Algeria

Algeria

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Al-Jumhuriyyat al-Jaza'iriyya ad-Dimuqratiyya ash-Sha'biyya/Democratic People's Republic of Algeria Area 2,381,741 sq km/919,590 sq mi Capital Algiers (Arabic al-Jaza'ir) Language Arabic (official), Berber, French Religion Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1% Time difference GMT +/-0 Major holidays 1 January, 1 May, 19 June, 5 July, 1 November; variable: Eid-ul-Adha, Ashora, end of Ramadan, New Year (Muslim), Prophet's Birthday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Oran, Annaba, Blida, Sétif, Constantine Major ports Oran (Ouahran), Annaba (Bône) Physical features coastal plains backed by mountains in north, Sahara desert in south; Atlas mountains, Barbary Coast, Chott Melrhir depression, Hoggar mountains Airports five international airports and 65 aerodromes, of which 20 are public; total passengers carried: 3.3 million (2003 est) Railways total length: 3,572 km/2,220 mi; total passenger journeys: 35.7 million (2002) Roads total road network: 104,000 km/64,626 mi, of which 68.9% paved (1999 est); passenger cars: 86.6 per 1,000 people (1999 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Abdelaziz Bouteflika from 1999 Head of government Abdelaziz Belkhadem from 2006 Political system military Political executive military Administrative divisions 48 departments Political parties National Democratic Rally (RND), left of centre; National Liberation Front (FLN), nationalist, socialist; Socialist Forces Front (FSS), Berber-based, left of centre; Islamic Front for Salvation (FIS), Islamic fundamentalist (banned from 1992); Movement for a Peacetime Society (MSP), formerly Hamas, fundamentalist Death penalty retains the death penalty for ordinary crimes but can be considered abolitionist in practice Armed forces 137,500; plus 150,000 reserves and paramilitary forces of 181,200 (2006 est) Conscription compulsory for 18 months Defence spend (% GDP) 2.8 (2005 est) Education spend (% GDP) 3.1 (2002) Health spend (% GDP) 3.3 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency Algerian dinar GDP (US$) 102.3 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 4.9 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 89.6 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 6,770 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 5% (2006 est) Unemployment 18% (2005 est) Labour force 14% agriculture, 35% industry, 51% services (2003 est) Foreign debt (US$) 18.9 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners France, USA, Italy, Germany, Spain Resources natural gas and petroleum, iron ore, phosphates, lead, zinc, mercury, silver, salt, antimony, copper Industries food processing, machinery and transport equipment, textiles, cement, tobacco, consumer goods Exports crude oil, natural gas, refined products, tobacco, hides, dates. Principal market: USA 21.2% (2005) Imports machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, consumer goods, food and basic manufactures. Principal source: France 31.3% (2005) Arable land 3.2% (2006 est) Agricultural products wheat, barley, potatoes, citrus fruits, olives, grapes; livestock rearing (sheep and cattle)


POPULATION

Population 33,354,400 (2006 est) Population growth rate 1.5% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 14 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 60 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 30%, 15–59 64%, 60+ 6% (2005 est) Ethnic groups 99% of Arab Berber origin, the remainder of European descent, mainly French Life expectancy 71 (men); 74 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 40 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 9 Literacy rate 78% (men); 60% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 8.5 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 2.1 (2002 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 0.1 (2005 est) AIDS deaths <500 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 92 (urban); 80 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 7.8 (2005 est) est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 41.5 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 244 (2001 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 188 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 1.1 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 5.8 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

9th century BC Part of Carthaginian Empire. 146 BC Conquered by Romans, who called the area Numidia. 6th century Part of the Byzantine Empire. late 7th century Conquered by Muslim Arabs, who spread Islam as the basis of a new Berberized Arab-Islamic civilization. 1516 Ottoman Turks expelled recent Christian Spanish invaders. 1816 Anglo-Dutch forces bombarded Algiers as reprisal against Barbary pirates' attacks on Mediterranean shipping. 1830–47 French occupation of Algiers, followed by extension of control to the north, overcoming fierce resistance from Amir Abd al-Qadir, a champion of Arab Algerian nationalism, and from Morocco. 1850–70 The mountainous inland region, inhabited by the Kabyles, was occupied by the French. 1871 Rebellion against French rule as French settlers began to take over best agricultural land. 1900–09 Sahara region subdued by France, who kept it under military rule. 1940 Following France's defeat by Nazi Germany, Algeria became allied to pro-Nazi Vichy regime during World War II. 1945 8,000 died following ruthless suppression of abortive uprising against French rule. 1954–62 Battle of Algiers: bitter war of independence fought between National Liberation Front (FLN) and French colonial army. 1958 French inability to resolve civil war in Algeria, toppled Fourth Republic and brought to power, in Paris, Gen Charles de Gaulle, who accepted principle of national self-determination. 1962 Independence from France achieved and republic declared. Many French settlers fled. 1963 One-party state established. 1976 Islamic-socialist constitution approved. 1988 Riots took place in protest at austerity policies; reform programme introduced. Diplomatic relations restored with Morocco after 12-year break. 1989 Constitutional changes introduced limited political pluralism. 1992 Military took control and state of emergency declared. 1993 Civil strife worsened, with assassinations of politicians and other public figures. 1994 Fundamentalists' campaign of violence intensified. 1996 Constitution amended to increase president's powers and counter religious fundamentalism. Arabic declared official public language. 1998 Attacks on civilians and security forces continued. 1999 Abdel Aziz Bouteflika elected president. 2000 Continuing violence. 2001 Clashes with security forces in mainly Berber region of Kabylie. 2002 Tamazight (Berber dialect) included in constitution as national language. 2003 Major earthquake measuring 6.7 on Richter scale in north of country killed at least 2,200 people and injured thousands more. 2004 Bouteflika re-elected president. 2005 Bouteflika's charter for peace and national reconciliation, offering limited amnesty to Islamic militants, approved in national referendum. 2006 Amnesty implemented; Abdellaziz Belkhadem replaced Ahmed Ouyahia as prime minister. 2007 Renewed surge in terrorist attacks by Islamic extremists; pro-government political parties headed by National Liberation Front returned to power in elections.


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