Algeria Country Information
|
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. FIS's armed wing,
the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded itself in January 2000 and many
armed militants surrendered under an amnesty program designed to promote
national reconciliation. Nevertheless, residual fighting continues.
Other concerns include large-scale unemployment and the need to
diversify the petroleum-based economy. |
| Location: |
Northern Africa, bordering
the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
28 00 N, 3 00 E |
| Area: |
total: 2,381,740
sq km
land: 2,381,740 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly less than 3.5 times
the size of Texas |
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 6,343 km
border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania
463 km, Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara
42 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
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 sq km (1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
mountainous areas subject to
severe earthquakes; mud slides |
| 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 |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban |
| Geography
- note: |
second-largest country in
Africa (after Sudan) |
| Population: |
31,736,053 (July 2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
34.21% (male 5,528,755; female 5,328,083)
15-64 years: 61.72% (male 9,901,319; female 9,687,449)
65 years and over: 4.07% (male 594,973; female 695,474)
(2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.71% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
22.76 births/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
5.22 deaths/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-0.45 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| 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: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
40.56 deaths/1,000 live
births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
69.95 years
male: 68.6 years
female: 71.34 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
2.72 children born/woman
(2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.07% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| Nationality: |
noun: Algerian(s)
adjective: Algerian |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Arab-Berber 99%, European
less than 1% |
| Religions: |
Sunni Muslim (state religion)
99%, Christian and Jewish 1% |
| Languages: |
Arabic (official), French,
Berber dialects |
| Literacy: |
definition: age
15 and over can read and write
total population: 61.6%
male: 73.9%
female: 49% (1995 est.) |
| 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 |
| Government
type: |
republic |
| 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 |
| Independence: |
5 July 1962 (from France) |
| National
holiday: |
Revolution Day, 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 |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Ali BENFLIS (since 26
August 2000)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
five-year term; election last held 15 April 1999 (next to be held NA
April 2004); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA elected president;
percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA over 70%; note - his six opposing
candidates withdrew on the eve of the election citing electoral fraud |
| 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 five-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; the constitution requires half the council to be renewed every
three years)
elections: National People's Assembly - last held 5 June
1997 (next to be held NA 2002); Council of Nations - last held 30
December 2000 (next to be held NA 2003)
election results: National People's Assembly - percent of
vote by party - RND 40.8%, MSP 18.2%, FLN 16.8%, Nahda Movement 8.9%,
FFS 5%, RCD 5%, PT 1.1%, Progressive Republican Party 0.8%, Union for
Democracy and Liberty 0.3%, Social Liberal Party 0.3%, independents
2.8%; seats by party - RND 155, MSP 69, FLN 64, Nahda Movement 34, FFS
19, RCD 19, PT 4, Progressive Republican Party 3, Union for Democracy
and Liberty 1, Social Liberal Party 1, independents 11; Council of
Nations - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RND 79, FLN
12, FFS 4, MSP 1 (remaining 48 seats appointed by the president, party
breakdown NA) |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court or Cour Supreme |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Democratic National Rally or
RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA, chairman]; Islamic Salvation Front or FIS (outlawed
April 1992) [Ali BELHADJ and Dr. Abassi MADANI (imprisoned), Rabeh KEBIR
(self-exile in Germany)]; Movement of a Peaceful Society or MSP [Mahfoud
NAHNAH, chairman]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Boualem BENHAMOUDA,
secretary general]; Progressive Republican Party [Khadir DRISS]; Rally
for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Said SAADI, secretary general];
Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement [Lahbib ADAMI]; Social Liberal
Party or PSL [Ahmed KHELIL]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait
AHMED, secretary general (self-exile in Switzerland)]; Union for
Democracy and Liberty [Mouley BOUKHALAFA]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa
HANOUN]
note: a party law banning political parties based on
religion was enacted in March 1997 |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF,
AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat,
Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS
(observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Idriss JAZAIRY
chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Janet A. SANDERSON
embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers
mailing address: B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers
telephone: [213] (21) 69-11-86, 69-12-55, 69-18-54,
69-38-75
FAX: [213] (21) 69-39-79 |
| 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 crescent, star, and
color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion) |
| Economy
- overview: |
The hydrocarbons sector is
the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget
revenues, 30% 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 stalled in 1992 as the country became embroiled in political
turmoil. Algeria's financial and economic indicators improved during the
mid-1990s, in part because of policy reforms supported by the IMF and
debt rescheduling from the Paris Club. Algeria's finances in 2000
benefited from the spike in oil prices and the government's tight fiscal
policy, leading to a large increase in the trade surplus, the near
tripling of foreign exchange reserves, and reduction in foreign debt.
