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- #CARD:Algeria:Geography
- #IMAGE 49 66 TWPCX \maps\Algeria.PCX
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK Click Here for MAP
- Algeria
- Geography
-
-
- Location:
- Northern Africa, along the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia
- Map references:
- Africa, Europe
- Area:
- total area:
- 2,381,740 km2
- land area:
- 2,381,740 km2
- comparative area:
- slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
- Land boundaries:
- 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
- Coastline:
- 998 km
- Maritime claims:
- territorial sea:
- 12 nm
- International disputes:
- Libya claims part of southeastern Algeria; land boundary disputes with
- Tunisia under discussion
- 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
- Terrain:
- mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous
- coastal plain
- Natural resources:
- petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
- Land use:
- arable land:
- 3%
- permanent crops:
- 0%
- meadows and pastures:
- 13%
- forest and woodland:
- 2%
- other:
- 82%
- Irrigated land:
- 3,360 km2 (1989 est.)
- Environment:
- mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; desertification
- Note:
- second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:Algeria:People
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Algeria
- People
-
-
- Population:
- 27,256,252 (July 1993 est.)
- Population growth rate:
- 2.34% (1993 est.)
- Birth rate:
- 30.38 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
- Death rate:
- 6.41 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
- Net migration rate:
- -0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
- Infant mortality rate:
- 54 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
- Life expectancy at birth:
- total population:
- 67.35 years
- male:
- 66.32 years
- female:
- 68.41 years (1993 est.)
- Total fertility rate:
- 3.96 children born/woman (1993 est.)
- Nationality:
- noun:
- Algerian(s)
- adjective:
- Algerian
- Ethnic divisions:
- Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
- Religions:
- Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%
- Languages:
- Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
- Literacy:
- age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
- total population:
- 57%
- male:
- 70%
- female:
- 46%
- Labor force:
- 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)
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:Algeria:Government
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Algeria
- Government
-
-
- Names:
- 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
- Digraph:
- AG
- Type:
- republic
- Capital:
- Algiers
- Administrative divisions:
- 48 provinces (wilayast, 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
- Independence:
- 5 July 1962 (from France)
- Constitution:
- 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised February 1989
- Legal system:
- socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative
- acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials,
- including several Supreme Court justices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
- jurisdiction
- National holiday:
- Anniversary of the Revolution, 1 November (1954)
- Political parties and leaders:
- Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), Ali BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Abdelkader
- HACHANI (all under arrest), Rabeh KEBIR; 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 30 legal parties existed
- Suffrage:
- 18 years of age; universal
- Elections:
- National People's Assembly:
- first round held on 26 December 1991 (second round canceled by the military
- after President BENDJEDID resigned 11 January 1992); 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 (municipal and
- wilaya) 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
- President of the High State Committee:
- next election to be held December 1993
- Executive branch:
- President of the High State Committee, prime minister, Council of Ministers
- (cabinet)
- Legislative branch:
- unicameral National People's Assembly (Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani)
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:Algeria:Government
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Algeria
- Government
- Judicial branch:
- Supreme Court (Cour Supreme)
- Leaders:
- Chief of State:
- High State Committee President Ali KAFI (since 2 July 1992)
- Head of Government:
- Prime Minister Belaid ABDESSELAM (since 8 July 1992)
- Member of:
- ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77,
- IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT,
- INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPEC,
- UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO,
- WMO, WTO
- Diplomatic representation in US:
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Mohamed ZARHOUNI
- chancery:
- 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
- telephone:
- (202) 265-2800
- US diplomatic representation:
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Mary Ann CASEY
- embassy:
- 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers
- mailing address:
- B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers
- telephone:
- [213] (2) 601-425 or 255, 186
- FAX:
- [213] (2) 603979
- consulate:
- Oran
- Flag:
- 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)
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:Algeria:Economy
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Algeria
- Economy
-
-
- Overview:
- The oil and natural gas sector forms the backbone of the economy,
- hydrocarbons accounting for nearly all export receipts, about 30% of
- government revenues, and nearly 25% of GDP. In 1973-74 the sharp increase in
- oil prices led to a booming economy and helped to finance an ambitious
- program of industrialization. Plunging oil and gas prices, combined with the
- mismanagement of Algeria's highly centralized economy, has brought the
- nation to its most serious social and economic crisis since full
- independence in 1988. The current government has put reform, including
- privatization of some public sector companies and an overhaul of the banking
- and financial system, on hold, but has continued efforts to admit private
- enterprise to the hydrocarbon industry.
