Map of Algeria | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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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
Country comparison total: 6,734 km
Country comparison border countries: (6) Libya 989 km; Mali 1,359 km; Mauritania 460 km; Morocco 1,941 km; Niger 951 km; Tunisia 1,034 km

Land boundaries
Total: 6,734 km
Border countries: (6) Libya 989 km; Mali 1,359 km; Mauritania 460 km; Morocco 1,941 km; Niger 951 km; Tunisia 1,034 km

Coastline: 998 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
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; Atlas Mountains in the far north and Hoggar Mountains in the south; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation
Highest point: Tahat 2,908 m
Lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
Mean elevation: 800 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 17.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 3.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 13.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 0.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 81.8% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 12,605 km² (2016)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²: Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 km²); Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 3.6 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 190 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 6.67 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 11.67 billion m³ (2020 est.)

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

Geography
Note: largest country in Africa but 80% desert; canyons and caves in the southern Hoggar Mountains and in the barren Tassili n'Ajjer area in the southeast of the country contain numerous examples of prehistoric art -- rock paintings and carvings depicting human activities and wild and domestic animals (elephants, giraffes, cattle) -- that date to the African Humid Period, roughly 11,000 to 5,000 years ago, when the region was completely vegetated


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Population
Distribution: the vast majority of the populace is found in the extreme northern part of the country along the Mediterranean Coast as shown in this population distribution map
Total: 47,022,473
Male: 23,854,821
Female: 23,167,652 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 1.54% (2024 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Algerian(s)
Adjective: Algerian

Ethnic groups: Arab-Amazigh 99%, European less than 1%
Note: although almost all Algerians are Amazigh in origin and not Arab, only a minority identify themselves as primarily Amazigh, about 15% of the total population; these people live mostly in the mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algiers and in several other communities; the Amazigh are also Muslim but identify with their Amazigh rather than Arab cultural heritage; some Amazigh have long agitated, sometimes violently, for autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has officially recognized Amazigh languages and introduced them into public schools

Languages: Arabic (official), French (lingua franca), Tamazight (official) (dialects include Kabyle (Taqbaylit), Shawiya (Tacawit), Mzab, Tuareg (Tamahaq))
Major-language samples: دليل جيوس العالمي، المصدر الذي لا غنى عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Muslim (official; predominantly Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian, Jewish, Ahmadi Muslim, Shia Muslim, Ibadi Muslim) <1% (2012 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 30.8% (male 7,411,337/female 7,062,794)
15-64 years: 62.3% (male 14,846,102/female 14,441,034)
65 years and over: 6.9% (2024 est.) (male 1,597,382/female 1,663,824)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 58.5
Youth dependency ratio: 48.7
Elderly dependency ratio: 9.8
Potential support ratio: 10.2 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 29.1 years (2024 est.)
Male: 28.8 years
Female: 29.4 years

Population growth rate: 1.54% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 20.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 4.4 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: the vast majority of the populace is found in the extreme northern part of the country along the Mediterranean Coast as shown in this population distribution map

Urbanization
Urban population: 75.3% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.99% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 2.902 million ALGIERS (capital), 936,000 Oran (2022)

Environment
Current issues: air pollution in major cities; 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 22.68 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 150.01 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 49.94 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 78 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 18.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 19.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 17.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 77.2 years
Female: 78.7 years

Total fertility rate: 2.94 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 53.6% (2018/19)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 99.6% of population
Unimproved rural: 1.2% of population
Unimproved total: 0.6% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0.4% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density: 1.9 beds/1,000 population (2015)

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 98.3% of population
Improved rural: 91.3% of population
Improved total: 96.5% of population
Unimproved urban: 1.7% of population
Unimproved rural: 8.7% of population
Unimproved total: 3.5% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 27.4% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 0.59 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 0.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.2 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 0.08 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 21% (2020 est.)
Male: 41.3% (2020 est.)
Female: 0.7% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 2.7% (2018/19)

Education expenditures: 7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 81.4%
Male: 87.4%
Female: 75.3% (2018)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 30.8% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 27.4% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 46% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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Country name
Conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
Conventional short form: Algeria
Local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah
Local short form: Al Jaza'ir
Etymology: the country name derives from the capital city of Algiers

Government type: presidential republic

Capital
Name: Algiers
Geographic coordinates: 36 45 N, 3 03 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: name derives from the Arabic 'al-Jazair' meaning 'the islands' and refers to the four islands formerly off the coast of the capital but joined to the mainland since 1525

