Communications
Broadcast media [time series]
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 [time series]
.dz
Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]
676 (2012) country comparison to the world: 178
Internet users [time series]
4.7 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 49
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
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 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 2011, mobile-cellular teledensity was roughly 100 telephones per 100 persons 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) (2011)
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
3.2 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 49
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
37.692 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 32
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle
Budget [time series]
revenues: $82.69 billion expenditures: $92.47 billion (2012 est.)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]
-4.7% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
Central bank discount rate [time series]
4% (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 4% (31 December 2009 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]
8% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 115 8% (31 December 2011 est.)
Current account balance [time series]
$12.3 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 $17.77 billion (2011 est.)
Debt - external [time series]
$5.639 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 116 $6.072 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]
35.3 (1995) country comparison to the world: 87
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
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 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 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. Strong revenues from hydrocarbon exports have brought Algeria relative macroeconomic stability, with foreign currency reserves approaching $200 billion and a large budget stabilization fund available for tapping. 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. The government's efforts have done little to reduce high youth unemployment rates or to address housing shortages. A wave of economic protests in February and March 2011 prompted the Algerian Government to offer more than $23 billion in public grants and retroactive salary and benefit increases, moves which continue to weigh on public finances. 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 [time series]
Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - 77.54 (2012 est.) 72.94 (2011 est.) 74.39 (2010 est.) 72.65 (2009) 63.25 (2008)
Exports [time series]
$71.74 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $72.89 billion (2011 est.)
Exports - commodities [time series]
petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%
Exports - partners [time series]
Italy 16%, US 15%, Spain 10.9%, France 8.5%, Netherlands 7.3%, Canada 7.1%, UK 5.1%, Brazil 4.7% (2012)
Fiscal year [time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$206.5 billion (2012 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$272.5 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 $263.8 billion (2011 est.) $257.2 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars
GDP - composition, by end use [time series]
household consumption: 32.9% government consumption: 20.1% investment in fixed capital: 31.4% investment in inventories: 6.1% exports of goods and services: 37.2% imports of goods and services: -27.7% (2012 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 9.5% industry: 61% services: 29.6% (2012 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$7,300 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 $7,200 (2011 est.) $7,100 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
3.3% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 102 2.6% (2011 est.) 3.6% (2010 est.)
Gross national saving [time series]
44.4% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 10 47.7% of GDP (2011 est.) 48.8% of GDP (2010 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)
Imports [time series]
$51.57 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 $46.93 billion (2011 est.)
Imports - commodities [time series]
capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods
Imports - partners [time series]
France 12.8%, China 11.8%, Italy 10.3%, Spain 8.6%, Germany 5.2% (2012)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
1.5% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 113
Industries [time series]
petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
8.9% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 190 4.5% (2011 est.)
Labor force [time series]
11.05 million (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 48
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 14% industry: 13.4% construction and public works: 10% trade: 14.6% government: 32% other: 16% (2003 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]
$NA
Population below poverty line [time series]
23% (2006 est.)
Public debt [time series]
8.3% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 144 8.4% of GDP (2011 est.) note: data cover central government debt; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$191.6 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $183.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Stock of broad money [time series]
$150 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 $130.6 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]
$2.133 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 73 $2.174 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]
$23.26 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 67 $21.78 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Stock of domestic credit [time series]
$-4.363 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 $-8.659 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Stock of narrow money [time series]
$98.36 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 35 $93.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
40% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 48
Unemployment rate [time series]
10.7% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 114 10% (2011 est.)
Energy
Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]
117.2 million Mt (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 37
Crude oil - exports [time series]
1.097 million bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Crude oil - imports [time series]
6,400 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 79
Crude oil - production [time series]
1.875 million bbl/day (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 16
Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]
12.2 billion bbl (1 January 2013 es) country comparison to the world: 16
Electricity - consumption [time series]
33.68 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Electricity - exports [time series]
803 million kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]
97.5% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 60
Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]
2.5% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
Electricity - imports [time series]
736 million kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 66
Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]
11.33 million kW (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 52
Electricity - production [time series]
46.25 billion kWh (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 53
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
28.82 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 29
Natural gas - exports [time series]
52.02 billion cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 7
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Natural gas - production [time series]
82.76 billion cu m (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 10
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
4.504 trillion cu m (1 January 2013 es) country comparison to the world: 10
Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]
316,400 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 40
Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]
471,900 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 15
Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]
17,270 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 109
Refined petroleum products - production [time series]
571,400 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Geography
total: 2,381,741 sq km country comparison to the world: 10 land: 2,381,741 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
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
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m highest point: Tahat 3,003 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
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
International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]
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
Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]
total: 5.72 cu km/yr (26%/16%/58%) per capita: 182 cu m/yr (2005)
Geographic coordinates [time series]
28 00 N, 3 00 E
Geography - note [time series]
largest country in Africa
Irrigated land [time series]
5,694 sq km (2003)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 6,343 km border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km, Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 3.15% permanent crops: 0.38% other: 96.46% (2011)
Location [time series]
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
Map references [time series]
Africa
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides and floods in rainy season
Natural resources [time series]
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
Terrain [time series]
mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Total renewable water resources [time series]
11.67 cu km (2011)
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
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 [time series]
name: Algiers geographic coordinates: 36 45 N, 3 03 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution [time series]
adopted 8 September 1963; amended several times, last in 2008 (2013)
Country name [time series]
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 [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Henry S. ENSHER (since July 2011) embassy: 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, El-Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16030 Algiers mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers telephone: [213] 770-08-2000 FAX: [213] 770-08-2064
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah BAALI (since 5 November 2008) chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800 FAX: [1] (202) 986-5906 consulate(s) general: New York
Executive branch [time series]
chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Abdelmalek SELLAL (since 3 September 2012) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (no term limits); election last held on 9 April 2009 (next to be held in April 2014) election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 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 REBAINE less than 1%, Mohamed SAID less than 1%
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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 [time series]
republic
Independence [time series]
5 July 1962 (from France)
International law organization participation [time series]
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International organization participation [time series]
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 [time series]
highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 150 judges organized into four divisions: civil and commercial; social security and labor; criminal; and administrative; Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members including the court president) 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; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council members - 3 appointed by the president of the republic, 2 each by the two houses of the Parliament, 1 by the Supreme Court, and 1 by the Council of State; Council president and members appointed for single 6-year terms with half of the membership renewed every 3 years subordinate courts: appellate or wilaya courts; first instance or daira tribunals
Legal system [time series]
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 [time series]
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; 462 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: Council of the Nation - last held on 29 December 2012 (next to be held in December 2017); National People's Assembly - last held on 10 May 2012 (next to be held in 2017) election results: Council of the Nation election of 29 December 2009 - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; National People's Assembly election of 10 May 2012 - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 221, RND 70, AAV 47, FFS 21, PT 17, FNA 9, El Adala 7, MPA 6, PFJ 5, FC 4, PNSD 4, other 32, independents 19
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
name: "Kassaman" (We Pledge)
National holiday [time series]
Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)
National symbol(s) [time series]
star and crescent; fennec fox
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Algerian National Front or FNA; Algerian Popular Movement or MPA; Front for Change or FC; Front for Justice and Development or El Adala; Green Algeria Alliance or AAV (includes Movement for National Reform, Islamic Renaissance Movement, and Movement of the Society of Peace or Hamas); Movement of the Society of Peace or MSP [Boudjerra SOLTANI]; National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general]; National Party for Solidarity and Development or PNSD; National Reform Movement or Islah [Ahmed ABDESLAM] (see Green Algeria Alliance); New Dawn Party or PFJ; Oath of 54 or Ahd 54 [Ali Fawzi REBAINE]; Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Said SADI]; Islamic Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine AIT AHMED]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUNE] note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in March 1997
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
The Algerian Human Rights League or LADDH [Mostefa BOUCHACHI]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
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 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. He 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-Qa'ida to form al-Qa'ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, which has launched an ongoing series of kidnappings and bombings targeting the Algerian Government and Western interests. 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. Parliamentary elections in May 2012 and municipal and provincial elections in November 2012 saw continued dominance by the FLN, with Islamist opposition parties performing poorly. Political protest activity in the country remained low in 2012, but small, sometimes violent socioeconomic demonstrations by disparate groups continued to be a common occurrence. Parliament in 2013 is expected to revise the constitution.
Military
Manpower available for military service [time series]
males age 16-49: 10,273,129 females age 16-49: 10,114,552 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service [time series]
males age 16-49: 8,622,897 females age 16-49: 8,626,222 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]
male: 342,895 female: 330,098 (2010 est.)
