Statistical information Algeria 1999

Algeria in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 3 00 E
Map reference:
AfricaAreaTotal: 2,381,740 km²
Land: 2,381,740 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
Land boundariesTotal: 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 kmCoastline: 998 km
Maritime claimsExclusive 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
ElevationExtremes 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 useArable land: 3%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 13%
Forests and woodland: 2%
Other: 82% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 5,550 km² (1993 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mud slides
GeographyNote: second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
top of pagePopulation: 31,133,486 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 2.1% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: 22.6% (1995 est.)
NationalityNoun: 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 profileAge structure0-14 years: 37% (male 5,911,910; female 5,696,538)
15-64 years: 59% (male 9,255,702; female 9,063,954)
65 years and over: 4% (male 559,570; female 645,812) (1999 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.1% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 27 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 5.52 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.49 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent 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 pollutantsSex ratioAt 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
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 43.82 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 69.24 years
Male: 68.07 years
Female: 70.46 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.27 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: 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 educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional 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 areasIndependence: 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 participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President Liamine ZEROUAL (appointed president 31 January 1994, elected president 16 November 1995)
Head of government: Interim Prime Minister Smail HAMDANI (since 15 December 1998); note_appointed as interim prime minister until April 1999 presidential elections
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 April 1999; note_ZEROUAL announced in September 1998 his intention to step down after early presidential elections); 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 leadersInternational 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, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)
Diplomatic representationIn 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 R. 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 symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 52% of budget revenues, 25% of GDP, and over 95% of 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 which ended 30 April 1998. 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 have spurred growth, but the economy remains heavily dependent on volatile oil and gas revenues. The government has continued efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy sector in order to reduce high unemployment and improve living standards.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: 3.2% (1998 est.)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $4,600 (1998 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 12%
Industry: 51%
Services: 37% (1997 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: -4% (1997 est.)
Labor force: 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: 30% (1998 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: 22.6% (1995 est.)
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $14.4 billion
Expenditures: $15.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.4 million (1998 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $14 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Commodities: petroleum and natural gas 97%
Partners: Italy 18.8%, US 14.8%, France 11.8%, Spain 8%, Germany 7.9% (1995 est.)
Imports: $8.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)
Commodities: 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 goldDebt external: $31.4 billion (1998 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1_61.264 (January 1999), 58.739 (1998), 57.707 (1997), 54.749 (1996), 47.663 (1995), 35.059 (1994)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 18.4 billion kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 98.91%
Production by source hydro: 1.09%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 18.13 billion kWh (1996)
Exports: 490 million kWh (1996)
Imports: 220 million kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 1,381,342 (5,200 cellular telephone subscribers) (1997)
Telephone systemDomestic: 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 mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $1.3 billion (1994)
Percent of gdp: 2.7% (1994)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 137 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 51
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: 5
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1998 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 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1998 est.)
Pipelines: crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural gas 2,948 km
RailwaysTotal: 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
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marineTotal: 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 933,672 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 (1998 est.)
Ports and terminalsAlgeria - Transnational issues 1999
top of pageDisputes international: part of southeastern region claimed by Libya
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs