2017 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 since largely dominated politics. 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 led 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. Fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw intense violence from 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 and won subsequent elections in 2004, 2009, and 2014. The government in 2011 introduced some political reforms in response to the Arab Spring, including lifting the 19-year-old state of emergency restrictions and increasing women's quotas for elected assemblies, while also increasing subsidies to the populace. Since 2014, Algeria’s reliance on hydrocarbon revenues to fund the government and finance the large subsidies for the population has fallen under stress because of declining oil prices.

Area

2,381,741 sq km 2,381,741 sq km 0 sq km

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

800 m lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m highest point: Tahat 2,908 m

elevation extremes

lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m

highest point

Tahat 2,908 m

mean elevation

800 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

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands none of the selected 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

Geographic coordinates

28 00 N, 3 00 E

Geography - note

largest country in Africa

Irrigated land

13,600 sq km (2014)

Land boundaries

6,734 km Libya 989 km, Mali 1,359 km, Mauritania 460 km, Morocco 1,900 km, Niger 951 km, Tunisia 1,034 km, Western Sahara 41 km

border countries (7)

Libya 989 km, Mali 1,359 km, Mauritania 460 km, Morocco 1,900 km, Niger 951 km, Tunisia 1,034 km, Western Sahara 41 km

total

6,734 km

Land use

17.4% arable land 18.02%; permanent crops 2.34%; permanent pasture 79.63% 0.82% 81.8% (2014 est.)

agricultural land

17.4%

forest

0.82%

other

81.8% (2014 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

12 nm 32-52 nm

exclusive fishing zone

32-52 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season; droughts

Natural resources

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

Population - distribution

the vast majority of the populace is found in the extreme northern part of the country along the Mediterranean Coast

Terrain

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

Age structure

29.31% (male 6,148,568/female 5,858,922) 15.3% (male 3,208,185/female 3,061,179) 42.93% (male 8,906,160/female 8,682,894) 6.81% (male 1,410,298/female 1,378,282) 5.65% (male 1,079,218/female 1,235,737) (2017 est.)

0-14 years

29.31% (male 6,148,568/female 5,858,922)

15-24 years

15.3% (male 3,208,185/female 3,061,179)

25-54 years

42.93% (male 8,906,160/female 8,682,894)

55-64 years

6.81% (male 1,410,298/female 1,378,282)

65 years and over

5.65% (male 1,079,218/female 1,235,737) (2017 est.)

Birth rate

22.2 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3% (2012)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

57.1% (2012/13)

Death rate

4.3 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Demographic profile

For the first two-thirds of the 20th century, Algeria’s high fertility rate caused its population to grow rapidly. However, about a decade after independence from France in 1962 the total fertility rate fell dramatically from 7 children per woman in the 1970s to about 2.4 in 2000, slowing Algeria’s population growth rate by the late 1980s. The lower fertility rate was mainly the result of women’s rising age at first marriage (virtually all Algerian children being born in wedlock) and to a lesser extent the wider use of contraceptives. Later marriages and a preference for smaller families are attributed to increases in women’s education and participation in the labor market; higher unemployment; and a shortage of housing forcing multiple generations to live together. The average woman’s age at first marriage increased from about 19 in the mid-1950s to 24 in the mid-1970s to 30.5 in the late 1990s. Algeria’s fertility rate experienced an unexpected upturn in the early 2000s, as the average woman’s age at first marriage dropped slightly. The reversal in fertility could represent a temporary fluctuation in marriage age or, less likely, a decrease in the steady rate of contraceptive use. Thousands of Algerian peasants – mainly Berber men from the Kabylia region – faced with land dispossession and economic hardship under French rule migrated temporarily to France to work in manufacturing and mining during the first half of the 20th century. This movement accelerated during World War I, when Algerians filled in for French factory workers or served as soldiers. In the years following independence, low-skilled Algerian workers and Algerians who had supported the French (harkis) emigrated en masse to France. Tighter French immigration rules and Algiers’ decision to cease managing labor migration to France in the 1970s limited legal emigration largely to family reunification. Not until Algeria’s civil war in the 1990s did the country again experience substantial outmigration. Many Algerians legally entered Tunisia without visas claiming to be tourists and then stayed as workers. Other Algerians headed to Europe seeking asylum, although France imposed restrictions. Sub-Saharan African migrants came to Algeria after its civil war to work in agriculture and mining. In the 2000s, a wave of educated Algerians went abroad seeking skilled jobs in a wider range of destinations, increasing their presence in North America and Spain. At the same time, legal foreign workers principally from China and Egypt came to work in Algeria’s construction and oil sectors. Illegal migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, particularly Malians, Nigeriens, and Gambians, continue to come to Algeria in search of work or to use it as a stepping stone to Libya and Europe. Since 1975, Algeria also has been the main recipient of Sahrawi refugees from the ongoing conflict in Western Sahara. An estimated 90,000 Sahrawis live in five refugee camps in southwestern Algeria near Tindouf.

