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NAVIGATION
Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria
Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Shabiyah
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
conventional short form: Algeria local short form: Al Jaza'ir local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash Sha'biyah |
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Government type:
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republic |
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Capital:
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Algiers |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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5 July 1962 (from France) |
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National holiday:
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Revolution Day, 1 November (1954) |
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Constitution:
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19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3 November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996 |
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Legal system:
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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 |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister Ali BENFLIS (since 26 August 2000) cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 15 April 1999 (next to be held NA April 2004); prime minister appointed by the president election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA elected president; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA over 70%; note - his six opposing candidates withdrew on the eve of the election citing electoral fraud |
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Legislative branch:
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bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - changed from 380 seats in the 2002 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Council of Nations (144 seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds elected by indirect vote; members serve six-year terms; the constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three years)
elections: National People's Assembly - last held 30 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); Council of Nations - last held 30 December 2000 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FLN 199, RND 48, MRN 43, MSP 38, PT 21, FNA 8, Nahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 29; Council of Nations - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RND 79, FLN 12, FFS 4, MSP 1 (remaining 48 seats appointed by the president, party breakdown NA) |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or Cour Supreme |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; Democratic National Rally or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA, chairman]; Islamic Salvation Front or FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali BELHADJ and Dr. Abassi MADANI (imprisoned), Rabeh KEBIR (self-exile in Germany)]; Movement of a Peaceful Society or MSP [Mahfoud NAHNAH, chairman]; National Entente Movement or MEN [Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Boualem BENHAMOUDA, secretary general]; National Reform Movement or MRN [Abdellah DJABALLAH]; National Renewal Party or PRA [leader NA]; Progressive Republican Party [Khadir DRISS]; Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Said SAADI, secretary general]; Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement [Lahbib ADAMI]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed KHELIL]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait AHMED, secretary general (self-exile in Switzerland)]; Union for Democracy and Liberty [Mouley BOUKHALAFA]; Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUN]
note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted in March 1997 |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Idriss JAZAIRY
chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Janet A. SANDERSON
embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers mailing address: B. P. Box 549, Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers telephone: [213] (21) 691-425/255/186 FAX: [213] (21) 69-39-79 |
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Flag description:
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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 crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion) |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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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 fifth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the second largest gas exporter; it ranks 14th in oil reserves. Algeria's financial and economic indicators improved during the mid-1990s, in part because of policy reforms supported by the IMF and debt rescheduling from the Paris Club. Algeria's finances in 2000 and 2001 benefited from the temporary spike in oil prices and the government's tight fiscal policy, leading to a large increase in the trade surplus, record highs in foreign exchange reserves, and reduction in foreign debt. The government's continued efforts to diversify the economy by attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy sector has had little success in reducing high unemployment and improving living standards. In 2001, the government signed an Association Treaty with the European Union that will eventually lower tariffs and increase trade. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $177 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3.8% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 17%
industry: 33% services: 50% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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23% (1999 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 25% (1995) (1995) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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35 (1995) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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9.4 million (2001 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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government 29%, agriculture 25%, construction and public works 15%, industry 11%, other 20% (1996 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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34% (2001 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $20.3 billion
expenditures: $18.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.8 billion (2001 est.) |
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Industries:
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petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining, electrical, petrochemical, food processing |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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6% (2001 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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23.556 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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21.847 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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210 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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150 million kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle |
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Exports:
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$19.5 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97% |
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Exports - partners:
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Italy 23%, Spain 13%, US 13%, France 11%, Brazil 7%, (2000) |
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Imports:
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$10.6 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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capital goods, food and beverages, consumer goods |
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Imports - partners:
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France 29%, US 9%, Italy 8%, Germany 6%, Spain 5% (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$24.7 billion (2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$100 million (1999 est.) |
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Currency:
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Algerian dinar (DZD) |
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Currency code:
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DZD |
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Exchange rates:
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Algerian dinars per US dollar - 77.889 (January 2002), 77.215 (2001), 75.260 (2000), 66.574 (1999), 58.739 (1998), 57.707 (1997) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |