1998 Edition

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

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

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m highest point: Tahat 3,003 m

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

Geographic coordinates

28 00 N, 3 00 E

Geography-note

second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

Irrigated land

5,550 sq km (1993 est.)

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

Land use

arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 13% forests and woodland: 2% other: 82% (1993 est.)

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 hazards

mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mud slides

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 38% (male 5,923,087; female 5,709,614) 15-64 years: 58% (male 8,931,896; female 8,752,014) 65 years and over: 4% (male 542,012; female 622,170) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

27.51 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

5.63 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%

Infant mortality rate

45.44 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 68.93 years male: 67.78 years female: 70.12 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.6% male: 73.9% female: 49% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Algerian(s) adjective: Algerian

Net migration rate

-0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

30,480,793 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

2.14% (1998 est.)

Religions

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

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 (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.38 children born/woman (1998 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

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

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

Data code

AG

Executive branch

chief of state: President Liamine ZEROUAL (appointed president 31 January 1994, elected president 16 November 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 31 December 1995) 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 2000); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Liamine ZEROUAL elected president; percent of vote-Liamine ZEROUAL 61.3%

FAX

[1] (202) 667-2174 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cameron HUME embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers mailing address: B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers telephone: [213] (2) 69-11-86, 69-12-55, 69-18-54, 69-38-75

[213] (2) 69-39-79

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)

Government type

republic

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, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, 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 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme) Political parties and leaders: Islamic Salvation Front (FIS, outlawed April 1992), Ali BENHADJ, 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); Movement of a Peaceful Society (MSP or Hamas), Mahfoud NAHNAH, chairman; Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), Said SAADI, secretary general; Algerian Renewal Party (PRA), Noureddine BOUKROUH, chairman; Nahda Movement (Al Nahda), Abdallah DJABALLAH, president; Democratic National Rally (RND), Abdelkader BENSALAH, chairman; Movement for Democracy in Algeria (MDA), Ahmed Ben BELLA; Workers Party (PT), Louisa HANOUN; Republican Progressive Party, Khadir DRISS; Union for Democracy and Freedoms, Mouley BOUKHALAFA; Liberal Social Party, Ahmed KHELIL 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

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

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)

National capital

Algiers

National holiday

Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

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

Budget

revenues: $13.7 billion expenditures: $13.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.1 million (1996 est.)

Currency

1 Algerian dinar (DA) = 100 centimes

Debt-external

$33 billion (1997 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $420 million (1996)

Economy-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 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. 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 are likely to maintain growth and export earnings. Continuing but gradual government efforts to attract foreign and domestic investment outside that sector seek to diversify the economy and tackle problems of high unemployment and falling living standards, problems as yet untouched by the macroeconomic turnaround.

Electricity-capacity

6.007 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

630 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

19.1 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1-58.969 (January 1998), 57.707 (1997), 54.749 (1996), 47.663 (1995), 35.059 (1994), 23.345 (1993)

Exports

total value: $13.1 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: petroleum and natural gas 97% partners: Italy 18.8%, US 14.8%, France 11.8%, Spain 8%, Germany 7.9% (1995 est.)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$120.4 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 12% industry: 50% services: 38% (1995 est.)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$4,000 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

2.5% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $10 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) commodities: capital goods, food and beverages, consumer goods partners: France 29%, Spain 10.5%, Italy 8.2%, US 8%, Germany 5.6% (1995 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index

7% (1997 est.)

Labor force

total: 7.8 million (1996 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)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 26, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

6 million (1991 est.)

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

Telephones

862,000 (1991 est.)

Television broadcast stations

18

Televisions

2 million (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate

28% (1997 est.)

Airports

136 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 50 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 24 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 86 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 40 under 914 m: 19 (1997 est.)

Heliports

1 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 102,424 km paved: 70,570 km (including 608 km of expressways) unpaved: 31,854 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 78 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 928,965 GRT/1,094,104 DWT ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 27, chemical tanker 7, liquefied gas tanker 11, oil tanker 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea passenger 5, specialized tanker 1 (1997 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

Railways

total: 4,772 km 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

Military branches

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

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$1.3 billion (1994)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

2.7% (1994)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 7,949,708 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 4,871,931 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

19 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 347,952 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

part of southeastern region claimed by Libya (territory of the US)