from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Algeria
Introduction
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), has
dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the
subsequent generation were not satisfied, however, and
moved to counter the FLN's centrality in Algerian
politics. The surprising first round success of the
Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991
balloting spurred 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 crack
down on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin
attacking government targets. The government later
allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate
religious-based parties, but did not appease the
activists who progressively widened their attacks. The
fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw
intense fighting between 1992-98 and which resulted 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. However, small numbers of armed militants persist
in confronting government forces and conducting
ambushes and occasional attacks on villages. The army
placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the presidency in 1999
in a fraudulent election but claimed neutrality in his
2004 landslide reelection victory. Longstanding
problems continue to face BOUTEFLIKA in his second
term, including the ethnic minority Berbers' ongoing
autonomy campaign, large-scale unemployment, a shortage
of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies,
government inefficiencies and corruption, and the
continuing - although significantly degraded -
activities of extremist militants. Algeria must also
diversify its petroleum-based economy, which has
yielded a large cash reserve but which has not been
used to redress Algeria's many social and
infrastructure problems.
Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea,
between Morocco and Tunisia
Geographic 28 00 N, 3 00 E
coordinates:
Map Africa
references:
Area: total: 2,381,740 sq km
land: 2,381,740 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Area - slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
comparative:
Land total: 6,343 km
boundaries: 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
Coastline: 998 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
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 lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
extremes: highest point: Tahat 3,003 m
Natural petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium,
resources: lead, zinc
Land use: arable land: 3.17%
permanent crops: 0.28%
other: 96.55% (2005)
Irrigated 5,690 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes;
hazards: mudslides and floods in rainy season
Environment - soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming
current practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage,
issues: 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 - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
agreements: Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
note:
People
Population: 32,930,091 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.1% (male 4,722,076/female 4,539,713)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 11,133,802/female 10,964,502)
65 years and over: 4.8% (male 735,444/female 834,554)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 24.9 years
male: 24.7 years
female: 25.1 years (2006 est.)
Population 1.22% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 17.14 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 29.87 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 33.62 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 25.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 73.26 years
expectancy at male: 71.68 years
birth: female: 74.92 years (2006 est.)
Total 1.89 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 0.1% ; note - no country specific models provided (2001
adult est.)
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 9,100 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 500 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Major degree of risk: intermediate
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
diseases: hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: cutaneous leishmaniasis is a high
risk in some locations (2005)
Nationality: noun: Algerian(s)
adjective: Algerian
Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
note: almost all Algerians are Berber in origin, not
Arab; the minority who identify themselves as Berber
live mostly in the mountainous region of Kabylie east
of Algiers; the Berbers are also Muslim but identify
with their Berber rather than Arab cultural heritage;
Berbers have long agitated, sometimes violently, for
autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy
but has offered to begin sponsoring teaching Berber
language in schools
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: 70%
male: 78.8%
female: 61% (2003 est.)
