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Communications

Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 26, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: 5.2 million

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

822,000 telephones; excellent domestic and international service in the north, sparse in the south local: NA intercity: 12 domestic satellite links; 20 additional satellite links are planned international: 5 submarine cables; microwave radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia; 2 INTELSAT (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik, 1 ARABSAT earth station

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 18 televisions: 1.6 million

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

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

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $1.3 billion, 2.7% of GDP (1994) AMERICAN SAMOA (territory of the US)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 7,124,894; males fit for military service 4,373,272; males reach military age (19) annually 313,707 (1995 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 12% of GDP (1993) and employs 22% of labor force; products- wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits, sheep, cattle; net importer of food - grain, vegetable oil, sugar

Budget [time series]

revenues: $14.3 billion expenditures: $17.9 billion (1995 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Algerian dinar (DA) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-85), $1.4 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $925 million; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $1.8 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $2.7 billion; net official disbursements (1985-89), $375 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 5,370,000 kW production: 18.3 billion kWh consumption per capita: 587 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1 - 42.710 (January 1995), 35.059 (1994), 23.345 (1993), 21.836 (1992), 18.473 (1991), 8.958 (1990)

Exports [time series]

$9.1 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: petroleum and natural gas 97% partners: Italy 21%, France 16%, US 14%, Germany 13%, Spain 9%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$26 billion (1994)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Imports [time series]

$9.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: capital goods 39.7%, food and beverages 21.7%, consumer goods 11.8% (1990) partners: France 29%, Italy 14%, Spain 9%, US 9%, Germany 7%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%; accounts for 35% of GDP (including hydrocarbons)

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

30% (1994 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power parity - $97.1 billion (1994 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$3,480 (1994 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

0.2% (1994 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 57% of government revenues, 25% of GDP, and almost all export earnings; Algeria has the fifth largest reserves of natural gas in the world and ranks fourteenth for oil. Algiers' efforts to reform one of the most centrally planned economies in the Arab world began after the 1986 collapse of world oil prices plunged the country into a severe recession. In 1989, the government launched a comprehensive, IMF-supported program to achieve macroeconomic stabilization and to introduce market mechanisms into the economy. Despite substantial progress toward macroeconomic adjustment, in 1992 the reform drive stalled as Algiers became embroiled in political turmoil. In September 1993, a new government was formed, and one priority was the resumption and acceleration of the structural adjustment process. Buffeted by the slump in world oil prices and burdened with a heavy foreign debt, Algiers concluded a one-year standby arrangement with the IMF in April 1994.

Unemployment rate [time series]

30% (1994 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 2,381,740 sq km land area: 2,381,740 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

Climate [time series]

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 [time series]

998 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

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 natural hazards: mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

Libya claims part of southeastern Algeria; land boundary dispute with Tunisia settled in 1993

Irrigated land [time series]

3,360 sq km (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 6,343 km, Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km, Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 3% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 13% forest and woodland: 2% other: 82%

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

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

Note [time series]

second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

48 provinces (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla, Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa, El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel, Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila, Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen

Capital [time series]

Algiers

Constitution [time series]

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

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Osmane BENCHERIF chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Lamine ZEROUAL (since 31 January 1994); next election to be held by the end of 1995 head of government: Prime Minister Mokdad SIFI (since 11 April 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister

Diplomatic representation in the US (FAX) [time series]

[213] (2) 69-39-79 consulate(s): none (Oran closed June 1993)

Flag [time series]

two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white with a red five-pointed star within a red crescent; the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)

Independence [time series]

5 July 1962 (from France)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)

Legal system [time series]

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 [time series]

unicameral; note - suspended since 1992 National People's Assembly (Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani): elections first round held on 26 December 1991 (second round canceled by the military after President BENDJEDID resigned 11 January 1992, effectively suspending the Assembly); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (281 total); the fundamentalist FIS won 188 of the 231 seats contested in the first round; note - elections (provincial and municipal) were held in June 1990, the first in Algerian history; results - FIS 55%, FLN 27.5%, other 17.5%, with 65% of the voters participating

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria conventional short form: Algeria local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Shabiyah local short form: Al Jaza'ir

National holiday [time series]

Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Islamic Salvation Front (FIS, outlawed April 1992), Ali BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Abdelkader HACHANI (all under arrest), Rabeh KEBIR (self-exile in Germany); National Liberation Front (FLN), Abdelhamid MEHRI, Secretary General; Socialist Forces Front (FFS), Hocine Ait AHMED, Secretary General note: the government established a multiparty system in September 1989 and, as of 31 December 1990, over 50 legal parties existed

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald E. NEUMANN embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers mailing address: B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers telephone: [213] (2) 69-11-86, 69-18-54, 69-38-75

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 41% (female 5,678,879; male 5,885,246) 15-64 years: 56% (female 7,887,885; male 8,033,508) 65 years and over: 3% (female 557,636; male 496,167) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

29.02 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.05 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

50.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

6.2 million (1992 est.) by occupation: government 29.5%, agriculture 22%, construction and public works 16.2%, industry 13.6%, commerce and services 13.5%, transportation and communication 5.2% (1989)

Languages [time series]

Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 68.01 years male: 66.94 years female: 69.13 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 57% male: 70% female: 46%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Algerian(s) adjective: Algerian

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

28,539,321 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.25% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Total fertility rate [time series]

3.7 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

total: 139 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 9 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 23 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 5 with paved runways under 914 m: 20 with unpaved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 with unpaved runways 1,524 to 2,438 m: 24 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 41

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 95,576 km paved: concrete, bituminous 57,346 km unpaved: gravel, crushed stone, earth 38,230 km

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 75 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 903,179 GRT/1,064,211 DWT ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 27, chemical tanker 7, liquefied gas tanker 9, oil tanker 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 12, short-sea passenger 5, specialized tanker 1

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

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

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

total: 4,733 km standard gauge: 3,576 km 1.435-m gauge (299 km electrified; 215 km double track) narrow gauge: 1,157 km 1.055-m gauge