Dependency ratios

52.7 43.8 11.2 (2015 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

9

potential support ratio

11.2 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

52.7

youth dependency ratio

43.8

Drinking water source

urban: 84.3% of population rural: 81.8% of population total: 83.6% of population urban: 15.7% of population rural: 18.2% of population total: 16.4% of population (2015 est.)

rural

18.2% of population

total

16.4% of population (2015 est.)

urban

15.7% of population

Education expenditures

4.3% of GDP (2008)

Ethnic groups

Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1% although almost all Algerians are Berber in origin (not Arab), only a minority identify themselves as Berber, about 15% of the total population; these people 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

note

although almost all Algerians are Berber in origin (not Arab), only a minority identify themselves as Berber, about 15% of the total population; these people 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

Health expenditures

7.2% of GDP (2014)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

13,000 (2016 est.)

Infant mortality rate

19.6 deaths/1,000 live births 21.2 deaths/1,000 live births 17.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

female

17.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

male

21.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total

19.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Arabic (official), French (lingua franca), Berber or Tamazight (official); dialects include Kabyle Berber (Taqbaylit), Shawiya Berber (Tacawit), Mzab Berber, Tuareg Berber (Tamahaq)

Life expectancy at birth

77 years 75.6 years 78.4 years (2017 est.)

female

78.4 years (2017 est.)

male

75.6 years

total population

77 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 80.2% 87.2% 73.1% (2015 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

73.1% (2015 est.)

male

87.2%

total population

80.2%

Major urban areas - population

ALGIERS (capital) 2.594 million; Oran 858,000 (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

140 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median age

28.1 years 27.8 years 28.4 years (2017 est.)

female

28.4 years (2017 est.)

male

27.8 years

total

28.1 years

Nationality

Algerian(s) Algerian

adjective

Algerian

noun

Algerian(s)

Net migration rate

-0.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

27.4% (2016)

Physicians density

1.19 physicians/1,000 population (2007)

Population

40,969,443 (July 2017 est.)

Population distribution

the vast majority of the populace is found in the extreme northern part of the country along the Mediterranean Coast

Population growth rate

1.7% (2017 est.)

Religions

Muslim (official; predominantly Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian and Jewish)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 89.8% of population rural: 82.2% of population total: 87.6% of population urban: 10.2% of population rural: 17.8% of population total: 12.4% of population (2015 est.)

rural

17.8% of population

total

12.4% of population (2015 est.)

urban

10.2% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

14 years 14 years 15 years (2011)

female

15 years (2011)

male

14 years

total

14 years

Sex ratio

1.05 male(s)/female 1.05 male(s)/female 1.05 male(s)/female 1.02 male(s)/female 1.03 male(s)/female 0.86 male(s)/female 1.03 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years

1.02 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.03 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.86 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.03 male(s)/female (2016 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.7 children born/woman (2017 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

25.2% 22.1% 41.5% (2014 est.)

female

41.5% (2014 est.)