Government
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 republic
type:
Capital: name: Algiers
geographic coordinates: 36 47 N, 2 03 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative 48 provinces (wilayat, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain
divisions: 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 Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)
holiday:
Constitution: 8 September 1963; revised 19 November 1976, effective
22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February
1989, and 28 November 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 chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since
branch: 28 April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Abdelaziz BELKHADEM
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the
president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a
five-year term (eligible for a second term); election
last held 8 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009);
prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected
president for second term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz
BOUTEFLIKA 85%, Ali BENFLIS 6.4%, Abdellah DJABALLAH 5%
Legislative bicameral Parliament consisting of the National
branch: People's Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani
(389 seats - formerly 380 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Council
of Nations (Senate) (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 30
May 2002 (next to be held in 2007); Council of Nations
(Senate) - last held 30 December 2003 (next to be held
in 2006)
election results: National People's Assembly - percent
of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 199, RND
47, Islah 43, MSP 38, PT 21, FNA 8, EnNahda 1, PRA 1,
MEN 1, independents 30; Council of Nations - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party NA
Judicial Supreme Court
branch:
Political Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI];
parties and National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National
leaders: Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA, secretary
general]; Islamic Salvation Front or FIS (outlawed
April 1992) [Ali BELHADJ and Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh
KEBIR (self-exiled in Germany)]; National Entente
Movement or MEN [Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation
Front or FLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general
(also serves as minister of state and special
representative of the head of state)]; National Reform
Movement or Islah (formerly MRN) [Abdellah DJABALLAH];
National Renewal Party or PRA [Yacine TERKMANE];
Progressive Republican Party [Khadir DRISS]; Rally for
Culture and Democracy or RCD [Said SAADI, secretary
general]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement
[Fatah RABEI]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine
Ait AHMED, secretary general (self-exiled in
Switzerland)]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed
KHELIL]; Society of Peace Movement or MSP [Boudjerra
SOLTANI]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUN]
note: a law banning political parties based on religion
was enacted in March 1997
Political The Algerian Human Rights League or LADH or LADDH
pressure [Yahia Ali ABDENOUR]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR];
groups and Somoud [Ali MERABET]
leaders:
International ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24,
organization G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
participation: ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MONUC,
NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE
(partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,
UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Amine KHERBI
representation chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Robert S. FORD
representation embassy: 04 Chemin Cheikh Bachir Ibrahimi El-Biar
from the US: 16030, Algiers
mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers
telephone: [213] (021) 69-12-55
FAX: [213] (021) 69-39-79
Flag two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and
description: 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
Economy - The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy,
overview: accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of
GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the
seventh-largest reserves of natural gas in the world
and is the second-largest gas exporter; it ranks 14th
in oil reserves. Sustained high oil prices in recent
years, along with macroeconomic policy reforms
supported by the IMF, have helped improve Algeria's
financial and macroeconomic indicators. Algeria is
running substantial trade surpluses and building up
record foreign exchange reserves. Real GDP has risen
due to higher oil output and increased government
spending. The government's continued efforts to
diversify the economy by attracting foreign and
domestic investment outside the energy sector, however,
has had little success in reducing high unemployment
and improving living standards. The population is
becoming increasingly restive due to the lack of jobs
and housing and frequently stages protests, which have
resulted in arrests and injuries, including some deaths
as government forces intervened to restore order.
Structural reform within the economy, such as
development of the banking sector and the construction
of infrastructure, moves ahead slowly hampered by
corruption and bureaucratic resistance.
GDP $235.5 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $85.31 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 5.5% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $7,200 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 10.1%
composition by industry: 60%
sector: services: 29.8% (2005 est.)
Labor force: 10.15 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture 14%, industry 13.4%, construction and
by occupation: public works 10%, trade 14.6%, government 32%, other
16% (2003 est.)
Unemployment 17.1% (2005 est.)
rate:
Population 25% (2005 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 2.8%
income or highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 35.3 (1995)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 1.9% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 22.6% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $42.05 billion
expenditures: $30.75 billion; including capital
expenditures of $5.8 billion (2005 est.)
Public debt: 30.2% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits;
products: sheep, cattle
Industries: petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining,
electrical, petrochemical, food processing
Industrial 8% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 26.99 billion kWh (2003 est.)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 99.7%
production by hydro: 0.3%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 24.9 billion kWh (2003 est.)
consumption:
Electricity - 400 million kWh (2003 est.)
exports:
Electricity - 200 million kWh (2003 est.)
imports:
Oil - 1.373 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
production:
Oil - 246,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 1.127 million bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - imports: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - proved 12.46 billion bbl (2005 est.)
