 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

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

• Ali Dilem, famous cartoonist
• Slim, also know as Menouar Merabtene, famous cartoonist

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

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/Kabyle

• 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

Pop

• Baaziz, singer
• Souad Massi, singer

Rai

• Cheb Khaled, raï musician, also known as Khaled El Hadj Brahim
• Safy Boutella, musician, composer
• Cheb Hasni, rai musician
• Cheb Mami, rai musician, also known as Mohamed Khelifati
• Ahmed Wahby, Founder of the Aasri style which will later become Rai music style

Leaders and politicians

Ancient Algeria

• Massinissa, 3rd century BC, King of Numidia, the ancestor of modern Algeria
• Jugurtha, 2nd century BC, King of Numidia, the ancestor of modern Algeria
• 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 Aroudj, 16th century corsair, leader of the Regency of Algiers
• 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 Conquest and Occupation

• 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 Benmhidi, 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 independance, 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
• Djamila Boupacha, 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, Current Prime Minister
• Rabah Bitat, Vice president of Algeria's first government, president of parliament
• Hocine Ait Ahmed, political leader and head of the Socialist Forces Front opposition party (also a prominent Independence war leader)
• Lakhdar Brahimi, Algerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Peace Envoy in Lebanon, Afghanistan and Irak
• Drif-Bitat Zohra, Female figure of the independance war, vice-president of the Senate

Religious figures

• Augustine of Hippo, Christian theologian
• Ahmed Benbadis, 20th century religious reformer

Scholars and Academics

Historians

• Mohamed Harbi independance 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, poete, writer
• Djilali Liabes, Researcher, Minister for Scientific Research from 1992 to 1993

Sports

• Lakhdar Belloumi, football player, world cup participation in 1982, 1986
• Noureddine Morceli, athlete, 1500m world and olympic champion
• Hassiba Boulmerka, female athlete, 1500m 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

Other

Famous Westerners in Algeria

• List of Westerners in Algerian History

Famous Algerians in the West

• Elias Zerhouni, Head of the US National Institutes of Health, graduated from Algiers University's School of Medicine.

See also

• List of people by nationality