male

22.1%

total

25.2%

Urbanization

71.9% of total population (2017) 2.26% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

rate of urbanization

2.26% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population

71.9% of total population (2017)

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, Tamanrasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen

Capital

Algiers 36 45 N, 3 03 E UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

geographic coordinates

36 45 N, 3 03 E

name

Algiers

time difference

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

Citizenship

no the mother must be a citizen of Algeria no 7 years

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the mother must be a citizen of Algeria

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

7 years

Constitution

several previous; latest approved by referendum 23 February 1989 proposed by the president of the republic or through the president with the support of three-fourths of the members of both houses of Parliament in joint session; passage requires approval by both houses, approval by referendum, and promulgation by the president; the president can forego a referendum if the Constitutional Council determines the proposed amendment does not conflict with basic constitutional principles; articles including the republican form of government, the integrity and unity of the country, and fundamental citizens’ liberties and rights cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2016 (2016)

amendments

proposed by the president of the republic or through the president with the support of three-fourths of the members of both houses of Parliament in joint session; passage requires approval by both houses, approval by referendum, and promulgation by the president; the president can forego a referendum if the Constitutional Council determines the proposed amendment does not conflict with basic constitutional principles; articles including the republican form of government, the integrity and unity of the country, and fundamental citizens’ liberties and rights cannot be amended; amended several times, last in 2016 (2016)

history

several previous; latest approved by referendum 23 February 1989

Country name

People's Democratic Republic of Algeria Algeria Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah Al Jaza'ir the country name derives from the capital city of Algiers

conventional long form

People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

conventional short form

Algeria

etymology

the country name derives from the capital city of Algiers

local long form

Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah

local short form

Al Jaza'ir

Diplomatic representation from the US

Ambassador John P. DESROCHER (since 7 September 2017) 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, El Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16030 Algieria B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers [213] (0) 770-08-2000 [213] (0) 770-08-2064

chief of mission

Ambassador John P. DESROCHER (since 7 September 2017)

embassy

05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, El Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16030 Algieria

FAX

[213] (0) 770-08-2064

mailing address

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

telephone

[213] (0) 770-08-2000

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Madjid BOUGUERRA (since 23 February 2015) 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 [1] (202) 265-2800 [1] (202) 986-5906 New York

chancery

2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Madjid BOUGUERRA (since 23 February 2015)

consulate(s) general

New York

FAX

[1] (202) 986-5906

telephone

[1] (202) 265-2800

Executive branch

President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999) Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 16 August 2017) Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed for a 5-year term (2-term limit reinstated by constitutional amendment in February 2016); election last held on 17 April 2014 (next to be held in April 2019); prime minister nominated by the president from the majority party in Parliament Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for a fourth term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (FLN) 81.5%, Ali BENFLIS (FLN) 12.2%, Abdelaziz BELAID (Future Front) 3.4%, other 2.9%

cabinet

Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president

chief of state

President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)

election results

Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for a fourth term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (FLN) 81.5%, Ali BENFLIS (FLN) 12.2%, Abdelaziz BELAID (Future Front) 3.4%, other 2.9%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed for a 5-year term (2-term limit reinstated by constitutional amendment in February 2016); election last held on 17 April 2014 (next to be held in April 2019); prime minister nominated by the president from the majority party in Parliament

head of government

Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 16 August 2017)

Flag description

two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a red, 5-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 Algerians believe the long crescent horns bring happiness

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

5 July 1962 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, CAEU, CD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), 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 or Cour Supreme (consists of 150 judges organized into 4 divisions: civil and commercial; social security and labor; criminal; and administrative; Constitutional Council (consists of 12 members including the court chairman and deputy chairman); note - Algeria's judicial system does not include sharia courts Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Council of Magistracy, an administrative body presided over by the president of the republic, and includes the republic vice-president and several members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members - 4 appointed by the president of the republic, 2 each by the 2 houses of Parliament, 2 by the Supreme Court, and 2 by the Council of State; Council president and members appointed for single 6-year terms with half the membership renewed every 3 years appellate or wilaya courts; first instance or daira tribunals