reserves:
Natural gas - 82.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 21.32 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 57.98 billion cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2005 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 4.531 trillion cu m (2005)
proved
reserves:
Current $18.79 billion (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $49.59 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%
commodities:
Exports - US 22.8%, Italy 16.2%, Spain 10.4%, France 10%, Canada
partners: 8%, Brazil 6.1%, Belgium 4.4%, Germany 4.2% (2005)
Imports: $22.53 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods
commodities:
Imports - France 28.2%, Italy 7.8%, Spain 7.1%, China 6.6%,
partners: Germany 6.3%, US 5.5% (2005)
Reserves of $56.58 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $19.45 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $122.8 million (2002 est.)
recipient:
Currency Algerian dinar (DZD)
(code):
Currency code: DZD
Exchange Algerian dinars per US dollar - 73.276 (2005), 72.061
rates: (2004), 77.395 (2003), 79.682 (2002), 77.215 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 2.572 million (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 13.661 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is
system: very low, not exceeding five telephones per 100
persons; the number of fixed main lines increased in
the last few years to nearly 2.6 million, 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: country code - 213; submarine cables -
5; 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)
(2005)
Radio AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 7.1 million (1997)
Television 46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 3.1 million (1997)
Internet .dz
country code:
Internet 1,202 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 2 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 1.92 million (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 142 (2006)
Airports - total: 52
with paved over 3,047 m: 10
runways: 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 90
with unpaved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 39
under 914 m: 23 (2006)
Heliports: 1 (2006)
Pipelines: condensate 1,344 km; gas 85,946 km; liquid petroleum
gas 2,213 km; oil 6,496 km (2005)
Railways: total: 3,973 km
standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km
electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2005)
Roadways: total: 104,000 km
paved: 71,656 km
unpaved: 32,344 km (1999)
Merchant total: 41 ships (1000 GRT or over) 744,406 GRT/766,764
marine: DWT
by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 10, chemical tanker 2,
liquefied gas 9, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 5,
roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 13 (UK 13) (2006)
Ports and Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Jijel,
terminals: Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda
Military
Military National Popular Army (ANP; includes Land Forces),
branches: Algerian National Navy (MRA), Air Force (QJJ),
Territorial Air Defense Force (2005)
Military 19-30 years of age for compulsory military service;
service age conscript service obligation - 18 months (6 months
and basic training, 12 months civil projects) (2006)
obligation:
Manpower males age 19-49: 8,033,049
available for females age 19-49: 7,926,351 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 19-49: 6,590,079
for military females age 19-49: 6,711,285 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 374,639
reaching females age 19-49: 369,021 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $3 billion (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 3.2% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - Algeria supports the exiled Sahrawi Polisario Front and
international: rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; most
of the approximately 102,000 Western Saharan Sahrawi
refugees are sheltered in camps in Tindouf, Algeria;
Algeria's border with Morocco remains an irritant to
bilateral relations, each nation accusing the other of
harboring militants and arms smuggling; in an attempt
to improve relations, Morocco, in mid-2004,
unilaterally lifted the requirement that Algerians
visiting Morocco possess entry visas - a gesture not
reciprocated by Algeria; Algeria remains concerned
about armed bandits operating throughout the Sahel who
sometimes destabilize southern Algerian towns; dormant
disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km
still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria and
the FLN's assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in
southeastern Morocco
Refugees and refugees (country of origin): 102,000 (Western Saharan
internally Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in
displaced the southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf)
persons: IDPs: 400,000-600,000 (conflict between government
forces, Islamic insurgents) (2005)
Trafficking in current situation: Algeria is a transit and destination
persons: country for men, women, and children from sub-Saharan
Africa and Asia trafficked for forced labor and sexual
exploitation; many victims willingly migrate to Algeria
en route to European countries with the help of
smugglers, where they are often forced into
prostitution, labor, and begging to pay off their
smuggling debt; armed militants reportedly traffic
women for sexual exploitation and involuntary
servitude, and children may be trafficked for forced
labor as domestic servants or street vendors
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Algeria took no steps
to assess the scope of trafficking in the country and
reported no investigations or prosecutions for
trafficking offenses this year