- National product:
- GDP - exchange rate conversion - $42 billion (1992 est.)
- National product real growth rate:
- 2.8% (1992 est.)
- National product per capita:
- $1,570 (1992 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices):
- 55% (1992 est.)
- Unemployment rate:
- 35% (1992 est.)
- Budget:
- revenues $14.4 billion; expenditures $14.6 billion, including capital
- expenditures of $3.5 billion (1992 est.)
- Exports:
- $11.6 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
- commodities:
- petroleum and natural gas 97%
- partners:
- Italy, France, US, Germany, Spain
- Imports:
- $8.2 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)
- commodities:
- capital goods 39.7%, food and beverages 21.7%, consumer goods 11.8% (1990)
- partners:
- France, Italy, Germany, US, Spain
- External debt:
- $26 billion (1992 est.)
- Industrial production:
- growth rate NA%
- Electricity:
- 6,380,000 kW capacity; 16,834 million kWh produced, 630 kWh per capita
- (1992)
- Industries:
- petroleum, light industries, natural gas, mining, electrical, petrochemical,
- food processing
- Agriculture:
- accounts for 10.8% of GDP (1991) and employs 22% of labor force; products-
- wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits, sheep, cattle; net
- importer of food - grain, vegetable oil, sugar
- Economic aid:
- 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
- Currency:
- 1 Algerian dinar (DA) = 100 centimes
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:Algeria:Economy
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Algeria
- Economy
- Exchange rates:
- Algerian dinars (DA) per US$1 - 22.787 (January 1993), 21.836 (1992), 18.473
- (1991), 8.958 (1990), 7.6086 (1989), 5.9148 (1988)
- Fiscal year:
- calendar year
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:Algeria:Communications
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Algeria
- Communications
-
-
- Railroads:
- 4,060 km total; 2,616 km standard gauge (1.435 m), 1,188 km 1.055-meter
- gauge, 256 km 1.000-meter gauge; 300 km electrified; 215 km double track
- Highways:
- 90,031 km total; 58,868 km concrete or bituminous, 31,163 km gravel, crushed
- stone, unimproved earth (1990)
- Pipelines:
- crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum products 298 km; natural gas 2,948 km
- Ports:
- Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Ghazaouet, Jijel, Mers el Kebir,
- Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda
- Merchant marine:
- 75 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 903,179 GRT/1,064,211 DWT; includes 5
- short-sea passenger, 27 cargo, 12 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 5 oil tanker, 9
- liquefied gas, 7 chemical tanker, 9 bulk, 1 specialized tanker
- Airports:
- total:
- 141
- usable:
- 124
- with permanent-surface runways:
- 53
- with runways over 3,659 m:
- 2
- with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
- 32
- with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
- 65
- Telecommunications:
- excellent domestic and international service in the north, sparse in the
- south; 822,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 26 AM, no FM, 18 TV;
- 1,600,000 TV sets; 5,200,000 radios; 5 submarine cables; microwave radio
- relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to
- Morocco and Tunisia; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 1
- Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 1 Intersputnik, l ARABSAT, and 12 domestic; 20
- additional satellite earth stations are planned
-
- #ENDCARD
- #CARD:Algeria:Defense Forces
- THE WORLD FACTBOOK
- Algeria
- Defense Forces
-
-
- Branches:
- National Popular Army, Navy, Air Force, Territorial Air Defense
- Manpower availability:
- males age 15-49 6,610,342; fit for military service 4,063,261; reach
- military age (19) annually 291,685 (1993 est.)
- Defense expenditures:
- exchange rate conversion - $1.36 billion, 2.5% of GDP (1993 est.)
-
- #ENDCARD
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