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
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 [time series]
4.3% of GDP (2012) country comparison to the world: 21
Military service age and obligation [time series]
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)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 28.1% (male 5,470,088/female 5,216,139) 15-24 years: 18.1% (male 3,536,416/female 3,371,819) 25-54 years: 42.7% (male 8,213,802/female 8,035,509) 55-64 years: 6% (male 1,172,528/female 1,128,015) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 890,312/female 1,053,184) (2013 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
24.25 births/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 63
Child labor - children ages 5-14 [time series]
total number: 304,358 percentage: 5 % (2006 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]
3.7% (2005) country comparison to the world: 99
Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]
61.4% (2006)
Death rate [time series]
4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 205
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 47.9 % youth dependency ratio: 41.1 % elderly dependency ratio: 6.8 % potential support ratio: 14.7 (2013)
Drinking water source [time series]
improved: urban: 85% of population rural: 79% of population total: 83% of population unimproved: urban: 15% of population rural: 21% of population total: 17% of population (2010 est.)
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
4.3% of GDP (2008) country comparison to the world: 100
Ethnic groups [time series]
Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1% 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
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 108
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 71
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
18,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 81
Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]
3.9% of GDP (2011) country comparison to the world: 166
Hospital bed density [time series]
1.7 beds/1,000 population (2004)
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 22.57 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 82 male: 24.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 20.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
Languages [time series]
Arabic (official), French (lingua franca), Berber dialects: Kabylie Berber (Tamazight), Chaouia Berber (Tachawit), Mzab Berber, Tuareg Berber (Tamahaq)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 76.18 years country comparison to the world: 82 male: 74.95 years female: 77.47 years (2013 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 72.6% male: 81.3% female: 63.9% (2006 est.)
Major urban areas - population [time series]
ALGIERS (capital) 2.916 million; Oran 770,000 (2011)
Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]
97 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 76
Median age [time series]
total: 27 years male: 26.7 years female: 27.2 years (2013 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Algerian(s) adjective: Algerian
Net migration rate [time series]
-0.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 148
Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]
16% (2008) country comparison to the world: 116
Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]
1.21 physicians/1,000 population (2007)
Population [time series]
38,087,812 (July 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
Population growth rate [time series]
1.9% (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 61
Religions [time series]
Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
Sanitation facility access [time series]
improved: urban: 98% of population rural: 88% of population total: 95% of population unimproved: urban: 2% of population rural: 12% of population total: 5% of population (2010 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 14 years (2011)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 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: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
2.78 children born/woman (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 71
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]
total: 21.5% country comparison to the world: 54 male: 18.7% female: 37.5% (2010)
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 73% of total population (2011) rate of urbanization: 2.49% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
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 [time series]
refugees (country of origin): 90,000 (Western Saharan Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf); 1,500 (Mali) (2013) IDPs: undetermined (civil war during 1990s) (2012)
Trafficking in persons [time series]
current situation: Algeria is a transit and, to a lesser extent, a destination and source country for women, and, to a lesser extent, men subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; criminal networks, which sometimes extend to sub-Saharan Africa and to Europe, are involved in both human smuggling and trafficking; 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; some Algerian women are also forced into prostitution; some sub-Saharan men, mostly from Mali, are forced into domestic servitude 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; the government has not held any perpetrators of sex trafficking or forced labor accountable with jail time; some trafficking victims are treated as illegal migrants and are subject to arrest, detention, and deportation because authorities continue to confuse human trafficking and smuggling; the government has not developed or employed systematic procedures for identifying trafficking victims and referring them for protective services; no public awareness campaigns are conducted and no plan of action was developed to complement Algeria's anti-trafficking law (2013)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
157 (2013) country comparison to the world: 36
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 64 over 3,047 m: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2013)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 93 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 34 (2013)
Heliports [time series]
3 (2013)
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 38 country comparison to the world: 77 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)
Pipelines [time series]
condensate 2,600 km; gas 16,415 km; liquid petroleum gas 3,447 km; oil 7,036 km; refined products 144 km (2013)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
major seaport(s): Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda
Railways [time series]
total: 3,973 km country comparison to the world: 44 standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2008)
Roadways [time series]
total: 113,655 km country comparison to the world: 42 paved: 87,605 km (includes 645 km of expressways) unpaved: 26,050 km (2010)