Algeria

Democratic and Popular Republic of AlgeriaAl Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash

republicIndependence 5 July 1962 (from France)

Algeria as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 105 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalAlgiers

Position28 00 N, 3 00 E

Area2,381,740 sq km

LocationNorthern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea,

Populationas each edition published it

31.13 million July 1999 est. · 25.57m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.1% 1999 est. · 2.34% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 22.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

69.24 years 1999 est. · 67.35 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.27 children per woman 1999 est. · 5.4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

43.82 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 87 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$4,600 1998 est. · $1,570 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

3.2% 1998 est. · 2.8% in 1993

Geography

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, | between Morocco and Tunisia

18 fields

Land useshare of 2,381,740 sq km

arable land 3%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 13%forests and woodland 2%other 82% (1993 est.)irrigated 5,550 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

2,381,740sq km

land: 2,381,740 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmslightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

Coastline

998km

exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Highest point

3,003m

Tahatlowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m

Land boundaries

6,343km

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

Location

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia

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

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc

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, 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)

People

15 fields

Population

31,133,486

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 2.1% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

27Death

5.52Net migration

-0.49

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)69.24

68.07 · 70.46

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)61.6%

73.9% · 49%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Age structure

0-14 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.)

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:: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

43.82 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Algerian(s)
adjective:: Algerian

Religions

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

Languages

Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Government

Republic; President Liamine ZEROUAL (appointed president 31 January 1994, elected president 16 November 1995); Interim Prime Minister Smail HAMDANI (since 15 December 1998)

18 fields

Legislature, 96 seatsone dot, one seat

-RND 80FLN 10FFS 4MSP (remaining 48 seats appointed by the president, party breakdown NA) 2

Country name

conventional 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

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

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief 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 leaders

Islamic Salvation Front or FIS BENHAMOUDA, secretary general]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS note: the government established a multiparty system in September 1989 and, as of 31 December 1990, over 50 legal parties existed; a new party law was enacted in March 1997

International 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 representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Ramtane LAMAMRA
chancery:: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Cameron R. HUME
embassy:: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers
mailing address:: B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers

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

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.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$4,600

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

3.2%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: -4% (1997 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

(1998 est.)

Unemployment rate

30%

(1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1997 est.)

agriculture 12%industry 51%services 37% (1997 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

11.8%

France

29%

18.8%

Italy

8.2%

14.8%

Spain

10.5%

7.9%

Germany

5.6%

Exports $14 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)Imports $8.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)(1995 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$14.4 billionExpenditures

$15.7 billion (1998 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $4.4 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 98.91%hydro 1.09%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

18.4 billion (1996)Electricity consumption

18.13 billion (1996)Electricity exports

490 million (1996)Electricity imports

220 million (1996)

Economy--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.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$140.2 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

22.6% (1995 est.)

Labor force

7.8 million (1996 est.)

Labor force--by occupation

government 29.5%, agriculture 22%, construction and public works 16.2%, industry 13.6%, commerce and services 13.5%, transportation and communication 5.2% (1989)

Industries

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

Agriculture--products

wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle

Exports

$14 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Exports--commodities

petroleum and natural gas 97%

Imports

$8.5 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.)

Imports--commodities

capital goods, food and beverages, consumer goods

Debt--external

$31.4 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid--recipient

$897.5 million (1994)

Currency

1 Algerian dinar (DA) = 100 centimes

Exchange 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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

1,381,342

(5,200 cellular telephone subscribers) (1997)

Telephone system

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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 23, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1998 est.)

Radios

3.5 million (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations

18 (not including low-power stations) (1997)

Televisions

2 million (1998 est.)

Transportation

9 fields

Merchant marine, 78 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1998 est.)

bulk 9cargo 27chemical tanker 7liquefied gas tanker 11oil tanker 5roll-on/roll-off cargo 13short-sea passenger 5specialized tanker 1

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 24 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 5

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

total: 86 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 40

Networkskm

Highways

102,424Railways

4,772

Highways: paved: 70,570 km (including 608 km of expressways) · unpaved: 31,854 km (1995 est.) · Railways: 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