Map of Algeria | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

top of page


Background: After more than a century of rule by France Algerians fought through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria's primary political party the National Liberation Front (FLN) was established in 1954 as part of the struggle for independence and has largely dominated politics since. The Government of Algeria in 1988 instituted a multi-party system in response to public unrest but the surprising first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991 balloting led the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army began a crackdown on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin attacking government targets. Fighting escalated into an insurgency which saw intense violence from 1992-98 resulting in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s and FIS's armed wing the Islamic Salvation Army disbanded in January 2000. Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA with the backing of the military won the presidency in 1999 in an election widely viewed as fraudulent. He was reelected to a second term in 2004 and overwhelmingly won a third term in 2009 after the government amended the constitution in 2008 to remove presidential term limits. Longstanding problems continue to face BOUTEFLIKA including large-scale unemployment a shortage of housing unreliable electrical and water supplies government inefficiencies and corruption and the continuing activities of extremist militants. The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) in 2006 merged with al-Qa'ida to form al-Qa'ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb which has launched an ongoing series of kidnappings and bombings targeting the Algerian Government and Western interests. The government in 2011 introduced some political reforms in response to the Arab Spring including lifting the 19-year-old state of emergency restrictions and increasing women's quotas for elected assemblies. Parliamentary elections in May 2012 and municipal and provincial elections in November 2012 saw continued dominance by the FLN with Islamist opposition parties performing poorly. Political protest activity in the country remained low in 2012 but small sometimes violent socioeconomic demonstrations by disparate groups continued to be a common occurrence. Parliament in 2013 is expected to revise the constitution.


top of page


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

Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N 3 00 E

Map reference

Area
Rank: 10
Land: 2,381,741 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

Land boundaries
Border countries: (7) Libya 982 km; Mali 1376 km; Mauritania 463 km; Morocco 1559 km; Niger 956 km; Tunisia 965 km; Western Sahara 42 km

Coastline: 998 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 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 highest point: Tahat 3,003 m

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

Land use
Permanent crops: 0.38%
Other: 96.46% (2011)

Irrigated land: 5,694 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 11.67 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season

Geography
Note: largest country in Africa


top of page


Population: 38,087,812 (July 2013 est.)
Rank: 35
Growth rate: 1.9% (2013 est.)
Growth rate rank: 61
Below poverty line: 23% (2006 est.)

Nationality
Adjective: Algerian

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

Languages: Arabic (official) French (lingua franca) Berber dialects: Kabylie Berber (Tamazight) Chaouia Berber (Tachawit) Mzab Berber Tuareg Berber (Tamahaq)

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

Demographic profile

Age structure
15-24 years: 18.1% (male 3,536,416/female 3,371,819)
25-54 years: 42.7% (male 8,213,802/female 8,035,509)
55-64 years: 6% (male 1,172,528/female 1,128,015)
65 years and over: 5.1% (male 890,312/female 1,053,184) (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios
Youth dependency ratio: 41.1 %
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.8 %
Potential support ratio: 14.7 (2013)

Median age
Male: 26.7 years
Female: 27.2 years (2013 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.9% (2013 est.)
Rank: 61

Birth rate: 24.25 births/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 63

Death rate: 4.31 deaths/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 205

Net migration rate: -0.93 migrant(s)/1000 population (2013 est.)
Rank: 148

Population distribution

Urbanization
Rate of urbanization: 2.49% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: ALGIERS (capital) 2.916 million; Oran 770,000 (2011)

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 signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 82
Male: 24.4 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 20.64 deaths/1000 live births (2013 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 82
Male: 74.95 years
Female: 77.47 years (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.78 children born/woman (2013 est.)
Rank: 71

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 61.4% (2006)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 1.21 physicians/1000 population (2007)

Hospital bed density: 1.7 beds/1000 population (2004)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 108
People living with hivaids: 18,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 81
Deaths: fewer than 1000 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 71

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 16% (2008)
Rank: 116

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3.7% (2005)
Rank: 99

Education expenditures: 4.3% of GDP (2008)
Rank: 100

Literacy
Total population: 72.6%
Male: 81.3%
Female: 63.9% (2006 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Male: 14 years
Female: 14 years (2011)

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional short form: Algeria
Local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah
Local short form: Al Jaza'ir

Government type: republic

Capital
Geographic coordinates: 36 45 N 3 03 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 48 provinces (wilayat 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: Revolution Day 1 November (1954)

Constitution: adopted 8 September 1963; amended several times last in 2008 (2013)

Legal system: mixed legal system of French civil law and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials including several Supreme Court justices