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 150 judges organized into 4 divisions: civil and commercial; social security and labor; criminal; and administrative; Constitutional Council (consists of 12 members including the court chairman and deputy chairman); note - Algeria's judicial system does not include sharia courts

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Council of Magistracy, an administrative body presided over by the president of the republic, and includes the republic vice-president and several members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members - 4 appointed by the president of the republic, 2 each by the 2 houses of Parliament, 2 by the Supreme Court, and 2 by the Council of State; Council president and members appointed for single 6-year terms with half the membership renewed every 3 years

subordinate courts

appellate or wilaya courts; first instance or daira tribunals

Legal system

mixed legal system of French civil law and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials including several Supreme Court justices

Legislative branch

bicameral Parliament consists of the Council of the Nation (upper house with 144 seats; one-third of members appointed by the president, two-thirds indirectly elected by simple majority vote by an electoral college composed of local council members; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) and the National People's Assembly (lower house with 462 seats including 8 seats for Algerians living abroad); members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms) Council of the Nation - last held on 29 December 2015 (next to be held in December 2018); National People's Assembly - last held on 4 May 2017 (next to be held in 2022) 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 164, RND 97, MSP-FC 33, TAJ 19, Ennahda-FJD 15, FFS 14, El Mostakbel 14, MPA 13, PT 11, RCD 9, ANR 8, MEN 4, other 33, independent 28

description

bicameral Parliament consists of the Council of the Nation (upper house with 144 seats; one-third of members appointed by the president, two-thirds indirectly elected by simple majority vote by an electoral college composed of local council members; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) and the National People's Assembly (lower house with 462 seats including 8 seats for Algerians living abroad); members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-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 164, RND 97, MSP-FC 33, TAJ 19, Ennahda-FJD 15, FFS 14, El Mostakbel 14, MPA 13, PT 11, RCD 9, ANR 8, MEN 4, other 33, independent 28

elections

Council of the Nation - last held on 29 December 2015 (next to be held in December 2018); National People's Assembly - last held on 4 May 2017 (next to be held in 2022)

National anthem

"Kassaman" (We Pledge) Mufdi ZAKARIAH/Mohamed FAWZI adopted 1962; ZAKARIAH wrote "Kassaman" as a poem while imprisoned in Algiers by French colonial forces

lyrics/music

Mufdi ZAKARIAH/Mohamed FAWZI

name

"Kassaman" (We Pledge)

note

adopted 1962; ZAKARIAH wrote "Kassaman" as a poem while imprisoned in Algiers by French colonial forces

National holiday

Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

National symbol(s)

star and crescent, fennec fox; national colors: green, white, red

star and crescent, fennec fox; national colors

green, white, red

Political parties and leaders

Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI] Algerian Popular Movement or MPA [Amara BENYOUNES] Algerian Rally or RA [Ali ZAGHDOUD] Algeria's Hope Rally or TAJ [Amar GHOUL] Dignity or El Karama [Mohamed BENHAMOU] Ennour El Djazairi Party (Algerian Radiance Party) or PED [Badreddine BELBAZ] Front for Change or FC [Abdelmadjid MENASRA] Front for Justice and Development or El Adala [Abdallah DJABALLAH] Future Front or El Mostakbel [Abdelaziz BELAID] Green Algeria Alliance or AAV [Bouguerra SOLTANI] (includes Islah, Ennahda Movement, and MSP) Islamic Renaissance Movement or Ennahda Movement [Mohamed DOUIBI] Justice and Development Front or FJD Movement of National Understanding or MEN Movement for National Reform or Islah [Djilali GHOUINI] Movement of Society for Peace or MSP [Abderrazak MOKRI] National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA] National Front for Social Justice or FNJS [Khaled BOUNEDJEMA] National Liberation Front or FLN [Djamel OULD ABBES] National Party for Solidarity and Development or PNSD [Dalila YALAQUI] National Reform Movement or Islah [Djahid YOUNSI] National Republican Alliance or ANR [Redha MALEK] New Dawn Party or PFJ [Tahar BENBAIBECHE] New Generation or Jil Jadid [Soufiane DJILALI] Oath of 1954 or Ahd 54 [Ali Fawzi REBAINE] Party of Justice and Liberty [Mohammed SAID] Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Mohcine BELABBAS] Rally for Hope in Algeria or TAJ Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Mustafa BOUCHACHI] Union of Democratic and Social Forces or UFDS [Noureddine BAHBOUH] Vanguard of Freedoms [Ali BENFLIS] Youth Party or PJ [Hamana BOUCHARMA] Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUNE] a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in March 1997

