Algeria

Broadcast media

state-run Radio-Television Algerienne operates the broadcast media and carries programming in Arabic, Berber dialects, and French; use of satellite dishes is widespread, providing easy access to European and Arab satellite stations; state-run radio operates several national networks and roughly 40 regional radio stations (2007)

Internet country code

.dz

Internet users

total: 6.5 million | percent of population: 16.7% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Radio broadcast stations

AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)

Telephone system

general assessment: privatization of Algeria's telecommunications sector began in 2000; three mobile cellular licenses have been issued and, in 2005, a consortium led by Egypt's Orascom Telecom won a 15-year license to build and operate a fixed-line network in Algeria; the license will allow Orascom to develop high-speed data and other specialized services and contribute to meeting the large unfulfilled demand for basic residential telephony; Internet broadband services began in 2003 | domestic: a limited network of fixed lines with a teledensity of less than 10 telephones per 100 persons has been offset by the rapid increase in mobile-cellular subscribership; in 2011, mobile-cellular teledensity was roughly 100 telephones per 100 persons | international: country code - 213; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-4 fiber-optic submarine cable system that provides links to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; microwave radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite earth stations - 51 (Intelsat, Intersputnik, and Arabsat) (2011)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 3.1 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 46

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 37.3 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 96 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 33

Television broadcast stations

46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $79.53 billion | expenditures: $89.21 billion (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4.2% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 145

Central bank discount rate

4% (31 December 2010) | 4% (31 December 2009) | country comparison to the world: 98

Commercial bank prime lending rate

8% (31 December 2014 est.) | 8% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 117

Current account balance

-$9.289 billion (2014 est.) | $542.8 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 148

Debt - external

$4.872 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $5.285 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 129

Distribution of family income - Gini index

35.3 (1995) | country comparison to the world: 88

Economy - overview

Algeria's economy remains dominated by the state, a legacy of the country's socialist postindependence development model. In recent years the Algerian Government has halted the privatization of state-owned industries and imposed restrictions on imports and foreign involvement in its economy. Hydrocarbons have long been the backbone of the economy, accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over 95% of export earnings. Algeria has the 10th-largest reserves of natural gas in the world and is the sixth-largest gas exporter. It ranks 16th in oil reserves. Strong revenues from hydrocarbon exports have brought Algeria relative macroeconomic stability, with foreign currency reserves approaching $200 billion and a large budget stabilization fund available for tapping. In addition, Algeria's external debt is extremely low at about 2% of GDP. However, Algeria has struggled to develop non-hydrocarbon industries because of heavy regulation and an emphasis on state-driven growth. The government's efforts have done little to reduce high youth unemployment rates or to address housing shortages. A wave of economic protests in February and March 2011 prompted the Algerian Government to offer more than $23 billion in public grants and retroactive salary and benefit increases, moves which continue to weigh on public finances. Long-term economic challenges include diversifying the economy away from its reliance on hydrocarbon exports, bolstering the private sector, attracting foreign investment, and providing adequate jobs for younger Algerians.

Exchange rates

Algerian dinars (DZD) per US dollar - | 79.6 (2014 est.) | 79.368 (2013 est.) | 77.54 (2012 est.) | 72.938 (2011 est.) | 74.386 (2010 est.)

Exports

$62.1 billion (2014 est.) | $64.38 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Exports - commodities

petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97% (2009 est.)

Exports - partners

Egypt 17%, Iran 13.3%, US 10.8%, NZ 7.8%, Republic of the Congo 7.5%, UAE 7.1%, Benin 4.9%, Thailand 4.1% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$214.1 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$551.8 billion (2014 est.) | $529.9 billion (2013 est.) | $515.7 billion (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 34

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 35.8% | government consumption: 19.3% | investment in fixed capital: 34.5% | investment in inventories: 9.4% | exports of goods and services: 30.1% | imports of goods and services: -29.1% | (2014 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 8.6% | industry: 48.3% | services: 43.1% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$14,300 (2014 est.) | $13,700 (2013 est.) | $13,300 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 107

GDP - real growth rate

4.1% (2014 est.) | 2.8% (2013 est.) | 3.3% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 71

Gross national saving

40.2% of GDP (2014 est.) | 45.3% of GDP (2013 est.) | 46.9% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$55.36 billion (2014 est.) | $55.37 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Imports - commodities

capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners

China 14.1%, France 10.8%, Italy 8.6%, Spain 8.6%, Germany 6.5%, US 4.9% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

2.8% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 104

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.9% (2014 est.) | 3.2% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127

Labor force

12.19 million (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45

Labor force - by occupation

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

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

23% (2006 est.)

Public debt

7.5% of GDP (2014 est.) | 7.1% of GDP (2013 est.) | note: data cover central government debt as well as debt issued by subnational entities and intra-governmental debt | country comparison to the world: 156

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$193.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $195 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 15

Stock of broad money

$164.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $152.8 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$1.955 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.865 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 74

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$27.1 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $24.97 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 69

Stock of domestic credit

$27.92 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $6.398 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 76

Stock of narrow money

$115.2 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $105.6 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 36

Taxes and other revenues

34.9% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63

Unemployment rate

10.6% (2014 est.) | 9.8% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 111

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

133.9 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 36

Crude oil - exports

1.097 million bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 15

Crude oil - imports

6,400 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 78

Crude oil - production

1.762 million bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17

Crude oil - proved reserves

12.2 billion bbl (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 16

Electricity - consumption

44 billion kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 53

Electricity - exports

985 million kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60

Electricity - from fossil fuels

98% of total installed capacity (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 55

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

2.2% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 138

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 36

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 150

Electricity - imports

936 million kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 66

Electricity - installed generating capacity

15.2 million kW (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 47

Electricity - production

48.05 billion kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 52

Natural gas - consumption

32.3 billion cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 29

Natural gas - exports

49 billion cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 7

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 151

Natural gas - production

78.6 billion cu m (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 11

Natural gas - proved reserves

4.505 trillion cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 10

Refined petroleum products - consumption

380,000 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 37

Refined petroleum products - exports

471,900 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 14

Refined petroleum products - imports

17,270 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 109

Refined petroleum products - production

571,400 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 28

Area

total: 2,381,741 sq km | land: 2,381,741 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 10

Area - comparative

slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

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

Coastline

998 km

Elevation extremes

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

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 5.72 cu km/yr (26%/16%/58%) | per capita: 182 cu m/yr (2005)

Geographic coordinates

28 00 N, 3 00 E

Geography - note

largest country in Africa

Irrigated land

5,694 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 6,734 km | border countries (7): Libya 989 km, Mali 1,359 km, Mauritania 460 km, Morocco 1,900 km, Niger 951 km, Tunisia 1,034 km, Western Sahara 41 km

Land use

agricultural land: 17.3% | arable land 3.1%; permanent crops 0.4%; permanent pasture 13.8% | forest: 0.6% | other: 82% (2011 est.)

Location

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco and Tunisia

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm | exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Total renewable water resources

11.67 cu km (2011)

Administrative divisions

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, Tamanrasset, Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen

Capital

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

Citizenship

birthright citizenship: no

Constitution

adopted 8 September 1963; amended several times, last in 2008 to remove presidential term limits (2013)

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 | note: the country name derives from the city of Algiers

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Joan A. POLASCHIK (since 22 September 2014) | embassy: 05 Chemin Cheikh Bachir, El-Ibrahimi, El-Biar 16030 Algiers | mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers | telephone: [213] (0) 770-08-2000 | FAX: [213] (0) 770-08-2064

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Madjid BOUGUERRA (since 23 February 2015) | chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800 | FAX: [1] (202) 986-5906 | consulate(s) general: New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28 April 1999) | head of government: Prime Minister Abdelmalek SELLAL (since 28 April 2014) | cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president | elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 17 April 2014 (next to be held in April 2019); prime minister appointed by the president | election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for a fourth term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (FLN) 81.5%, Ali BENFLIS (FLN) 12.2%, Abdelaziz BELAID (Future Front) 3.4%, other 2.9%

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; the colors represent Islam (green), purity and peace (white), and liberty (red); the crescent and star are also Islamic symbols, but the crescent is more closed than those of other Muslim countries because Algerians believe the long crescent horns bring happiness

Government type

republic

Independence

5 July 1962 (from France)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court or Cour Supreme (consists of 150 judges organized into 4 divisions: civil and commercial; social security and labor; criminal; and administrative; Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members including the court president); note - Algeria's judicial system does not include sharia courts | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the High Council of Magistracy, an administrative body presided over by the president of the republic, and includes the republic vice-president and several members; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Council members - 3 appointed by the president of the republic, 2 each by the 2 houses of the Parliament, 1 by the Supreme Court, and 1 by the Council of State; Council president and members appointed for single 6-year terms with half the membership renewed every 3 years | subordinate courts: appellate or wilaya courts; first instance or daira tribunals

Legal system

mixed legal system of French civil law and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials including several Supreme Court justices