Administrative divisions: 58 provinces (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger (Algiers), Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Beni Abbes, Biskra, Blida, Bordj Badji Mokhtar, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djanet, Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Meghaier, El Meniaa, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, In Guezzam, In Salah, Jijel, Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila, Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Ouled Djellal, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanrasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Timimoun, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen, Touggourt

Dependent areas

Independence: 5 July 1962 (from France)

National holiday: Independence Day, 5 July (1962); Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

Constitution
History: several previous; latest approved by referendum 1 November 2020
Amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or through the president with the support of three fourths of the members of both houses of Parliament in joint session; passage requires approval by both houses, approval by referendum, and promulgation by the president; the president can forego a referendum if the Constitutional Council determines the proposed amendment does not conflict with basic constitutional principles; articles including the republican form of government, the integrity and unity of the country, and fundamental citizens’ liberties and rights cannot be amended; amended 2002, 2008, 2016; last in 2020

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
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: the mother must be a citizen of Algeria
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 7 years

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE (since 12 December 2019)
Head of government: Prime Minister Nadir LARBAOUI (since 11 November 2023)
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
Elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 September 2024 (next to be held in 2,029); prime minister nominated by the president after consultation with the majority party in Parliament
Election results: 2024: Abdelmadjid TEBBOUNE (NLF) 94.7%, Abdelaali Hassani CHERIF (MSP) 3.2%, Youcef AOUCHICHE (FFS) 2.2%; 2019: (FLN) 58.1%, Abdelkader BENGRINA (El-Bina) 17.4%, Ali BENFLIS (Talaie El Hurriyet) 10.6%, Azzedine MIHOUBI (RND) 7.3%, Abdelaziz BELAID (Future Front) 6.7%

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Parliament consists of: Council of the Nation or Majlis al-Umma (174 seats, statutory; 170 currently; two-thirds of members indirectly elected by simple majority vote by an electoral college composed of local assemblies within each wilaya, and one-third of members appointed by the president; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years), National People's Assembly or al-Majlis al-Sha'abi al-Watani (407 seats, including 8 seats for Algerian diaspora; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open-list proportional representation vote using the Hare Quota method; members serve 5-year terms)
Elections:
Elections results: Council of the Nation - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 54, RND 22, Future Front 7, National Construction Movement 5, FFS 4, other 6, independent 18, appointed 58; composition - men 163, women 7, percentage women 4.1%, National People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 98, MSP 65, RND 58, (Future Front) 48, Movement of National Construction 39, other 15, independent 84; composition - men 375, women 32, percentage women 7.9%
Note: total Parliament percentage women 6.8%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Supreme Court or Le Cour Suprême, (consists of 150 judges organized into 8 chambers: Civil, Commercial and Maritime, Criminal, House of Offenses and Contraventions, House of Petitions, Land, Personal Status, and Social; Constitutional Council (consists of 12 members including the court chairman and deputy chairman)
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; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members - 4 appointed by the president of the republic, 2 each by the 2 houses of Parliament, 2 by the Supreme Court, and 2 by the Council of State; Council president and members appointed for single 6-year terms with half 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, Algeria's Hope Rally or TAJ, Dignity or El Karama, El-Infitah, El Mostakbal (Future Front), Ennour El Djazairi Party (Algerian Radiance Party) or PED, Equity and Proclamation Party or PEP, Islamic Renaissance Movement or Ennahda Movement, Justice and Development Front or FJD, Movement for National Reform or El Islah, Movement of Society for Peace or MSP, National Construction Movement or El-Bina (Harakat El-Binaa El-Watani), National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND, National Front for Social Justice or FNJS, National Liberation Front or FLN, National Militancy Front or FMN, National Party for Solidarity and Development or PNSD, National Republican Alliance or ANR, New Dawn Party (El-Fajr El-Jadid), New Generation (Jil Jadid), Oath of 1954 or Ahd 54, Party of Justice and Liberty or PLJ, Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD, Socialist Forces Front or FFS, Union for Change and Progress or UCP, Union of Democratic and Social Forces or UFDS, Vanguard of Liberties (Talaie El Hurriyet), Workers Party or PT, Youth Party or PJ

