2010 Edition

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), was established in 1954 as part of the struggle for independence and has largely dominated politics since. The Government of Algeria in 1988 instituted a multi-party system in response to public unrest, but 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 crackdown on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin attacking government targets, and fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw intense violence between 1992-98 resulting 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. Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA, with the backing of the military, won the presidency in 1999 in an election widely viewed as fraudulent, was reelected to a second term in 2004, and overwhelmingly won a third term in 2009 after the government amended the constitution in 2008 to remove presidential term limits. Longstanding problems continue to face BOUTEFLIKA, including large-scale unemployment, a shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies, government inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing activities of extremist militants. The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) in 2006 merged with al-Qai'da to form al-Qai'da in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, which has launched an ongoing series of kidnappings and bombings targeting the Algerian Government and Western interests.

Area

land

2,381,741 sq km

total

2,381,741 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

highest point

Tahat 3,003 m

lowest point

Chott Melrhir -40 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

185 cu m/yr (2000)

total

6.07 cu km/yr (22%/13%/65%)

Geographic coordinates

28 00 N, 3 00 E

Geography - note

second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

Irrigated land

5,690 sq km (2003)

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

3.17%

other

96.55% (2005)

permanent crops

0.28%

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; mudslides and floods in rainy season

Natural resources

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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

14.3 cu km (1997)

Age structure

0-14 years: 25.4% (male 4,436,591/female 4,259,729) 15-64 years: 69.5% (male 11,976,965/female 11,777,618) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 798,576/female 928,709) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

16.71 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

4.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

4.3% of GDP (2008)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 1,000 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

21,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

23.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

29.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

26.75 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.04 years (2010 est.)

male

72.57 years

total population

74.26 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

60.1% (2002 est.)

male

79.6%

total population

69.9%

Median age

female

27.3 years (2010 est.)

male

26.8 years

total

27.1 years

Nationality

adjective

Algerian

noun

Algerian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

34,586,184 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

1.177% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

13 years (2005)

male

13 years

total

13 years

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: 0.86 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.76 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

65% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

48 provinces (wilayat, 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

geographic coordinates

36 45 N, 3 03 E

name

Algiers

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

8 September 1963; revised 19 November 1976; effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, 28 November 1996, 10 April 2002, and 12 November 2008

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador David D. PEARCE

embassy

05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, El-Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16000 Algiers

FAX

[213] 21-60-7355

mailing address

B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers

telephone

[213] 770-08-2000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Abdallah BAALI

FAX

[1] (202) 667-2174

telephone

[1] (202) 265-2800

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999) note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; a November 2008 constitutional amendment separated the position of head of government from that of the prime minister

election results

Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA was reelected president for a third term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 90.2%, Louisa HANOUNE 4.2%, Moussa TOUATI 2.3%, Djahid YOUNSI 1.4%, Ali Fawzi REBIANE less than 1%, Mohamed SAID less than 1%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; note - a November 2008 constitutional amendment abolished presidential term limits; election last held on 9 April 2009 (next to be held in April 2014)

head of government

President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)

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 colors represent Islam (green), purity and peace (white), and liberty (red); the crescent and star are also Islamic symbols, but the crescent is more closed than those of other Muslim countries because the Algerians believe the long crescent horns bring happiness

Government type

republic

Independence

5 July 1962 (from France)

International organization participation

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

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 Council of the Nation (upper house; 144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote to serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the Council to be renewed every three years) and the National People's Assembly (lower house; 389 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

election results

Council of the Nation - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; National People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 136, RND 61, MSP 52, PT 26, RCD 19, FNA 13, other 49, independents 33;

elections

Council of the Nation - last held on 29 December 2009 (next to be held in December 2012); National People's Assembly - last held on 17 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Mufdi ZAKARIAH/Mohamed FAWZI note: adopted 1962; ZAKARIAH wrote "Kassaman" as a poem while imprisoned in Algiers by French colonial forces

name

"Kassaman" (We Pledge)

National holiday

Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

Political parties and leaders

Ahd 54 [Ali Fauzi REBAINE]; Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general]; National Reform Movement or Islah [Ahmed ABDESLAM] (formerly MRN); Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Said SADI]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait AHMED]; Society of Peace Movement or MSP [Boudjerra SOLTANI]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUNE] note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in March 1997

Political pressure groups and leaders

The Algerian Human Rights League or LADDH [Hocine ZEHOUANE]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Central bank discount rate

4% (31 December 2009) 4% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

8% (31 December 2009 est.) 8% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

$3.959 billion (2010 est.) -$4.185 billion (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$4.138 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $5.413 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

35.3 (1995)

Economy - overview

Algeria's economy remains dominated by the state, a legacy of the country's socialist post-independence development model. Gradual liberalization since the mid-1990s has opened up more of the economy, but in recent years Algeria has imposed new restrictions on foreign involvement in its economy and largely halted the privatization of state-owned industries. Hydrocarbons have long been the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the eighth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the fourth-largest gas exporter. It ranks 16th in oil reserves. Thanks to strong hydrocarbon revenues, Algeria has a cushion of $150 billion in foreign currency reserves and a large hydrocarbon stabilization fund. In addition, Algeria's external debt is extremely low at about 1% of GDP. Algeria has struggled to develop industires outside of hydrocarbons in part because of high costs and an inert state bureaucracy.The government's efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foregin and domestic investment outside the energy sector have done little to reduce high poverty and youth unemployment rates. In 2010, Algeria began a five-year, $286 billion development program to update the country's infrastructure and provide jobs. The costly program will boost Algeria's economy in 2011 but worsen the country's budget deficit. Long-term economic challenges include diversification from hydrocarbons, relaxing state control of the economy, and providing adequate jobs for youger Algerians.

