Geography
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
Morocco and Tunisia.
Area: Total--2,381,740 sq. km. Land--2,381,740 sq.
km.; water--0 sq. km. More than three times the size of
Texas.
Cities: Capital--Algiers; Oran, Constantine, Annaba.
Terrain: Mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
discontinuous coastal plain. Mountainous areas subject to severe
earthquakes, mud slides.
Climate: Arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers
along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high
plateau; a hot, dust/sand-laden wind called sirocco is especially
common in summer.
Land use: Arable land--3%; permanent crops--0%,
permanent pastures--13%; forests and woodland--2%.
People
Nationality: Noun--Algerian(s); adjective--Algerian.
Population (2006 est.): 32,854,000.
Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 1.22%. Birth rate (2006
est.)--17.14 births/1,000 population; death rate (2006
est.)--4.61 deaths/1,000 population.
Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%.
Religions: Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish
1%.
Languages: Arabic (official), Berber (national language), French.
Education: Literacy (definition--age 15 and over can read and
write)--total population (2004 est.), 70%; total; female 60% (2004
est.).
Health (2006 est.): Infant mortality rate--29.87
deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy at birth--total
population, 73.26 years; male 71.68 years, female 74.92 years.
Work force (2005): 10.15 million. Agriculture 14%, industry 13.4%,
construction and public works 10%, trade 14.6%, government 32%,
other 16% (2003 est.).
Unemployment rate (2005 est.): 24%; Algerian Government estimates
17.7%.
Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: July 5, 1962 (from France).
Constitution: September 8, 1963; revised November 19, 1976, November
3, 1988, February 23, 1989, and November 28, 1996.
Branches: Legal system 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; Algeria has not accepted compulsory International
Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
Administrative divisions: 48 provinces (wilayates; singular, wilaya).
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal.
National holiday: Independence Day, July 5, 1962; Revolution Day,
November 1, 1954.
Major parties represented in parliament: National Liberation Front (FLN),
National Democratic Rally (RND), Movement for National Reform (MRN),
Movement of Society for Peace (MSP), Workers' Party (PT), Algerian
National Front (FNA), Islamic Renaissance Movement (MNI), Party of
Algerian Renewal (PRA), Movement of National Understanding (MEN).
Economy
GDP (2005): $233.2 billion.
GDP growth (2005): 5.3%.
Per capita GDP (PPP, 2005): $7,189.
Agriculture: Products--wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives,
citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle.
Industry: Types--petroleum, natural gas, light industries,
mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing, pharmaceuticals,
cement, seawater desalination.
Sector Information as % GDP (2005): Agriculture 10%, services 29%,
industry 61%.
Monetary unit: 1 dinar = 100 centimes.
Inflation, GDP deflator (2004): 10.2%.
Trade: Exports (2004)--$31.7 billion: petroleum, natural gas,
and petroleum products 97.52%. Partners (2005 est.)--U.S.
23.5%, Italy 16.7%, France 11.4%, Spain 11.25%. Imports
(f.o.b., 2004)--$18.2 billion: capital goods, food and beverages,
consumer goods. Partners (2004)--France 22.6%, Italy 8.53%,
Germany 6.9%, U.S. 6.15%, China 5.02%, Spain 4.85%, Japan 3.65%,
Argentina 3.2%, Turkey 3.24%.
Budget (2005 est.): Revenues--$31.7 billion; expenditures--$24.62
billion, including capital expenditures of $7.8 billion.
Debt (external, 2005 est.): $21.4 billion.
U.S. economic assistance (2005 est.): $4.40 million (MEPI, IMET).
Fiscal year: Calendar year.
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