Access to THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1993 provided courtesy of The Libraries of the University of Missouri-St. Louis Match 4 DB Rec# - 55,751 Dataset-WOFACT Source :CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY Source key :CI Program :WORLD FACTBOOK Program key :CI WOFACT Update sched. :Annually ID number :CI WOFACT 003 Title :ALGERIA Data type :TEXT End year :1994 Date of record:02/16/1994 Keywords 3 : | ALGERIA Text : 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 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 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) 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 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) 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 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) 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 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 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 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 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.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- This section of THE WORLD FACTBOOK 1993 produced by the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was derived from the US Dept. of Commerce Economics and Statistics Division's NATIONAL TRADE DATA BANK CD-ROM, July, 1994, SuDoc No. C 1.88:994/7/v.1-2 / R. Muns, UM-St. Louis Libraries Local Filename: WF940003.TXT