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Parliament consists of the Council of the Nation (144 seats; one-third of members appointed by the president, two-thirds indirectly elected by simple majority vote by an electoral college composed of local council members; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) and the National People's Assembly (462 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to serve 5-year terms) | elections: Council of the Nation - last held on 29 December 2012 (next to be held in December 2017); National People's Assembly - last held on 10 May 2012 (next to be held in 2017) | election results: Council of the Nation election of 29 December 2009 - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; National People's Assembly election of 10 May 2012 - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - FLN 221, RND 70, AAV 47, FFS 21, PT 17, FNA 9, El Adala 7, MPA 6, PFJ 5, FC 4, PNSD 4, other 32, independent 19

National anthem

name: "Kassaman" (We Pledge) | lyrics/music: Mufdi ZAKARIAH/Mohamed FAWZI | note: adopted 1962; ZAKARIAH wrote "Kassaman" as a poem while imprisoned in Algiers by French colonial forces

National holiday

Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

National symbol(s)

star and crescent, fennec fox; national colors: green, white, red

Political parties and leaders

Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; Algerian Popular Movement or MPA [Amara BENYOUNES]; Algerian Rally [Ali ZAGHDOUD]; Algeria's Hope Rally or TAJ [Amar GHOUL]; Dignity or El Karama [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Front for Change or FC [Abdelmadjid MENASRA]; Front for Justice and Development or El Adala [Abdallah DJABALLAH]; Future Front or El Mostakbel [Abdelaziz BELAID]; Green Algeria Alliance or AAV (includes Movement for National Reform, Islamic Renaissance Movement, and Movement of the Society of Peace or Hamas); Islamic Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement [Mohamed DHOUIBI]; Movement of the Society of Peace or MSP [Abderrazak MOKRI]; National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Democratique) or RND [Bensalah ABDELKADER]; National Liberation Front or FLN [Amar SAIDANI]; National Party for Solidarity and Development or PNSD; National Reform Movement or Islah [Djahid YOUNSI] (see Green Algeria Alliance); New Dawn Party or PFJ; New Generation or Jil Jadid [Soufiane DJILALI]; New Light Party [Bedreddine BELBAZ]; Oath of 1954 or Ahd 54 [Ali Fawzi REBAINE]; Party of Justice and Liberty [Mohammed SAID]; Rally for Culture and Democracy or RCD [Mohcine BELABBAS]; Socialist Forces Front or FFS [Mustafa BOUCHACHI]; 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

Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights or LADDH [Noureddine BENISSAD] | SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR] | Youth Action Rally or RAJ

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), was established in 1954 as part of the struggle for independence and has largely dominated politics since. The Government of Algeria in 1988 instituted a multi-party system in response to public unrest, but the surprising first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991 balloting led the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army began a crackdown on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin attacking government targets. Fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw intense violence from 1992-98, resulting in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s, and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. | Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA, with the backing of the military, won the presidency in 1999 in an election widely viewed as fraudulent. He was reelected to a second term in 2004 and overwhelmingly won a third term in 2009, after the government amended the constitution in 2008 to remove presidential term limits. Longstanding problems continue to face BOUTEFLIKA, including large-scale unemployment, a shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies, government inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing activities of extremist militants. | The Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) in 2006 merged with al-Qa'ida to form al-Qa'ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, which has launched an ongoing series of kidnappings and bombings targeting the Algerian Government and Western interests. The government in 2011 introduced some political reforms in response to the Arab Spring, including lifting the 19-year-old state of emergency restrictions and increasing women's quotas for elected assemblies. Parliamentary elections in May 2012 and municipal and provincial elections in November 2012 saw continued dominance by the FLN, with Islamist opposition parties performing poorly. Political protest activity in the country remained low in 2013, but small, sometimes violent socioeconomic demonstrations by disparate groups continued to be a common occurrence. Parliament in 2014 is expected to revise the constitution.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 10,273,129 | females age 16-49: 10,114,552 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 8,622,897 | females age 16-49: 8,626,222 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 342,895 | female: 330,098 (2010 est.)

Military branches

People's National Army (Armee Nationale Populaire, ANP), Land Forces (Forces Terrestres, FT), Navy of the Republic of Algeria (Marine de la Republique Algerienne, MRA), Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jaza'eriya, QJJ), Territorial Air Defense Force (2009)

Military expenditures

4.48% of GDP (2012) | 4.36% of GDP (2011) | 4.48% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 8

Military service age and obligation

17 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; 19-30 years of age for compulsory service; conscript service obligation is 18 months (6 months basic training, 12 months civil projects) (2012)

Age structure

0-14 years: 28.75% (male 5,820,027/female 5,547,573) | 15-24 years: 16.64% (male 3,368,415/female 3,213,185) | 25-54 years: 42.84% (male 8,569,397/female 8,369,078) | 55-64 years: 6.42% (male 1,289,595/female 1,248,385) | 65 years and over: 5.35% (male 977,744/female 1,138,767) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