The government continues efforts to diversify the economy by attracting
foreign and domestic investment outside the energy sector, but has had
little success in reducing high unemployment and improving living
standards. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity -
$171 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
5% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$5,500 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 11%
industry: 37%
services: 52% (1999 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
23% (1999 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 26.8% (1995) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
2% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
9.1 million (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
government 29%, agriculture
25%, construction and public works 15%, industry 11%, other 20% (1996
est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
30% (1999 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $15.8
billion
expenditures: $16 billion, including capital expenditures
of $5.3 billion (2001 est.) |
| Industries: |
petroleum, natural gas, light
industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
7% (1999 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
23.215 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
99.14%
hydro: 0.86%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
21.613 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
307 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
330 million kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
wheat, barley, oats, grapes,
olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle |
| Exports: |
$19.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000
est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
petroleum, natural gas, and
petroleum products 97% |
| Exports
- partners: |
Italy 22%, US 15%, France
12%, Spain 11%, Brazil 8%, Netherlands 5% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$9.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000
est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
capital goods, food and
beverages, consumer goods |
| Imports
- partners: |
France 30%, Italy 9%, Germany
7%, Spain 6%, US 5%, Turkey 5% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$25 billion (2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$100 million (1999 est.) |
| Currency: |
Algerian dinar (DZD) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Algerian dinars per US dollar
- 74,813 (January 2001), 75.260 (2000), 66.574 (1999), 58.739 (1998),
57.707 (1997), 54.749 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
2.3 million (1998) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
33,500 (1999) |
| Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
telephone density in Algeria is very low, not exceeding five telephones
per 100 persons; the number of fixed main lines has been increased in
the last few years to a little more than 2,000,000, but only about
two-thirds of these have subscribers; much of the infrastructure is
outdated and inefficient
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 (1998) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8
(1999) |
| Radios: |
7.1 million (1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
46 (plus 216 repeaters)
(1995) |
| Televisions: |
3.1 million (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.dz |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
2 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
20,000 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total: 4,820 km
standard gauge: 3,664 km 1.435-m gauge (301 km electrified;
215 km double-track)
narrow gauge: 1,156 km 1.055-m gauge (1999) |
| Highways: |
total: 104,000
km
paved: 71,656 km (including 640 km of expressways)
unpaved: 32,344 km (1996 est.) |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum
products 298 km; natural gas 2,948 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Algiers, Annaba, Arzew,
Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys, Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran,
Skikda, Tenes |
| Merchant
marine: |
total: 73 ships
(1,000 GRT or over) totaling 896,911 GRT/1,047,991 DWT
ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 25, chemical tanker 7,
liquefied gas 10, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea
passenger 4, specialized tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
135 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 51
over 3,047 m: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 24
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 84
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 40
under 914 m: 18 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
National Popular Army, Navy,
Air Force, Territorial Air Defense, National Gendarmerie |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
19 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49:
8,794,622 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49:
5,383,770 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 388,939
(2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$1.87 billion (FY99) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
4.1% (FY99) |
| Disputes
- international: |
part of southeastern region
claimed by Libya; Algeria supports exiled West Saharan Polisario Front
and rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara |
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