1951 AD -2000 AD

1954
7 May: Fall of Dien Bien Phu in Indo-China.
18 June: Mendes-France comes to Power.
10 July:Foundation in Algiers of the Comite revolutionnaire d'unite et d'action which wants to unite the nationalist movement and is committed to armed rebellion.
1 Nov: All Saints' Day: the FLN insurrection and the Algerian war begins

1955
25 Jan: Soustelle appointed governor-general.
6 Feb: Mendes-France government falls.
18-24 April: FLN attend the Bandung Conference of non-aligned countries.
20-1 August: FLN uprising in Philippeville leading to savage repression.

1956
2 Jan: Victory of the Republican Front in national elections.
26 Jan: Guy Mollet becomes prime minister.
6 Feb: Mollet gets a rough reception in Algiers from the settlers and is bombarded with tomatoes. General Catroux is forced to resign as the minister for Algeria and is replaced by Robert Lacoste.
12 March: The National Assembly votes the 'special powers'.
11 April: Recall of reservists. Between January and July the number of soldiers in Algeria doubles to 400,000.
18 May: 18 French conscripts massacred near to Palestro.
20 August-19 September: Soummam Conference establishes FLN policy.
30 Sept: FLN bombs the Milk-Bar and the Cafeteria, two cafes frequented by young settlers: the Battle of Algiers begins.
22 Oct: Ben Bella hijacked and imprisoned by the French.
5 Nov: Anglo-French landings at Suez.
13 Nov: General Salan becomes army commander-in-chief in Algeria.

1957
7 Jan: Massu's paras take over Algiers with orders to break the cycle of FLN terrorism.
9 Jan: Mollet reaffirms the indissoluble links uniting France and Algeria.
28 Jan: General strike begins in Algiers which is broken by the paras.
5 March: Larbi Ben M'hidi, FLN leader captured on 25 February, dies in custody.
21 May: Fall of the Mollet government.
29 May: An FLN commando unit massacres all the men in the village of Melouza who belong to the rival MNA.
12 Sept: Resignation of Paul Teitgen, secretary general for the police in Algiers, who protests at the torture methods used by the paras.
24 Sept: Head of the Algiers FLN, Yacef Saadi, is arrested in the Casbah. The Battle of Algiers is over.
5 Nov: Gaillard succeeds Bourges-Maunoury as prime minister.

1958
8 Feb: French Bomb Sakiet in Tunisia killing 69 civilians.
27 March: Henri Alleg's La Question banned by the authorities.
15 April: Fall of the Gaillard government.
13 May: In Algiers angry settlers seize government buildings.
13 May-1 June: In Algeria the army takes power. In Algiers settlers call for the return of de Gaulle.
1 June: De Gaulle becomes prime minister.
4 June: De Gaulle's first visit to Algeria.
19 Sept: The Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic formed in Tunis.
21 Dec: De Gaulle is elected president of France.

1959
22 July: Renewed offensive against the FLN.
16 September: De Gaulle offers Algeria 'self-determination'.

1960
19 Jan: Massu sacked for attacking de Gaulle's policy.
24 Jan:'Barricades Week' as settlers in Algiers rebel against de Gaulle.
29 Jan: Revolt collapses.
25-9 June: Peace talks with the FLN fail.
5 Sept: '121 Manifesto' inciting conscripts to desert.
5 Sept-1 Oct: The Jeanson trial takes place in Paris.
9-13 Dec: Muslim demonstration in Algiers as de Gaulle visits Algeria.
20 Dec: United Kingdom recognizes Algeria's right to self-determination.

1961
8 Feb: The principle of Algerian self-determination is overwhelmingly approved in a referendum.
10 April: Die-hard settlers' organisation, the Secret Army Organisation (OAS), carries out bombing attacks.
20-6 April: 'Generals' putsch' in Algiers fails.
20 May-28 July: Peace talks at evian fail.
17-18 Oct: In Paris Algerians demonstrate against a curfew. 200 Algerians are killed.

1962
8 Feb: Anti-OAS demonstration in Paris. Eight demonstrators are killed at Charonne tube station.
19 March: Cease-fire between French and FLN.
17 June: Truce between OAS and FLN.
1 July: Referendum on Algerian independence overwhelmingly approved.
3 July: Algeria becomes independent.

1965
Military junta, led by defense minister Col. Houari Boumedienne, topples government of Ahmed Ben Bella. Revolutionary council set up.

1966
Judiciary "Algerianized." Tribunals try "economic crimes."

1971
Oil industry nationalized. Boumedienne continues with land reform, a national health service and "socialist" management.

