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National Map
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Algeria |
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National Flag
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Algeria |
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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 crescent, star, and color green
are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
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Algeria |
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National Anthem
Of |
Algeria |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Algeria |
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Background:
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After
more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought
through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in
1962. Algeria's primary political party, the National
Liberation Front (FLN), has dominated politics ever
since. Many Algerians in the subsequent generation were
not satisfied, however, and moved to counter the FLN's
centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising first
round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in
the December 1991 balloting spurred the Algerian army to
intervene and postpone the second round of elections to
prevent what the secular elite feared would be an
extremist-led government from assuming power. The army
began a crack down on the FIS that spurred FIS
supporters to begin attacking government targets. The
government later allowed elections featuring
pro-government and moderate religious-based parties, but
did not appease the activists who progressively widened
their attacks. The fighting escalated into an
insurgency, which saw intense fighting between 1992-98
and which resulted in over 100,000 deaths - many
attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by
extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the
late-1990s and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation
Army, disbanded in January 2000. However, small numbers
of armed militants persist in confronting government
forces and conducting ambushes and occasional attacks on
villages. The army placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the
presidency in 1999 in a fraudulent election but claimed
neutrality in his 2004 landslide reelection victory.
Longstanding problems continue to face BOUTEFLIKA in his
second term, including the ethnic minority Berbers'
ongoing autonomy campaign, large-scale unemployment, a
shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water
supplies, government inefficiencies and corruption, and
the continuing - although significantly degraded -
activities of extremist militants. Algeria must also
diversify its petroleum-based economy, which has yielded
a large cash reserve but which has not been used to
redress Algeria's many social and infrastructure
problems. Algeria assumed a two-year seat on the UN
Security Council in January 2004. |
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Location:
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Northern
Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco
and Tunisia |
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Geographic coordinates:
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28 00 N,
3 00 E |
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total:
2,381,740 sq km
land: 2,381,740 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
less than 3.5 times the size of Texas |
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Land boundaries:
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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 |
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Coastline:
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998 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm |
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Climate:
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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 |
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Terrain:
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mostly
high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
discontinuous coastal plain |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
highest point: Tahat 3,003 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium,
lead, zinc |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 3.22%
permanent crops: 0.25%
other: 96.53% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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5,600 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes;
mudslides and floods in rainy season |
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan) |
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Population:
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32,531,853 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 29% (male 4,811,086/female 4,626,271)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 10,861,862/female
10,701,459)
65 years and over: 4.7% (male 719,460/female
811,715) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
24.36 years
male: 24.18 years
female: 24.53 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.22%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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17.13
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.6
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.37
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
31 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 34.83 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 26.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 73 years
male: 71.45 years
female: 74.63 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.92
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.1% ;
note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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9,100
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than
500 (2003 est.) |
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree
of risk: intermediate
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: cutaneous leishmaniasis is a
high risk in some locations (2004) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Algerian(s)
adjective: Algerian |
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Ethnic groups:
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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 |
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Religions:
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Sunni
Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
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Languages:
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Arabic
(official), French, Berber dialects |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 70%
male: 78.8%
female: 61% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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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 |
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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Algiers
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Administrative divisions:
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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
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Independence:
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5 July
1962 (from France) |
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National holiday:
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Revolution Day, 1 November (1954) |
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Constitution:
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19
November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3
November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996
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Legal system:
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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 |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief
of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28
April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA
(since 9 May 2003)
cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the
president
elections: president elected by popular vote for
a five-year term; election last held 8 April 2004 (next
to be held NA April 2009); prime minister appointed by
the president
election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected
president for second term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz
BOUTEFLIKA 85%, Ali BENFLIS 6.4%, Abdellah DJABALLAH 5%
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral
Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or
Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - changed from
380 seats in the 2002 elections; members elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Council
of Nations (Senate) (144 seats; one-third of the members
appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by
indirect vote; members serve six-year terms; the
constitution requires half the council to be renewed
every three years)
elections: National People's Assembly - last held
30 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); Council of
Nations (Senate) - last held 30 December 2003 (next to
be held NA 2006)
election results: National People's Assembly -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FLN
199, RND 48, Islah 43, MSP 38, PT 21, FNA 8, EnNahda 1,
PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 29; Council of Nations -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party NA% |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court or Court Supreme |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Algerian
National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; Democratic
National Rally or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA, chairman]; Islamic
Salvation Front or FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali
BELHADJ and Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR (self-exiled
in Germany)]; National Entente Movement or MEN [Ali
BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Abdelaziz
BELKHADEM, secretary general (also serves as Minister of
State and Special Representative of the Head of State)];
National Reform Movement or Islah (formerly MRN) [Abdellah
DJABALLAH]; National Renewal Party or PRA [Yacine
TERKMANE]; Progressive Republican Party [Khadir DRISS];
Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Said SAADI,
secretary general]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda
Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine
Ait AHMED, secretary general (self-exiled in
Switzerland)]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed KHELIL];
Society of Peace Movement or MSP [Boujerra SOLTANI];
Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUN]
note: a law banning political parties based on
religion was enacted in March 1997 |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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The
Algerian Human Rights League or LADH or LADDH [Yahia Ali
ABDENOUR]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Somoud [Ali
MERABET] |
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA,
AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM,
OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE
(partner), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO (observer) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Amine KHERBI
chancery: 2118 Kalorama Rd NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Richard W. ERDMAN
embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi,
Algiers
mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030