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Head of government: Prime Minister Abdelmalek SELLAL (since 3 September 2012)
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 9 April 2009 (next to be held in April 2014)
Election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for a third term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 90.2% Louisa HANOUNE 4.2% Moussa TOUATI 2.3% Djahid YOUNSI 1.4% Ali Fawzi REBAINE less than 1% Mohamed SAID less than 1%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the Council of the Nation (upper house; 144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president two-thirds elected by indirect vote to serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the Council to be renewed every three years) and the National People's Assembly (lower house; 462 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: Council of the Nation - last held on 29 December 2012 (next to be held in December 2017); National People's Assembly - last held on 10 May 2012 (next to be held in 2017)
Election results: Council of the Nation election of 29 December 2009 - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; National People's Assembly election of 10 May 2012 - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 221 RND 70 AAV 47 FFS 21 PT 17 FNA 9 El Adala 7 MPA 6 PFJ 5 FC 4 PNSD 4 other 32 independents 19

Judicial branch: note - Algeria's judicial system does not include sharia courts
Judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Council of Magistracy an administrative body presided over by the president of the republic and includes the republic vice-president and several members; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council members - 3 appointed by the president of the republic 2 each by the two houses of the Parliament 1 by the Supreme Court and 1 by the Council of State; Council president and members appointed for single 6-year terms with half of the membership renewed every 3 years
Subordinate courts: appellate or wilaya courts; first instance or daira tribunals

Political parties and leaders: Algerian National Front or FNA; Algerian Popular Movement or MPA; Front for Change or FC; Front for Justice and Development or El Adala; Green Algeria Alliance or AAV (includes Movement for National Reform Islamic Renaissance Movement and Movement of the Society of Peace or Hamas); Movement of the Society of Peace or MSP [Boudjerra SOLTANI]; National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM secretary general]; National Party for Solidarity and Development or PNSD; National Reform Movement or Islah [Ahmed ABDESLAM] (see Green Algeria Alliance); New Dawn Party or PFJ; Oath of 54 or Ahd 54 [Ali Fawzi REBAINE]; Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Said SADI]; Islamic Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine AIT AHMED]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUNE]

International organization participation: ABEDA AfDB AFESD AMF AMU AU BIS CAEU CD FAO G-15 G-24 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) LAS MIGA MONUSCO NAM OAPEC OAS (observer) OIC OPCW OPEC OSCE (partner) UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNITAR UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation
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) 986-5,906
In the us consulate general: New York
From the us embassy: 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi El-Biar 16,030 Algiers
From the us mailing address: B. P. 408 Alger-Gare 16,030 Algiers
From the us telephone: [213] 770-08-2000
From the us FAX: [213] 770-08-2,064

Flag description: two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a red five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the two-color boundary; the colors represent Islam (green) purity and peace (white) and liberty (red); the crescent and star are also Islamic symbols but the crescent is more closed than those of other Muslim countries because the Algerians believe the long crescent horns bring happiness

National symbols: star and crescent; fennec fox

National anthem
Lyrics and music: Mufdi ZAKARIAH/Mohamed FAWZI

National heritage


top of page


Economy overview: Algeria's economy remains dominated by the state a legacy of the country's socialist post-independence development model. In recent years the Algerian Government has halted the privatization of state-owned industries and imposed restrictions on imports and foreign involvement in its economy. Hydrocarbons have long been the backbone of the economy accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues 30% of GDP and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the 10th-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the sixth-largest gas exporter. It ranks 16th in oil reserves. Strong revenues from hydrocarbon exports have brought Algeria relative macroeconomic stability with foreign currency reserves approaching $200 billion and a large budget stabilization fund available for tapping. In addition Algeria's external debt is extremely low at about 2% of GDP. However Algeria has struggled to develop non-hydrocarbon industries because of heavy regulation and an emphasis on state-driven growth. The government's efforts have done little to reduce high youth unemployment rates or to address housing shortages. A wave of economic protests in February and March 2011 prompted the Algerian Government to offer more than $23 billion in public grants and retroactive salary and benefit increases moves which continue to weigh on public finances. Long-term economic challenges include diversifying the economy away from its reliance on hydrocarbon exports bolstering the private sector attracting foreign investment and providing adequate jobs for younger Algerians.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 48

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 102

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 138

Gross national saving:
Rank: 10

Gdp composition by end use
Government consumption: 20.1%
Investment in fixed capital: 31.4%
Investment in inventories: 6.1%
Exports of goods and services: 37.2%
Imports of goods and services: -27.7%: (2012 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Industry: 61%
Services: 29.6% (2012 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: 1.5% (2012 est.)
Rank: 113

