Etymology. The name "dinar" is ultimately derived from the Roman denarius. The Arabic word santeem comes from the French "centime", since Algeria was under French occupation from 1830 to 1962. History. The dinar was introduced on 1 April 1964, replacing the Algerian new franc at par. . Argotic counting system. The masses rarely use the dinar as such, but the franc (officially …

Upon the independence of Algeria in 1962, the Algerian Air Force was set up as a part of the national defense forces. Based at Maison Blanche (White House), this embryonic service branch originally comprised five MIG-15 fighters gifted from President Nasser of Egypt and two Beech D.185S light transports purchased for the personal use of then President Ben Bella in 1963.