1976
National Charter establishes a socialist state.

1979
Bendjedid Chadli sworn in as president.

1980
Ben Bella released after 15 years' detention. Agreement signed with France, whereby latter gives incentives for return home of 800,000 Algerian immigrants.

1981
Algeria helps to negotiate release of hostages from US embassy in Tehran, Iran.

1985
22 Berber cultural and human rights activists were imprisoned after being convicted of belonging to illegal organisations. 18 alleged supporters of former President Ben Bella were also detained.
Two most popular Kabyle (Berber) singers given three-year jail sentences for opposing regime.

1986
January: Referendum approved a new National Charter. This encouraged the development of the private sector. Several Muslim fundamentalist groups formed an alliance calling themselves the Party of Allah. The influential Ahl ad-Da'awah group (People of the Call) were responsible for putting pressure on the authorities to take account of Moslem interests. As a result of this the constitution was amended to take account of Moslem interests.

1987
The Government introduced austerity measures to cope with the decline in petrol prices and the increase in Algeria's national debt. Government introduces limited liberalization by giving private enterprise more freedom. Algeria signs cooperation agreement with Soviet Union.

1988
The austerity measures provoked a series of strikes. In October there were riots in Algiers, spreading to Oran and Annaba. A six day state of emergency was imposed, and according official sources 159 people were killed in confrontations with government forces, and more than 1,500 were arrested.
Nov: A referendum approved the proposal for non-FLN candidates to participate in elections.
Dec: Chadli elected President for a third term.

1989
A new constitution ending the one party state was approved by referendum. Constitutional reforms diminish power of FLN. New political parties founded, including Islamic Salvation Front (FIS). Arab Maghreb Union established by the leaders of Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia.

1990
Widespread strikes and demonstrations occurred, caused in part by the Islamic fundamentalists.
June: In the local elections the FIS received 55% of the votes cast.
August: A general amnesty was announced and thousands of political prisoners were released.
Dec: Demonstrations followed the announcement that Arabic was the official language, and the use of French and Berber in schools and official translations would be punished by fines.

1991
May : FIS organised general strikes to protest about the organisation of the forthcoming elections.
June: Violent clashes between Islamic fundamentalists and security forces resulted in between 20 and 50 deaths.
July: Army units arrested about 700 Islamists and occupied the headquarters of the FIS. The President of FIS - Abbasi Madani and the Vice President Ali Belhadj arrested.
Dec: First round of the general election - Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) were the largest party with 47.5% of the votes cast. (FIS) wins 188 seats, FLN 15, Socialist Forces Front (FFS) 25 and independents 3. FIS leaders Abassi Madani and Ali Belhadj arrested.

1992
Jan: The National People's Assembly dissolved, and President Chadli resigned. The second round of voting was cancelled. A five member High Council of State (HCS) was appointed to act as a collective presidency until the expiry of Chadli's term of office in December 1993. The chairman was Muhammad Boudiaf.
Feb: HCS declared a state of emergency.
March: FIS dissolved by the Government.
June: Boudiaf assassinated. Replaced as chairman by Ali Kafi. FIS leaders Abassi Madani and Ali Belhadj given 12 years in jail.
July: Madani and Belhadj were sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. Violent protest demonstrations resulted.
Dec: A curfew imposed in Algiers and six neighboring areas.

1993
Feb: State of emergency renewed for an indefinite period.
May: Large demonstrations took place, mainly organised by the UGTA.
July: Kasdi Merbah, former Prime Minister was assassinated.
Sept: Two French land surveyors murdered. Civil war no longer spares foreigners. Half of the 8,000 French expatriates in Algeria return to France.

1994
Political violence led by Armed Islamic Group (GIA).
30 Jan: General Liamine Zeroual becomes head of state.
10 April: Dinar devalued by 40 %.
6 Sept: Leaders of banned FIS held in Blida military prison send letter to President Zeroual and five parties participating in "national dialogue" since 21 August, asking that armed wing of FIS be included in talks.
21 Sept: Cities in Kabylia paralyzed by general strike.

1995
13 Jan: In Rome main opposition groups, including Islamists, sign "national contract" calling for end to violence. Regime rejects agreement.
16 Nov: Four candidates stand in first round of presidential election. Zeroual wins election outright in first round with over 60 % of the vote. Zeroual sworn in as president.
28 Nov: Referendum. New Constitution reduces powers of National Assembly.

1996
Murders continue, notably of seven French priests in May, of GIA leader Abou Abderrahamane Amine, alias Djamel Zitouni, in June, and of French Roman Catholic bishop of Oran, Bishop Pierre Claverie, in August.
14 Sept: Conference for National Understanding, boycotted by legal opposition, gives Zeroual free hand to complete plans for "directed democracy".