note

a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in March 1997

Political pressure groups and leaders

Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights or LADDH [Noureddine BENISSAD] SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR] Youth Action Rally or RAJ

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

$45.37 billion $67.48 billion (2016 est.)

expenditures

$67.48 billion (2016 est.)

revenues

$45.37 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-13.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Central bank discount rate

4% (31 December 2010) 4% (31 December 2009)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

8% (31 December 2016 est.) 8% (31 December 2015 est.)

Current account balance

$-26.31 billion (2016 est.) $-27.28 billion (2015 est.)

Debt - external

$5.088 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $4.677 billion (31 December 2015 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. In recent years the Algerian Government has halted the privatization of state-owned industries and imposed restrictions on imports and foreign involvement in its economy. Hydrocarbons have long been the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 30% of GDP, 60% of budget revenues, and nearly 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the 10th-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the sixth-largest gas exporter. It ranks 16th in oil reserves. Hydrocarbon exports enabled Algeria to maintain macroeconomic stability and amass large foreign currency reserves while oil prices were high. In addition, Algeria's external debt is extremely low at about 2% of GDP. However, Algeria has struggled to develop non-hydrocarbon industries because of heavy regulation and an emphasis on state-driven growth. Declining oil prices since 2014 have reduced the government’s ability to use state-driven growth to distribute rents and fund generous public subsidies. Algeria’s foreign exchange reserves have declined by more than 40% since late 2013 and its oil stabilization fund has decreased from about $75 billion at the end of 2013 to about $7 billion in 2017, which is the statutory minimum. Algiers has strengthened protectionist measures since 2015 to limit its import bill and encourage domestic production of non-oil and gas industries. Since 2015, the government has imposed additional regulatory requirements on access to foreign exchange for imports and import quotas for specific products, such as cars, to limit their importation. Meanwhile, Algeria has not increased non-hydrocarbon exports, and hydrocarbon exports have declined because of field depletion and increased domestic demand. With declining revenues caused by falling oil prices, the government has been under pressure to reduce spending. A wave of economic protests in February and March 2011 prompted Algiers to offer more than $23 billion in public grants and retroactive salary and benefit increases, moves which continue to weigh on public finances. In 2016, the government increased taxes on electricity and fuel, resulting in a modest increase in gasoline prices, and in 2017 raised by 2% the value-added tax on nearly all products, but has refrained from directly reducing subsidies, particularly for education, healthcare, and housing programs. Long-term economic challenges include diversifying the economy away from its reliance on hydrocarbon exports, bolstering the private sector, attracting foreign investment, and providing adequate jobs for younger Algerians.

Exchange rates

Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - 110.1 (2016 est.) 100.69 (2015 est.) 100.69 (2014 est.) 80.58 (2013 est.) 77.54 (2012 est.)

Exports

$29.06 billion (2016 est.) $34.57 billion (2015 est.)

Exports - commodities

petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97% (2009 est.)

