The Algerian Sahara in French Policy - Vital Resources as an Example

Abstract

Water is an essential element of life. It is the main reason that drives humans to gather and establish civilizations throughout history, contributing to their prosperity and development. In the desert, water is the main source of life and the primary factor determining the nature, form, and economic, social, and cultural characteristics of human settlements.
In this article, we attempt to highlight its importance and locations, especially in the southern region, namely the Sahara, in addition to the various ways of utilizing and benefiting from it in living and agriculture during the French colonial period.
This research relies heavily on the writings of foreign authors and experts in this field, who traveled through the Sahara and recorded important details about its nature and human life, such as the French expert Ville, who produced a detailed report on the Sahara and its most important water sources, which was one of the reports relied upon by the French administration to complete its settlement project in the region.