1996 Edition

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)

Location

28 00 N, 3 00 E -- Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

land area

2,381,740 sq km

total area

2,381,740 sq km

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

Coastline

998 km

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

international agreements

party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

natural hazards

mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mud slides

Geographic coordinates

28 00 N, 3 00 E

Geographic note

second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

International disputes

part of southeastern region claimed by Libya; land boundary dispute with Tunisia settled in 1993

Irrigated land

3,360 sq km (1989 est.)

Land 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

total

6,343 km

Land use

arable land

3%

forest and woodland

2%

meadows and pastures

13%

other

82%

permanent crops

0%

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

32-52 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

highest point

Tahat 3,003 m

lowest point

Chott Melrhir -40 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 40% (male 5,910,543; female 5,701,647) 15-64 years: 56% (male 8,319,650; female 8,162,816) 65 years and over: 4% (male 510,308; female 578,068) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

28.51 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.9 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%

Infant mortality rate

48.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Life expectancy at birth

female

69.46 years (1996 est.)

male

67.22 years

total population

68.31 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)

female

49%

male

73.9%

total population

61.6%

Nationality

adjective

Algerian

noun

Algerian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

29,183,032 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.21% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

all ages

1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

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: 0.88 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

3.59 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Capital

Algiers

Constitution

19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988 and 23 February 1989

Data code

AG

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Osmane BENCHERIF

telephone

[1] (202) 265-2800

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers was appointed by the prime minister

chief of state

President Liamine ZEROUAL (appointed president 31 January 1994, elected president 16 November 1995) was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage; election last held 16 November 1995 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote NA

head of government

Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 31 December 1995) was appointed by the president

FAX

[213] (2) 69-39-79

Flag

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)

Independence

5 July 1962 (from France)

International organization participation

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

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

Legislative branch

unicameral; note - suspended since 1992

Name of country

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

National holiday

Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954)

National People's Assembly (Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani)

first-round elections held 26 December 1991; second round canceled by the military after President BENDJEDID resigned 11 January 1992, effectively suspending the assembly (next election promised by late 1996 or early 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (281 total) the fundamentalist FIS won 188 of the 231 seats contested in the first round

Political parties and leaders

Islamic Salvation Front (FIS, outlawed April 1992), Ali BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR (self-exile in Germany); National Liberation Front (FLN), Boualem BENHAMOUDA, secretary general; Socialist Forces Front (FFS), Hocine Ait AHMED, secretary general (self-exile in Switzerland); Hamas, Mahfoud NAHNAH, chairman; Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), Said SAADI, secretary general; Algerian Renewal Party (PRA), Noureddine BOUKROUH, chairman

note

the government established a multiparty system in September 1989 and, as of 31 December 1990, over 50 legal parties existed

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN

embassy

4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers

mailing address

B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers

telephone

[213] (2) 69-11-86, 69-18-54, 69-38-75, 69-12-55

Agriculture

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

Budget

expenditures

$17.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

revenues

$14.3 billion

Currency

1 Algerian dinar (DA) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $316 million (1993)

Economic overview

The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 57% of government revenues, 25% of GDP, and almost all export earnings; Algeria has the fifth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and ranks fourteenth for oil. 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. Buffeted by the slump in world oil prices and burdened with a heavy foreign debt, Algiers concluded a one-year standby arrangement with the IMF in April 1994. Following a Paris Club debt rescheduling in 1995 and a robust harvest, the economy experienced a strong recovery and key economic improvements.

Electricity

capacity

5,370,000 kW

consumption per capita

587 kWh (1993)

production

18.3 billion kWh

Exchange rates

Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1 - 53.003 (January 1996), 47.663 (1995), 35.059 (1994), 23.345 (1993), 21.836 (1992), 18.473 (1991)

Exports

$9.5 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities

petroleum and natural gas 97%

partners

Italy 21%, France 16%, US 14%, Germany 13%, Spain 9%

External debt

$26 billion (1994)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $108.7 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

12%

industry

50%

services

38%

GDP per capita

$3,800 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

3.5% (1995 est.)

Imports

$10.6 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

commodities

capital goods 39.7%, food and beverages 21.7%, consumer goods 11.8% (1990)

partners

France 29%, Italy 14%, Spain 9%, US 9%, Germany 7%

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

28% (1995 est.)

Labor force

6.2 million (1992 est.)

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)

Unemployment rate

25% (1995 est.)

Branches

National Popular Army, Navy, Air Force, Territorial Air Defense, National Gendarmerie

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $1.3 billion, 2.7% of GDP (1994)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

7,391,946

males fit for military service

4,534,267

males reach military age (19) annually

326,229 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 26, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

6 million (1991 est.)

Telephone system

domestic

excellent 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

Telephones

862,000 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations

18

Televisions

2 million (1993 est.) Defense

Airports

total

119

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

13

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

24

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

4

with paved runways over 3 047 m

8

with paved runways under 914 m

17

with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

19

with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

3

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

31 (1995 est.)

Heliports

1 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

63,080 km (including 400 km of expressways)

total

95,576 km

unpaved

32,496 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 9, cargo 27, chemical tanker 7, liquefied gas tanker 10, oil tanker 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea passenger 5, specialized tanker 1 (1995 est.)

total

77 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 916,701 GRT/1,086,324 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural gas 2,948 km

Ports

Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni Saf, Dellys, Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda, Tenes

Railways

narrow gauge

1,156 km 1.055-m gauge

standard gauge

3,616 km 1.435-m gauge (301 km electrified; 215 km double track)

total

4,772 km