Algiers
telephone: [213] (21) 691-425/255/186
FAX: [213] (21) 69-39-79 |
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Flag description:
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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 crescent, star, and color
green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state
religion) |
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Economy - overview:
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The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy,
accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of
GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the
seventh-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and
is the second-largest gas exporter; it ranks 14th in oil
reserves. Sustained high oil prices in recent years,
along with macroeconomic policy reforms supported by the
IMF, have helped improve Algeria's financial and
macroeconomic indicators. Algeria is running substantial
trade surpluses and building up record foreign exchange
reserves. Real GDP has risen due to higher oil output
and increased government spending. The government's
continued efforts to diversify the economy by attracting
foreign and domestic investment outside the energy
sector, however, has had little success in reducing high
unemployment and improving living standards. Structural
reform within the economy moves ahead slowly. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$237 billion (2005 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$88.86 billion (2005 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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7.1% (2005 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $7,300 (2005 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 10%
industry: 59.5%
services: 30.5% (2005 est.) |
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Labor force:
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10.15 million (2005 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 14%, industry 13.4%, construction and public
works 10%, trade 14.6%, government 32%, other 16% (2003
est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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22.5% (2005 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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23% (1999 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 26.8% (1995) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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35.3 (1995) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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4.7% (2005 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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22.8% of GDP (2005 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $42.05 billion
expenditures: $30.75 billion, including capital
expenditures of $5.8 billion (2005 est.) |
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Public debt:
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14.8% of GDP (2005 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits;
sheep, cattle |
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Industries:
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petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining,
electrical, petrochemical, food processing |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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25.5% (2005 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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26.99 billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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24.9 billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - exports:
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400 million kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - imports:
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200 million kWh (2003) |
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Oil - production:
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1.373 million bbl/day (2005 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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232,000 bbl/day (2003 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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12.46 billion bbl (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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80.3 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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22.32 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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57.98 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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4.739 trillion cu m (2005) |
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Current account balance:
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$21.83 billion (2005 est.) |
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Exports:
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$49.59 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) |
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Exports - partners:
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US 22.6%, Italy 17.2%, France 11.4%, Spain 10.1%, Canada
7.5%, Brazil 6.1%, Belgium 4.6% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$22.53 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.) |
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Imports - partners:
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France 30.3%, Italy 8.2%, Germany 6.5%, Spain 5.5%, US
5.2%, China 5.1%, Turkey 4.3% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$61.01 billion (2005 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$21.54 billion (2005 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$122.8 million (2002 est.) |
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Currency (code):
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Algerian dinar (DZD) |
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Exchange rates:
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Algerian dinars per US dollar - 71.67 (2005), 72.061
(2004), 77.395 (2003), 79.682 (2002), 77.215 (2001) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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2,199,600
(2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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1,447,310
(2003) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is
very low, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons;
the number of fixed main lines increased in the last few
years to a little more than 2,000,000, but only about
two-thirds of these have subscribers; much of the
infrastructure is outdated and inefficient
domestic: good service in north but sparse in
south; domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
(20 additional domestic earth stations are planned)
international: country code - 213; submarine
cables - 5; microwave radio relay to Italy, France,
Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco
and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth
stations - 51 (Intelsat, Intersputnik, and Arabsat)
(2005) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 25, FM
1, shortwave 8 (1999) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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46 (plus
216 repeaters) (1995) |
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Internet country code:
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.dz |
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Internet hosts:
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897
(2004) |
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Internet users:
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500,000
(2002) |
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Airports:
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37 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
52
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2005 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
85
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 38
under 914 m: 19 (2005 est.) |
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Heliports:
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1 (2005
est.) |
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Pipelines:
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condensate 1,344 km; gas 85,946 km; liquid petroleum gas
2,213 km; oil 6,496 km (2004) |
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Railways:
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total:
3,973 km
standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km
electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2004) |
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Roadways:
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total:
104,000 km
paved: 71,656 km
unpaved: 32,344 km (1999) |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 837,676 GRT/929,847 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 14, chemical
tanker 4, liquefied gas 10, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum
tanker 6, roll on/roll off 9
foreign-owned: 3 (United Kingdom 3)
registered in other countries: 1 (2005) |
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Ports and terminals:
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Algiers,
Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Jijel, Mostaganem,
Oran, Skikda |
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Military branches:
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People's
National Army (ANP; includes Land Forces), Algerian
National Navy (MRA), Air Force (QJJ), Territorial Air
Defense Force (2005) |
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Military service age and obligation:
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19-30
years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
service obligation - 18 months (October 2003) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 19-49: 8,033,049 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 19-49: 6,590,079 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
374,639 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$2.48
billion (2004) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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3.2%
(2004) |
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Disputes - international:
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Algeria
supports the exiled Sahrawi Polisario Front and rejects
Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; Algeria's
border with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral
relations, each nation has accused the other of
harboring militants and arms smuggling; in an attempt to
improve relations after unilaterally imposing a visa
requirement on Algerians in the early 1990s, Morocco
lifted the requirement in mid-2004 - a gesture not
reciprocated by Algeria; Algeria remains concerned about
armed bandits operating throughout the Sahel who
sometimes destabilize southern Algerian towns; dormant
disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km
still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria and
the FLN's assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in
southeastern Morocco |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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refugees (country of origin): 165,000 (Western
Saharan Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored
camps in the southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf)
IDPs: 100,000 - 200,000 (conflict between
government forces, Islamic insurgents) (2004) |
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