Map of Algeria | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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Background: After a century of rule by France Algeria became independent in 1962. The surprising first round success of the fundamentalist FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) party in December 1991 balloting caused the army to intervene crack down on the FIS and postpone the subsequent elections. The FIS response has resulted in a continuous low-grade civil conflict with the secular state apparatus which nonetheless has allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties.


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Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia

Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 3 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 2,381,740 km²
Land: 2,381,740 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 6,343 km
Border countries: (7) Libya 982 km; , Mali 1,376 km; , Mauritania 463 km; , Morocco 1,559 km; , Niger 956 km; , Tunisia 965 km; , Western Sahara 42 km

Coastline: 998 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in summer

Terrain: mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
Extremes highest point: Tahat 3,003 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc

Land use
Arable land: 3%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 13%
Forests and woodland: 2%
Other: 82% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 5,550 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mud slides

Geography
Note: second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)


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Population: 30,480,793 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 2.14% (1998 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Algerian(s)
Adjective: Algerian

Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%

Languages: Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Religions: Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 38% (male 5,923,087; female 5,709,614)
15-64 years: 58% (male 8,931,896; female 8,752,014)
65 years and over: 4% (male 542,012; female 622,170) (July 1998 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.14% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 27.51 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 5.63 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.49 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 45.44 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 68.93 years
Male: 67.78 years
Female: 70.12 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.38 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 61.6%
Male: 73.9%
Female: 49% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria
Conventional short form: Algeria
Local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Shabiyah
Local short form: Al Jaza'ir

Government type: republic

Capital: Algiers

Administrative divisions: 48 provinces (wilayas, singular_wilaya; Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel, Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila, Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen

Dependent areas

Independence: 5 July 1962 (from France)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954)

Constitution: 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996; note_referendum approving the revisions of 28 November 1996 was signed into law 7 December 1996

Legal system: socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Liamine ZEROUAL (appointed president 31 January 1994, elected president 16 November 1995): ead of
Government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 31 December 1995)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 November 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: Liamine ZEROUAL elected president; percent of vote_Liamine ZEROUAL 61.3%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (380 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Council of Nations (144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote; members serve six-year terms; created as a result of the constitutional revision of November 1996)
Elections: National People's Assembly_last held 5 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2001); elections for two-thirds of the Council of Nations_last held 25 December 1997 (next to be held NA 2003)
Election results: National People's Assembly_percent of vote by party_NA%; seats by party_RND 156, MSP 69, FLN 62, Nahda Movement 34, FFS 20, RCD 19, PT 4, Republican Progressive Party 3, Union for Democracy and Freedoms 1, Liberal Social Party 1, independents 11; Council of Nations_percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party_RND 80, FLN 10, FFS 4, MSP 2 (remaining 48 seats appointed by the president, party breakdown NA)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ramtane LAMAMRA
In the us chancery: 2,118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 265-2,800
In the us fax: [1] (202) 667-2,174
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron HUME
From the us embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers
From the us mailing address: B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16,000 Algiers
From the us telephone: [213] (2) 69-11-86, 69-12-55, 69-18-54, 69-38-75
From the us fax: [213] (2) 69-39-79

Flag description: two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white with a red, five-pointed star within a red crescent; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 57% of government revenues, 25% of GDP, and almost all export earnings. Algeria has the fifth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the second largest gas exporter; it ranks fourteenth for oil reserves. Algiers' efforts to reform one of the most centrally planned economies in the Arab world began after the 1986 collapse of world oil prices plunged the country into a severe recession. In 1989, the government launched a comprehensive, IMF-supported program to achieve economic stabilization and to introduce market mechanisms into the economy. Despite substantial progress toward economic adjustment, in 1992 the reform drive stalled as Algiers became embroiled in political turmoil. In September 1993, a new government was formed, and one priority was the resumption and acceleration of the structural adjustment process. Burdened with a heavy foreign debt, Algiers concluded a one-year standby arrangement with the IMF in April 1994 and the following year signed onto a three-year extended fund facility. Progress on economic reform, a Paris Club debt rescheduling in 1995, and oil and gas sector expansion have contributed to a recovery since 1995. Investments in developing hydrocarbon resources are likely to maintain growth and export earnings. Continuing but gradual government efforts to attract foreign and domestic investment outside that sector seek to diversify the economy and tackle problems of high unemployment and falling living standards, problems as yet untouched by the macroeconomic turnaround.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 2.5% (1997 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 12%
Industry: 50%
Services: 38% (1995 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle

Industries: petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force
Total: 7.8 million (1996 est.)
By occupation government: 29.5%
By occupation agriculture: 22%
By occupation constructionandpublicworks: 16.2%
By occupation industry: 13.6%
By occupation commerceand services: 13.5%
By occupation transportationandcommunication: 5.2% (1989)

Unemployment rate: 28% (1997 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $13.7 billion
Expenditures: $13.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.1 million (1996 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: total value:$13.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Commodoties: petroleum and natural gas 97%
Partners: Italy 18.8%, US 14.8%, France 11.8%, Spain 8%, Germany 7.9% (1995 est.)

Imports: total value:$10 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Commodoties: capital goods, food and beverages, consumer goods
Partners: France 29%, Spain 10.5%, Italy 8.2%, US 8%, Germany 5.6% (1995 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $33 billion (1997 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1_58.969 (January 1998), 57.707 (1997), 54.749 (1996), 47.663 (1995), 35.059 (1994), 23.345 (1993)


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 19.1 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 630 kWh (1995)

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system
Domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic earth stations are planned)
International: 5 submarine cables; microwave radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations_2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $1.3 billion (1994)
Percent of gdp: 2.7% (1994)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 136 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 50
With paved runways over 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 24
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 13
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 86
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 24
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 40
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 19 (1997 est.)

Airports with paved runways
Total: 50
Over 3047 m: 8
2438 to 3047 m: 24
15-24 to 2437 m: 13
914 to 1523 m: 4
Under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports with unpaved runways
Total: 86
2438 to 3047 m: 3
15-24 to 2437 m: 24
914 to 1523 m: 40
Under 914 m: 19 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 1 (1997 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural gas 2,948 km

Railways
Total: 4,772 km
Standard gauge: 3,616 km 1.435-m gauge (301 km electrified; 215 km double track)
Narrow gauge: 1,156 km 1.055-m gauge

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 928,965 GRT/1,094,104 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 27, chemical tanker 7, liquefied gas tanker 11, oil tanker 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea passenger 5, specialized tanker 1 (1997 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: part of southeastern region claimed by Libya

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs