Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the former president of Algeria who ruled the country for two decades, , has died after a long illness at the age of 84.
- Bouteflika led the country for almost two decades, stepping down in 2019 after his bid for a fifth term in office led to massive street protests.
- In 1999, as Algeria emerged from a brutal civil war that killed almost 200,000 people, he became president at the urging of the military.
UPSC PT FACTS
- Algeria is a country in Africa which is also a gateway between Africa and Europe
- The Sahara desert covers more than four-fifths of the land of Algeria.
- Algeria is the continent’s biggest country, and is the world’s 10th largest.
