The 2008 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency (ereader iphone .txt) 📖

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 exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm

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

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m highest point: Tahat 3,003 m

Natural resources:

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

Land use:

arable land: 3.17% permanent crops: 0.28% other: 96.55% (2005)

Irrigated land:

5,690 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

14.3 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 6.07 cu km/yr (22%/13%/65%) per capita: 185 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

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

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:

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

Geography - note:

second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

People
Algeria

Population:

33,769,668 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.3% (male 4,528,919/female 4,349,746) 15-64 years: 68.7% (male 11,699,701/female 11,509,619) 65 years and over: 5% (male 779,467/female 902,217) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 26 years male: 25.8 years female: 26.2 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.209% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

17.03 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

4.62 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

-0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

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: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 28.75 deaths/1,000 live births male: 31.95 deaths/1,000 live births female: 25.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 73.77 years male: 72.13 years female: 75.49 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.82 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.1%; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

9,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

fewer than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:

noun: Algerian(s) adjective: Algerian

Ethnic groups:

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

Religions:

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

Languages:

Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 69.9% male: 79.6% female: 60.1% (2002 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 13 years male: 13 years female: 13 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

5.1% of GDP (1999)

Government
Algeria

Country name:

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

Government type:

republic

Capital:

name: Algiers geographic coordinates: 36 45 N, 3 03 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

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

Independence:

5 July 1962 (from France)

National holiday:

Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

Constitution:

8 September 1963; revised 19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, 28 November 1996, and 12 November 2008

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

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 23 June 2008) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a third term under 2008 amendment to constitution); election last held 8 April 2004 (next to be held in 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%

Legislative branch:

bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or Al-Majlis Al-Shabi Al-Watani (389 seats; 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; to serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three years) elections: National People's Assembly - last held 17 May 2007 (next to be held in 2012); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 28 December 2006 (next to be held in 2009) election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 136, RND 61, MSP 52, PT 26, RCD 19, FNA 13, other 49, independents 33; Council of Nations - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 29, RND 12, MSP 3, RCD 1, independents 3, presidential appointees (unknown affiliation) 24; note - Council seating reflects the number of replaced council members rather than the whole Council

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:

Ahd 54 [Ali Fauzi REBAINE]; Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa
TOUATI]; Islamic Salvation Front or FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali
BELHADJ, Dr. Abassi MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR]; National Democratic Rally
(Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA];
National Entente Movement or MEN [Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National
Liberation Front or FLN [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general];
National Reform Movement or Islah (formerly MRN) [Mohamed BOULAHIA];
National Renewal Party or PRA [Mohamed BENSMAIL]; Rally for Culture
and Democracy or RCD [Said SADI]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda
Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait
AHMED]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed KHELIL]; Society of Peace
Movement or MSP [Boudjerra SOLTANI]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa
HANOUNE]
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted
in March 1997

Political pressure groups and leaders:

The Algerian Human Rights League or LADDH [Hocine ZEHOUANE]; SOS
Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Somoud [Ali MERABET]

International organization participation:

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU,
ITUC, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC,
OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNWTO,
UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Abdallah BAALI chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador David D. PEARCE embassy: 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, El-Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16000 Algiers mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers telephone: [213] 770-08-2000 FAX: [213] 21-60-7355

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 note: the crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)

Economy
Algeria

Economy - overview:

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 eighth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the fourth-largest gas exporter; it ranks 14th in oil reserves. Sustained high oil prices in recent years have helped improve Algeria's financial and macroeconomic indicators. Algeria is running substantial trade surpluses and building up record foreign exchange reserves. Algeria has decreased its external debt to less than 10% of GDP after repaying its Paris Club and London Club debt in 2006. 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, such as development of the banking sector and the construction of infrastructure, moves ahead slowly hampered by corruption and bureaucratic resistance.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$222.3 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$131.6 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$6,700 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 8.2% industry: 61.5% services: 30.3% (2007 est.)

Labor force:

9.38 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture 14%, industry 13.4%, construction and public works 10%, trade 14.6%, government 32%, other 16% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:

11.8% (2007 est.)

Population below poverty line:

25% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

35.3 (1995)

Investment (gross fixed):

24.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Budget:

revenues: $57.03 billion expenditures: $40.53 billion (2007 est.)

Fiscal year:

calendar year

Public debt:

18% of GDP (2007 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

3.5% (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

4% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

8% (31 December 2007)

Stock of money:

$55.43 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money:

$28.59 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of domestic credit:

NA

Agriculture - products:

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

Industries:

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

Industrial production growth rate:

5% (2007 est.)

Electricity - production:

33.12 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - consumption:

26.91 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports:

300 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - imports:

382 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel: 99.7% hydro: 0.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Oil - production:

2.173 million bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - consumption:

279,800 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports:

1.844 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - imports:

13,110 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:

12.2 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)

Natural gas - production:

85.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:

26.3 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports:

59.4 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:

4.502 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)

Current account balance:

$32.05 billion (2007 est.)

Exports:

$60.51 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities:

petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%

Exports - partners:

US 29.4%, Italy 13.8%, Spain 9.6%, Canada 8.4%, France 7.4%,
Netherlands 5% (2007)

Imports:

$26.25 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities:

capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods