Located on the north coast of Africa along the Mediterranean Sea, the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria is the second largest country on the continent, and has about six times the land area of Japan. The population is about 33.5 million, and 99% of it is Muslim. The Mediterranean climate in the northern part of the country is very different from the dry, hot conditions in the southern part of the country, which lies below the Atlas mountain range.

Currently, a Kajima-led consortium of Japanese companies is constructing one of the world’s longest motorways along the north coast of Algeria, which is a journey of about a day and a half from Japan via France. At the construction site, consortium staff are working hard every day to overcome all the challenges that come with a project of this scale.

Note: This article was originally written for the Japanese monthly newsletter “Kajima.” It was rewritten in English for this Special Feature article.