Exports - partners

Italy 17.4%, Spain 12.9%, US 12.9%, France 11.4%, Brazil 5.4%, Netherlands 4.9%, Turkey 4.5%, Canada 4.3% (2016)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

42.9% 22.2% 44.8% 8% 21.3% -39.2% (2016 est.)

exports of goods and services

21.3%

government consumption

22.2%

household consumption

42.9%

imports of goods and services

-39.2% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital

44.8%

investment in inventories

8%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

12.9% 36.2% 50.9% (2016 est.)

agriculture

12.9%

industry

36.2%

services

50.9% (2016 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$15,000 (2016 est.) $14,800 (2015 est.) $14,500 (2014 est.) data are in 2016 dollars

note

data are in 2016 dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.3% (2016 est.) 3.7% (2015 est.) 3.8% (2014 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$159 billion (2016 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$609.6 billion (2016 est.) $582.7 billion (2015 est.) $555.9 billion (2014 est.) data are in 2016 dollars

note

data are in 2016 dollars

Gross national saving

37.2% of GDP (2016 est.) 36.3% of GDP (2015 est.) 43.1% of GDP (2014 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

2.8% 26.8% (1995)

highest 10%

26.8% (1995)

lowest 10%

2.8%

Imports

$49.43 billion (2016 est.) $52.65 billion (2015 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners

China 17.8%, France 10.1%, Italy 9.8%, Spain 7.6%, Germany 6.4%, US 4.9%, Turkey 4.1% (2016)

Industrial production growth rate

5.8% (2016 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.4% (2016 est.) 4.8% (2015 est.)

Labor force

12.12 million (2016 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

10.8% 30.9% 58.4% (2011 est.) (2011 est.)

agriculture

10.8%

industry

30.9%

services

58.4% (2011 est.) (2011 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

23% (2006 est.)

Public debt

18% of GDP (2016 est.) 8.8% of GDP (2015 est.) data cover central government debt, as well as debt issued by subnational entities and intra-governmental debt

note

data cover central government debt, as well as debt issued by subnational entities and intra-governmental debt

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$114.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $144.9 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of broad money

$125 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $127.9 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$2.025 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $1.95 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$25.74 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $25.89 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$86.53 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $62.35 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$85.11 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $86.45 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

28.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Unemployment rate

10.5% (2016 est.) 11.2% (2015 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

128 million Mt (2013 est.)

Crude oil - exports

798,900 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - imports

5,880 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - production

1.348 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

12.2 billion bbl (1 January 2017 es)

Electricity - consumption

53.44 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - exports

641 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

97.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

1.6% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

1.5% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Electricity - imports

610 million kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

17.12 million kW (2015 est.)

Electricity - production

64.67 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity access

400,000 99% 100% 97% (2016)

electrification - rural areas

97% (2016)

electrification - total population

99%

electrification - urban areas

100%

population without electricity

400,000

Natural gas - consumption

44.32 billion cu m (2015 est.)

Natural gas - exports

43.42 billion cu m (2015 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

83.04 billion cu m (2015 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

4.504 trillion cu m (1 January 2017 es)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

428,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

575,800 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

62,480 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

657,600 bbl/day (2014 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 (2009)

Internet country code

.dz

Internet users

17,291,463 42.9% (July 2016 est.)

percent of population

42.9% (July 2016 est.)

total

17,291,463

Telephone system

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 a limited network of fixed lines with a teledensity of less than 10 telephones per 100 persons has been offset by the rapid increase in mobile-cellular subscribership; in 2016, mobile-cellular teledensity was roughly 120 telephones per 100 persons 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 (2016)

domestic

a limited network of fixed lines with a teledensity of less than 10 telephones per 100 persons has been offset by the rapid increase in mobile-cellular subscribership; in 2016, mobile-cellular teledensity was roughly 120 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

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 (2016)

Telephones - fixed lines

3,404,709 8 (July 2016 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

8 (July 2016 est.)

total subscriptions

3,404,709

Telephones - mobile cellular

48,348,505 120 (July 2016 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

120 (July 2016 est.)

total

48,348,505

Airports

157 (2016)

Airports - with paved runways

1 (2017)

