Metric	Egypt	Algeria
Capital	Cairo	Algiers
Region	North Africa	North Africa
Population	110,000,000	45,400,000
Area (km²)	1,001,449	2,381,741
GDP (USD billion)	$396.0	$224.1
Currency	Egyptian Pound (EGP)	Algerian Dinar (DZD)
Official language(s)	Arabic	Arabic, Berber
Landlocked	No	No
Island nation	No	No

Population

Egypt has the larger population of the two, with approximately 110,000,000 people compared with Algeria's 45,400,000 — roughly two and a half times as many. Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world and the third most populous in Africa, with the overwhelming majority of its people concentrated along the narrow Nile Valley and Delta, one of the most densely settled rural landscapes on Earth. Algeria's population, though much smaller, is spread very differently.

Because Algeria is so vast and so heavily desert, the bulk of its people live along the Mediterranean coastal strip and the northern Tell Atlas, while the immense Saharan interior is almost empty. Both countries have youthful, fast-growing populations and high rates of urbanisation, but Egypt's population pressure on a sliver of habitable land is far more acute than Algeria's. This concentration profoundly shapes Egypt's politics, food security and water policy, especially given its dependence on the Nile.

Area and Geography

Algeria is dramatically larger by land area, covering 2,381,741 km² against Egypt's 1,001,449 km² — more than twice the size. In fact Algeria is the largest country in all of Africa, while Egypt ranks among the continent's larger nations but is dwarfed by its Maghreb neighbour. Both sit in North Africa with Mediterranean coastlines, and neither is landlocked or an island; Egypt additionally fronts the Red Sea and straddles two continents via the Sinai Peninsula.

Geographically, both are overwhelmingly desert countries, yet their defining features differ. Egypt is essentially the Nile River made habitable — without that single ribbon of water, the country would be almost uninhabitable. Algeria is dominated by the Sahara across its south and by the Atlas mountain ranges and fertile coastal plains in the north. Egypt's Suez Canal gives it global strategic importance as a maritime chokepoint, while Algeria's value lies more in its enormous hydrocarbon reserves buried beneath the desert.

Economy

Egypt has the larger nominal economy, with a GDP of approximately $396.0 billion compared with Algeria's $224.1 billion. Egypt's economy is comparatively diversified, drawing on Suez Canal revenues, tourism, remittances from Egyptians working abroad, manufacturing, construction and agriculture. Algeria's economy, by contrast, is heavily dependent on oil and natural gas, which provide the lion's share of export earnings and government revenue and make it one of Africa's leading energy exporters.

GDP per capita reverses the headline ranking. Dividing Egypt's $396.0 billion across roughly 110 million people gives a GDP per capita of about $3,600. Algeria's $224.1 billion spread across roughly 45.4 million people works out to around $4,900 per person — noticeably higher than Egypt's. So although Egypt produces more in absolute terms, the average Algerian generates more economic value, largely because Algeria's hydrocarbon wealth is shared among a much smaller population. Both economies remain sensitive to external shocks — Egypt to currency pressures and import costs, Algeria to swings in global energy prices.

Language and Culture

Egypt's official language is Arabic, with the distinctive Egyptian dialect being one of the most widely understood across the Arab world thanks to the reach of Egyptian cinema, music and television. Algeria's official languages are Arabic and Berber (Tamazight), and French remains deeply embedded in business, higher education and administration as a legacy of 132 years of French colonial rule.

Both countries are predominantly Sunni Muslim and share much of the broader Arab-Islamic cultural sphere, yet each has a strong distinct identity. Egypt's heritage stretches back to the pharaohs and the wonders of the ancient Nile civilisation, layered with Coptic Christian and Islamic legacies, and it has long been the cultural capital of the Arabic-speaking world. Algeria's identity foregrounds its powerful Amazigh (Berber) roots alongside Arab and Mediterranean influences, and its modern national consciousness is shaped above all by the long and costly war of independence against France.

Currency

Egypt uses the Egyptian Pound (EGP) while Algeria uses the Algerian Dinar (DZD). The Egyptian pound has undergone several sharp devaluations in recent years as the country has moved toward more flexible exchange-rate arrangements, while the Algerian dinar is more tightly managed and closely tied to the country's energy-export earnings. Travellers, traders and anyone sending remittances should check live exchange rates before any transaction, as both currencies can move against the US dollar.

History & Independence

Egypt is one of the oldest civilisations on Earth, with a recorded history stretching back more than five thousand years to the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. In modern times it gained nominal independence from Britain in 1922 and became a fully sovereign republic following the 1952 revolution. Algeria's path to nationhood was far more recent and far bloodier: after more than a century of French colonial rule, it won independence in 1962 following a brutal eight-year war of liberation that remains central to national identity. Today both are heavyweight members of the African Union and the Arab League, and both participate in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), giving them significant diplomatic weight across the continent and the wider region.

Which Country Is Bigger? At a Glance

• Algeria is about 2.4× the size of Egypt by land area (2,381,741 km² vs 1,001,449 km²) and is the largest country in Africa.
• Egypt has roughly 2.4× the population of Algeria (110 million vs 45.4 million).
• Egypt's nominal GDP is larger (about $396.0 billion vs $224.1 billion).
• Algeria has the higher GDP per capita (about $4,900 vs about $3,600).
• Both are North African, Mediterranean-coast nations and members of the African Union and AfCFTA; neither is landlocked or an island.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Egypt or Algeria bigger? It depends on the measure. Algeria is far larger by land area at 2,381,741 km² versus Egypt's 1,001,449 km² — more than twice the size and the biggest country in Africa. Egypt, however, has the larger population at about 110,000,000 compared with Algeria's 45,400,000.

Which country has the bigger economy, Egypt or Algeria? Egypt has the larger nominal GDP at approximately $396.0 billion, compared with $224.1 billion for Algeria. But Algeria's smaller population gives it a higher GDP per capita.

What languages are spoken in Egypt and Algeria? Egypt's official language is Arabic. Algeria's official languages are Arabic and Berber (Tamazight), and French remains widely used in business and administration.

What currencies do Egypt and Algeria use? Egypt uses the Egyptian Pound (EGP) and Algeria uses the Algerian Dinar (DZD). Both can move significantly against the US dollar, so check live rates before any transaction.

Are Egypt and Algeria landlocked? No. Both are North African nations with Mediterranean coastlines, and Egypt also borders the Red Sea. Neither country is landlocked and neither is an island nation.

Last updated: June 2026. Figures from IMF/World Bank (GDP), the UN (population) and national statistics offices (area).

Read More

• Egypt country guide
• Algeria country guide
• North Africa region (Egypt)
• North Africa region (Algeria)
• All country comparisons