Background: After a century of rule by France Algeria became independent in 1962.

Land boundaries: 6,343 km total; 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: 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

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

Land use: 3% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 13% meadows and pastures; 2% forest and woodland; 82% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

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

Population: 25,566,507 (July 1990), growth rate 2.8% (1990)

Nationality: noun--Algerian(s; adjective--Algerian

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

Languages: Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

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

Birth rate: 37 births/1000 population (1990)

Death rate: 9 deaths/1000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1990)

Environment
Current issues: mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; desertification

Infant mortality rate: 87 deaths/1000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 61 years male, 64 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 5.4 children born/woman (1990)

Literacy: 52%

Country name: conventional long form: Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria

Government type: republic

Capital: Algiers

Administrative divisions: 31 provinces (wilayat, singular--wilaya; Adrar, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida, Bouira, Constantine, Djelfa, El Asnam, Guelma, Jijel, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mostaganem, M'sila, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Tamanrasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen; note--there may now be 48 provinces with El Asnam abolished, and the addition of 18 new provinces named Ain Delfa, Ain Temouchent, Bordjbou, Boumerdes, Chlef, El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Illizi, Jijel, Khenchela, Mila, Naama, Relizane, Souk Ahras, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt

Independence: 5 July 1962 (from France)

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

Constitution: 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976

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

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State--President Chadli BENDJEDID (since 7 February 1979; Head of Government--Prime Minister Mouloud HAMROUCHE (since 9 September 1989)

Legislative branch: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

International organization participation: AfDB, AIOEC, Arab League, ASSIMER, CCC, FAO, G-77, GATT (de facto), IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB--Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, ILZSG, INTERPOL, IOOC, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAU, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Abderrahmane BENSID; Chancery at 2,118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 328-5,300; US--Ambassador Christopher W. S. ROSS; Embassy at 4 Chemin Cheich Bachir Brahimi, Algiers (mailing address is B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16,000 Algiers; telephone p213o (2) 601-425 or 255, 186; there is a US Consulate in Oran

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)

Economy overview: The exploitation of oil and natural gas products forms the backbone of the economy. Algeria depends on hydrocarbons for nearly all of its export receipts, about 30% of government revenues, and nearly 25% of GDP. In 1973-74 the sharp increase in oil prices led to a booming economy that helped to finance an ambitious program of industrialization. Plunging oil and gas prices, combined with the mismanagement of Algeria's highly centralized economy, have brought the nation to its most serious social and economic crisis since independence. The government has promised far-reaching reforms, including giving public sector companies more autonomy, encouraging private-sector activity, boosting gas and nonhydrocarbon exports, and a major overhaul of the banking and financial systems. In 1988 the government started to implement a new economic policy to dismantle large state farms into privately operated units.

Agriculture products: accounts for 8% of GDP and employs 24% of labor force; net importer of food--grain, vegetable oil, and sugar; farm production includes wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits, sheep, and cattle

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

Industrial production growth rate: 5.4% (1986)

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: 19% (1988)

Budget: revenues $17.4 billion; expenditures $22.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $8.0 billion (1988)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $9.1 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
Commodities: petroleum and natural gas 98%
Partners: Netherlands, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Italy, France, US

Imports: $7.8 billion (f.o.b., 1989 est.)
Commodities: capital goods 35%, consumer goods 36%, food 20%
Partners: France 25%, Italy 8%, FRG 8%, US 6-7%

Debt external: $26.2 billion (December 1989)

Exchange rates: Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1--8.0086 (January 1990), 7.6086 (1989), 5.9148 (1988), 4.8497 (1987), 4.7023 (1986), 5.0278 (1985)

Electricity
Capacity: 4,333,000 kW capacity; 14,370 million kWh produced, 580 kWh per capita (1989)

Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 1.8% of GDP, or $974 million (1989 est.)

Airports: 147 total, 136 usable; 53 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,660 m; 29 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 68 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

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

Merchant marine: 75 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 900,957 GRT/1,063,994 DWT; includes 5 passenger, 27 cargo, 2 vehicle carrier, 10 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 5 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 9 liquefied gas, 7 chemical tanker, 9 bulk, 1 specialized liquid cargo

Disputes international: Libya claims about 19,400 km² in southeastern Algeria