Labor force: 11.05 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 48
By occupation industry: 13.4%
By occupation construction and public works: 10%
By occupation trade: 14.6%
By occupation government: 32%
By occupation other: 16% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10% (2011 est.)
Rank: 114

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 23% (2006 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10: 26.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income gini index: 35.3 (1995)
Rank: 87

Budget
Expenditures: $92.47 billion (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -4.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 160

Taxes and other revenues: 40% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 48

Public debt: 8.4% of GDP (2011 est.)
Rank: 144

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.5% (2011 est.)
Rank: 190

Central bank discount rate: 4% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 94

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 8% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 115

Stock of narrow money: $93.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 35

Stock of broad money: $130.6 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 49

Stock of domestic credit: $-8.659 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 187

Market value of publicly traded shares: $N/A

Current account balance: $17.77 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 24

Exports: $72.89 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 49
Commodities: petroleum natural gas and petroleum products 97%
Partners: Italy 16% US 15% Spain 10.9% France 8.5% Netherlands 7.3% Canada 7.1% UK 5.1% Brazil 4.7% (2012)

Imports: $46.93 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 54
Commodities: capital goods foodstuffs consumer goods
Partners: France 12.8% China 11.8% Italy 10.3% Spain 8.6% Germany 5.2% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $183.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 14

Debt external: $6.072 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 116

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $21.78 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 67

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $2.174 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 73

Exchange rates:


top of page


Electricity
Production: 46.25 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 53
Consumption: 33.68 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 60
Exports: 803 million kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 60
Imports: 736 million kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 66
Installed generating capacity: 11.33 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 52
Generation sources fossil fuels: 97.5% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 60
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 35
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 2.5% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 133
Generation sources other renewable sources: 0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 149

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 1.875 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 16
Crude oil exports: 1.097 million bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 16
Crude oil imports: 6,400 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 79
Crude oil proven reserves: 12.2 billion bbl (1 January 2013 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 16

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 571,400 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 30
Products consumption: 316,400 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 40
Products exports: 471,900 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 15
Products imports: 17,270 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 109

Natural gas
Production: 82.76 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 10
Consumption: 28.82 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 29
Exports: 52.02 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 7
Imports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 151
Proven reserves: 4.504 trillion m³ (1 January 2013 es)
Proven reserves rank: 10

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 117.2 million Mt (2011 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 37

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 3.2 million (2012)
Main lines in use rank: 49
Mobile cellular: 37.692 million (2012)
Mobile cellular rank: 32

Telephone system
Domestic: a limited network of fixed lines with a teledensity of less than 10 telephones per 100 persons has been offset by the rapid increase in mobile-cellular subscribership; in 2011 mobile-cellular teledensity was roughly 100 telephones per 100 persons
International: country code - 213; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe the Middle East and Asia; microwave radio relay to Italy France Spain Morocco and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 51 (Intelsat Intersputnik and Arabsat) (2011)

Broadcast media: state-run Radio-Television Algerienne operates the broadcast media and carries programming in Arabic Berber dialects and French; use of satellite dishes is widespread providing easy access to European and Arab satellite stations; state-run radio operates several national networks and roughly 40 regional radio stations (2007)

Internet
Country code: .dz
Hosts: 676 (2012)
Hosts rank: 178
Users: 4.7 million (2009)
Users rank: 49

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures: 4.3% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 21

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 17 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 19-30 years of age for compulsory service; conscript service obligation is 18 months (6 months basic training 12 months civil projects) (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 157 (2013)
Rank: 36
With paved runways over 3047 m: 12
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 29
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 17
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2013)
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 18
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 39
With unpaved runways: 34 (2013)

Heliports: 3 (2013)

Pipelines: condensate 2,600 km; gas 16,415 km; liquid petroleum gas 3,447 km; oil 7,036 km; refined products 144 km (2013)

Railways
Rank: 44
Standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 1085 km 1.055-m gauge (2008)

Roadways
Rank: 42
Paved: 87,605 km (includes 645 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 26,050 km (2010)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Rank: 77
By type: bulk carrier 6 cargo 8 chemical tanker 3 liquefied gas 11 passenger/cargo 3 petroleum tanker 4 roll on/roll off 3
Foreign owned: 15 (UK 15) (2010)

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international: Algeria and many other states reject Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; the Polisario Front exiled in Algeria represents the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic; Algeria's border with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations each nation accusing the other of harboring militants and arms smuggling; dormant disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 km² still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria and the National Liberation Front's (FLN) assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco

Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: undetermined (civil war during 1990s) (2012)

Illicit drugs