Independence Day observed annually on 5 July, is a National Holiday in Algeria commemorating colonial Algerian independence from France on 5 July 1962.
The Algerian War of Independence began in November 1954 and ended in 1962. The war was very brutal and long, and was the most recent major turning point in Algeria's history. Although often fratricidal, it ultimately united Algerians and raised the value of independence and the philosophy of anticolonialism into the national consciousness. Abusive tactics of the French Army remains a controversial subject in France to this day.
The most recognizable symbol of the Algerian Revolution is the national flag of Algeria, which features two equal vertical bands of green and white, with a red, five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the two-color boundary. The green color represents Islam and the white color represents purity. The red crescent and star are traditional symbols of Islam, and the red color represents the blood of those who died fighting for independence. The flag was adopted on July 3, 1962, after Algeria gained independence from France following a long and bloody revolution that lasted from 1954 to 1962