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: chief of mission: Ambassador Sabri BOUKADOUM (since 27 February 2024)
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 email address and website: mail@algerianembassy.org; [link]
In the us consulates general: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Elizabeth Moore AUBIN (since 9 February 2022)
From the us embassy: 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16,030, Alger
From the us mailing address: 6,030 Algiers Place, Washington DC 20,521-6,030
From the us telephone: [213] (0) 770-08-2000
From the us fax: [213] (0) 770-08-2,299
From the us email address and website: algierspd@state.gov; [link]

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 Algerians believe the long crescent horns bring happiness

National symbols: five-pointed star between the extended horns of a crescent moon, fennec fox; national colors: green, white, red

National anthem
Name: 'Kassaman' (We Pledge)
Lyrics/music: Mufdi ZAKARIAH/Mohamed FAWZI
Note: adopted 1962; ZAKARIAH wrote 'Kassaman' as a poem while imprisoned in Algiers by French colonial forces

National heritage
Total world heritage sites: 7 (6 cultural, 1 mixed)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: suffering oil and gas economy; lack of sector and market diversification; political instability chilling domestic consumption; poor credit access and declines in business confidence; COVID-19 austerity policies; delayed promised socio-economic reforms

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $699.947 billion (2023 est.); $672.379 billion (2022 est.); $649.015 billion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 4.1% (2023 est.); 3.6% (2022 est.); 3.8% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $15,300 (2023 est.); $15,000 (2022 est.); $14,700 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 41.2% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 16.9% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 33.2% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 4.6% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 25.2% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -21% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 13.2% (2023 est.)
Industry: 38% (2023 est.)
Services: 45.1% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: potatoes, wheat, milk, watermelons, onions, tomatoes, barley, vegetables, dates, oranges (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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

Industrial production growth rate: 3.74% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 13.425 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 11.81% (2023 est.); 12.44% (2022 est.); 13.61% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 30.8% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 27.4% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 46% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $55.185 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $64.728 billion (2019 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 32.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Public debt: 27.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
Note: data cover central government debt as well as debt issued by subnational entities and intra-governmental debt

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.1% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 9.32% (2023 est.); 9.27% (2022 est.); 7.23% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on 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: $5.424 billion (2023 est.); $19.448 billion (2022 est.); -$4.51 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $58.816 billion (2023 est.); $69.242 billion (2022 est.); $41.851 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: Italy 29%, Spain 12%, France 12%, US 5%, South Korea 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: natural gas, crude petroleum, refined petroleum, fertilizers, ammonia (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $51.516 billion (2023 est.); $46.63 billion (2022 est.); $44.297 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: China 18%, France 14%, Italy 7%, Turkey 6%, Brazil 6% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: wheat, milk, plastics, corn, iron ore (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $81.217 billion (2023 est.); $71.852 billion (2022 est.); $56.211 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: $671.248 million (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Access electrification urban areas: 100%
Access electrification rural areas: 99.3%
Installed generating capacity: 21.706 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 77.786 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 1.529 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 391.148 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 9.263 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 167,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 168,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 223 million metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 1.443 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 428,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 12.2 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 100.726 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 47.963 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Exports: 49.583 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 4.504 trillion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 147.93 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 501,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 51.989 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 95.439 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 58.473 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 5.576 million (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 49.019 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 109 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 9% of GDP (2023 est.); 4.8% of GDP (2022 est.); 5.6% of GDP (2021 est.); 6.7% of GDP (2020 est.); 6% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Algerian People's National Army (ANP): Land Forces, Naval Forces (includes Coast Guard), Air Forces, Territorial Air Defense Forces, Republican Guard (under ANP but responsible to the President), National Gendarmerie; Ministry of Interior: General Directorate of National Security (national police) (2024)
Note: the National Gendarmerie performs police functions outside urban areas under the auspices of the Ministry of National Defense; it is comprised of territorial, intervention/mobile, border guard, railway, riot control, and air support units; General Directorate of National Security share responsibility for maintaining law and order

Military service age and obligation: 18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service for men and women; 19-30 years of age for mandatory national service for men (all Algerian men must register at age 17); service obligation reduced from 18 to 12 months in 2014 (2024)
Note: conscripts comprise an estimated 70% of the military

Space program

Terrorist groups: al-Qa'ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM); Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) – Algeria; al-Mulathamun Battalion (al-Mourabitoun)
Note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 87
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 6,442,442 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 28.28 million (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 7T

Airports: 85 (2024)

Heliports: 9 (2024)

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

Railways

Roadways
Total: 112,696 km (2020)

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: more than 100,000 (Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf); 7,345 (Syria) (mid-year 2022)

Illicit drugs: NA