1,524 to 2,437 m

17

2,438 to 3,047 m

29

914 to 1,523 m

5

over 3,047 m

12

total

64

under 914 m

1 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

34 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

18

2,438 to 3,047 m

2

914 to 1,523 m

39

total

93

under 914 m

34 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

7T (2016)

Heliports

3 (2013)

Merchant marine

bulk carrier 6, cargo 8, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 11, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 3 15 (UK, 15) (2010)

by type

bulk carrier 6, cargo 8, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 11, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 3

foreign-owned

15 (UK, 15) (2010)

total

38

National air transport system

5,910,835 24,723,377 mt-km (2015)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

24,723,377 mt-km (2015)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

5,910,835

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

74

number of registered air carriers

4

Pipelines

condensate 2,600 km; gas 16,415 km; liquid petroleum gas 3,447 km; oil 7,036 km; refined products 144 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

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

LNG terminal(s) (export)

Arzew, Bethioua, Skikda

major seaport(s)

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

Railways

3,973 km 2,888 km 1.432-m gauge (283 km electrified) 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2014)

narrow gauge

1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2014)

standard gauge

2,888 km 1.432-m gauge (283 km electrified)

total

3,973 km

Roadways

113,655 km 87,605 km (includes 645 km of expressways) 26,050 km (2010)

paved

87,605 km (includes 645 km of expressways)

total

113,655 km

unpaved

26,050 km (2010)

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 (2016)

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 (2016)

Military expenditures

6.55% of GDP (2016) 6.32% of GDP (2015) 5.54% of GDP (2014) 4.84% of GDP (2013) 4.46% of GDP (2012)

Military service age and obligation

17 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 19-30 years of age for compulsory service; conscript service obligation is 18 months (6 months basic training, 12 months civil projects) (2012)

Disputes - international

Algeria and many other states reject 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; dormant disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria and the National Liberation Front's (FLN) assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco

Refugees and internally displaced persons

90,000 (Western Saharan Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf) (2016)

refugees (country of origin)

90,000 (Western Saharan Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf) (2016)

Trafficking in persons

Algeria is a transit and, to a lesser extent, a destination and source country for women subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking and, to a lesser extent, men subjected to forced labor; criminal networks, sometimes extending to sub-Saharan Africa and to Europe, are involved in human smuggling and trafficking in Algeria; sub-Saharan adults enter Algeria voluntarily but illegally, often with the aid of smugglers, for onward travel to Europe, but some of the women are forced into prostitution, domestic service, and begging; some sub-Saharan men, mostly from Mali, are forced into domestic servitude; some Algerian women and children are also forced into prostitution domestically Tier 3 – Algeria does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so: some officials denied the existence of human trafficking, hindering law enforcement efforts; the government reported its first conviction under its anti-trafficking law; one potential trafficking case was investigated in 2014, but no suspected offenders were arrested; no progress was made in identifying victims among vulnerable groups or referring them to NGO-run protection service, which left trafficking victims subject to arrest and detention; no anti-trafficking public awareness or educational campaigns were conducted (2015)

current situation

Algeria is a transit and, to a lesser extent, a destination and source country for women subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking and, to a lesser extent, men subjected to forced labor; criminal networks, sometimes extending to sub-Saharan Africa and to Europe, are involved in human smuggling and trafficking in Algeria; sub-Saharan adults enter Algeria voluntarily but illegally, often with the aid of smugglers, for onward travel to Europe, but some of the women are forced into prostitution, domestic service, and begging; some sub-Saharan men, mostly from Mali, are forced into domestic servitude; some Algerian women and children are also forced into prostitution domestically

tier rating

Tier 3 – Algeria does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so: some officials denied the existence of human trafficking, hindering law enforcement efforts; the government reported its first conviction under its anti-trafficking law; one potential trafficking case was investigated in 2014, but no suspected offenders were arrested; no progress was made in identifying victims among vulnerable groups or referring them to NGO-run protection service, which left trafficking victims subject to arrest and detention; no anti-trafficking public awareness or educational campaigns were conducted (2015)