Electricity - consumption

28.34 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

273 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

279 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

34.98 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - 76 (2010), 72.6474 (2009), 63.25 (2008), 69.9 (2007), 72.647 (2006)

Exports

$52.66 billion (2010 est.) $43.69 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%

Exports - partners

US 23.2%, Italy 17.23%, Spain 10.83%, France 7.97%, Canada 7.65%, Netherlands 5.19%, Turkey 4.22% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

8.3%

industry

61.5%

services

30.2% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$7,400 (2010 est.) $7,200 (2009 est.) $7,100 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

4.1% (2010 est.) 2.2% (2009 est.) 2.8% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$159 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$254.7 billion (2010 est.) $244.6 billion (2009 est.) $239.4 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)

Imports

$37.07 billion (2010 est.) $39.1 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners

France 19.7%, China 11.72%, Italy 10.19%, Spain 8.13%, Germany 5.77%, Turkey 5.05% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

4.8% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5% (2010 est.) 5.7% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

27.5% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

9.877 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

14%

construction and public works

10%

government

32%

industry

13.4%

other

16% (2003 est.)

trade

14.6%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

26.83 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

59.67 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

86.5 billion cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

4.502 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

325,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

1.891 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

14,320 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

2.125 million bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

13.42 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

23% (2006 est.)

Public debt

25.7% of GDP (2010 est.) 20% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$150.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $149.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of broad money

$109.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $98.82 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$1.844 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.644 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$19.34 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $17.34 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$12.29 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $21.71 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$79.07 billion (31 December 2010 est) $68.13 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

9.9% (2010 est.) 10.2% (2009 est.)

Broadcast media

state-run Radio-Television Algerienne operates the broadcast media and carries programming in Arabic, Berber dialects, and French; use of satellite dishes is widespread, providing easy access to European and Arab satellite stations; state-run radio operates several national networks and roughly 40 regional radio stations (2007)

Internet country code

.dz

Internet hosts

572 (2010)

Internet users

4.7 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

a limited network of fixed lines with a teledensity of less than 10 telephones per 100 persons is offset by the rapid increase in mobile-cellular subscribership; in 2009, combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity was roughly 100 telephones per 100 persons

general assessment

privatization of Algeria's telecommunications sector began in 2000; three mobile cellular licenses have been issued and, in 2005, a consortium led by Egypt's Orascom Telecom won a 15-year license to build and operate a fixed-line network in Algeria; the license will allow Orascom to develop high-speed data and other specialized services and contribute to meeting the large unfulfilled demand for basic residential telephony; Internet broadband services began in 2003

international

country code - 213; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; 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) (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

2.576 million (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

32.73 million (2009)

Airports

143 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

57 over 3,047 m: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

86 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 41 under 914 m: 23 (2010)

Heliports

2 (2010)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 6, cargo 8, chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 9, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned

12 (UK 12) (2010)

total

35

Pipelines

condensate 1,937 km; gas 14,648 km; liquid petroleum gas 2,933 km; oil 7,579 km (2009)

Ports and terminals

Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda

Railways

narrow gauge

1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2008)

standard gauge

2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)

total

3,973 km

Roadways

paved

76,028 km (includes 645 km of expressways)

total

108,302 km

unpaved

32,274 km (2004)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 10,113,472 females age 16-49: 9,959,693 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 8,481,036 females age 16-49: 8,508,245 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

352,009 (2010 est.)

male

365,503

Military branches

People's National Army (Armee Nationale Populaire, ANP), Land Forces (Forces Terrestres, FT), Navy of the Republic of Algeria (Marine de la Republique Algerienne, MRA), Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jaza'eriya, QJJ), Territorial Air Defense Force (2009)

Military expenditures

3.3% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

19-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (6 months basic training, 12 months civil projects) (2006)

Disputes - international

Algeria, and many other states, rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; the Polisario Front, exiled in Algeria, represents the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic; Algeria's border with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations, each nation accusing the other of harboring militants and arms smuggling; 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 internally displaced persons

IDPs

undetermined (civil war during 1990s) (2007)

refugees (country of origin)

90,000 (Western Saharan Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Algeria is a transit country for men and women trafficked from sub-Saharan Africa to Europe for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and involuntary servitude; criminal networks of sub-Saharan nationals in southern Algeria facilitate transit by arranging transportation, forged documents, and promises of employment

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List - Algeria is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List because it does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, however, it is making significant efforts to do so; in January 2009, the government approved new legislation that criminalizes trafficking in persons for the purposes of labor and sexual exploitation representing an important step toward complying with international standards; despite these efforts, the government did not show overall progress in punishing trafficking crimes and protecting trafficking victims and continued to lack adequate measures to protect victims and prevent trafficking (2009) page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================