23.67 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 63

Child labor - children ages 5-14

total number: 304,358 | percentage: 5% (2006 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.7% (2005) | country comparison to the world: 102

Contraceptive prevalence rate

61.4% (2006)

Death rate

4.31 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 203

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 52.6% | youth dependency ratio: 43.6% | elderly dependency ratio: 9.1% | potential support ratio: 11% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 84.3% of population | rural: 81.8% of population | total: 83.6% of population | urban: 15.7% of population | rural: 18.2% of population | total: 16.4% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

4.3% of GDP (2008) | country comparison to the world: 97

Ethnic groups

Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1% | note: although almost all Algerians are Berber in origin (not Arab), only a minority identify themselves as Berber, about 15% of the total population; these people 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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.04% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 125

HIV/AIDS - deaths

200 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

10,500 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 92

Health expenditures

6.6% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 135

Hospital bed density

1.7 beds/1,000 population (2004)

Infant mortality rate

total: 20.98 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 22.7 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 19.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 83

Languages

Arabic (official), French (lingua franca), Berber dialects: Kabylie Berber (Tamazight), Chaouia Berber (Tachawit), Mzab Berber, Tuareg Berber (Tamahaq)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.59 years | male: 75.29 years | female: 77.96 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 81

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 80.2% | male: 87.2% | female: 73.1% (2015 est.)

Major urban areas - population

ALGIERS (capital) 2.594 million; Oran 858,000 (2015)

Median age

total: 27.5 years | male: 27.2 years | female: 27.8 years (2015 est.)

Nationality

noun: Algerian(s) | adjective: Algerian

Net migration rate

-0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 148

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

23.6% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 116

Physicians density

1.21 physicians/1,000 population (2007)

Population

39,542,166 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 34

Population growth rate

1.84% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 60

Religions

Muslim (official; predominantly Sunni) 99%, other (includes Christian and Jewish) <1% (2012 est.)

Sanitation facility access

urban: 89.8% of population | rural: 82.2% of population | total: 87.6% of population | urban: 10.2% of population | rural: 17.8% of population | total: 12.4% of population (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 14 years | male: 14 years | female: 14 years (2011)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female | total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.78 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 65

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 22.4% | male: 19.1% | female: 38.2% (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 47

Urbanization

urban population: 70.7% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 2.77% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

Algeria and many other states reject Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; the Polisario Front, exiled in Algeria, represents the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic; Algeria's border with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations, each nation accusing the other of harboring militants and arms smuggling; dormant disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected on its maps of southeastern Algeria and the National Liberation Front's (FLN) assertions of a claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 90,000 (Western Saharan Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf) (2014) | IDPs: undetermined (civil war during 1990s) (2013)

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Algeria is a transit and, to a lesser extent, a destination and source country for women subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking and, to a lesser extent, men subjected to forced labor; criminal networks, sometimes extending to sub-Saharan Africa and to Europe, are involved in human smuggling and trafficking in Algeria; sub-Saharan adults enter Algeria voluntarily but illegally, often with the aid of smugglers, for onward travel to Europe, but some of the women are forced into prostitution, domestic service, and begging; some sub-Saharan men, mostly from Mali, are forced into domestic servitude; some Algerian women and children are also forced into prostitution domestically | tier rating: Tier 3 - Algeria does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so: some officials denied human trafficking despite evidence; no efforts were made to investigate, prosecute, or convict perpetrators of human trafficking or forced labor; victim identification remained weak, and no system existed to provide victims with protection and assistance; no anti-trafficking public awareness or educational campaigns were conducted (2014)

Airports

157 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 36

Airports - with paved runways

total: 64 | over 3,047 m: 12 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 29 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 | 914 to 1,523 m: 5 | under 914 m: 1 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 93 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 | 914 to 1,523 m: 39 | 34 (2013)

Heliports

3 (2013)

Merchant marine

total: 38 | by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 8, chemical tanker 3, liquefied gas 11, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 3 | foreign-owned: 15 (UK, 15) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 78

Pipelines

condensate 2,600 km; gas 16,415 km; liquid petroleum gas 3,447 km; oil 7,036 km; refined products 144 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda | LNG terminal(s) (export): Arzew, Bethioua, Skikida

Railways

total: 3,973 km | standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.432-m gauge (283 km electrified) | narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2014) | country comparison to the world: 45

Roadways

total: 113,655 km | paved: 87,605 km (includes 645 km of expressways) | unpaved: 26,050 km (2010) | country comparison to the world: 42