1997
Jan: The Secretary General of the UGTA, Abd al- Hak Benhamouda assassinated.
March: supporters of President Zeroual set up the National Democratic Rally (RND) to run in the 5 June legislative election.
April: FIS called for a boycott of the elections. Hamas changed its name to Movement of a Peaceful Society, to conform with the new laws regulating political parties.
June: Elections - the turnout was officially recorded as 65%. The National Democratic Rally won 155 seats and became the largest party in the National Assembly. They formed a coalition with the Islamist Movement of a peaceful society, and the National Liberation Front.
Sept: FIS chief Madani released, but by September he was under house arrest. The violence continued. Algerian troops shot dead more than 50 suspected Moslem rebels.
Oct: A major split occurred in FIS, when supporters of Madani denounced other FIS leaders for declaring a cease-fire of it's military wing the Islamic Salvation Army. Local elections were won by the National Democratic Rally. In October and November the main legal opposition groups organised demonstrations against what they saw as fraud in the elections. Demonstrators were beaten with batons.
Dec: Members of Algeria's local councils chose representatives to sit in the upper house of parliament. The National Democratic Rally won 35 of the first 42 seats decided.

1998
Feb: Four other armed Algerian fundamentalist organisations, the Ansar Battalion, the Al-Sharq al-Awsat, the Rahman Battalion and the Islamic League for the Call and the Jihad had joined the truce announced by the armed wing of the FIS in October 1997. The violence continued in the early part of 1998, and 400 were killed in one massacre.
May: An executive decree was signed by Algeria's Health Minister on 5 May allowing women who have been raped by suspected Moslem rebels to have abortions.
30 political parties were dissolved for failing to abide to the new rules on political parties.
June: Matoub Lounes, a popular Berber singer, was killed and his wife and 2 sons were wounded at a false roadblock by a terrorist group on 25 June. Rioting and further demonstrations in Berber towns followed.
July: Implementation of a law generalising the use of Arabic in enterprises and public departments.
Visit to Algeria by Eminent Panel appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Sept: President Zeroual announced that he will leave office before his term ends officially and will hand over power after presidential elections early 1999.
Dec: Controversial plan for compensation for victims of terrorism submitted to parliament.

1999
Jan: The plan was dropped after demonstrations complaining about the plan to compensate equally the families of both the victims of terrorism and the perpetrators of violence.
President Zeroual appointed members of the National Independent Committee for the Monitoring of the Presidential Election (CNISEP).
March: Election watchdog announces that seven politicians qualify to contest the Presidential election - Hocine Ahmed, Mouloud Hamrouche, Mokdad Sifi, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Ahmed Taleb Ibrahimi, Youcef Khatib and Abdallah Djaballah.
April: On 15 April six of the seven candidates withdraw from the elections claiming fraud
16 April: The election goes ahead with Abdelaziz Bouteflika announced the winner.
June: The Islamic Salvation Army declared an end to their guerrilla struggle against the Government on 6 June.
President Bouteflika promised an amnesty for the AIS and its supporters and submitted an amnesty law as part of the National Harmony Law.
July: Approximately 2 thousand prisoners imprisoned for terrorist and subversive acts were released. Organisation of African Unity Summit (OAU) held in Algiers
August: Nearly half of the Provincial governors sacked.
Sept: Referendum on the question of "Do you agree with the Presidents approach to restoring peace and civil accord?" was won by the Yes votes.
Nov: Abdelkader Hachani a prominent FIS leader was killed in Algiers by an unknown gunman.
Dec: A new Prime Minister, Ahmed Benbitour, and cabinet were appointed. A suspect was arrested for Hachani's murder.

2000
Jan: The AIS and LIDD armed Islamist opposition groups disbanded just before the expiry of the amnesty for armed groups. It was reported that many AIS members would join the national army to fight the remaining armed groups, mainly the GIA and GSPC groups. According to official estimates some 1500 Islamists had surrendered during the amnesty period. The security forces deployed in operations against the GIA in their strongholds in the north-east and south-west of the country. Local media reported a number of killings of rebels, civilians and members of the security forces following the expiry of the amnesty.
April: Four international human rights groups, including Amnesty International were allowed to visit Algeria.
August: Ali Benflis was appointed Prime Minister in place of Ahmed Benbitour.
Nov: The government refused to legalise the WAFA party on the grounds that many of its members were ex-FIS.
Dec: Over 300 people were killed in terrorist incidents during the month of Ramadan.