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1. WordNet® 3.0 (2006)
Algeria
    n 1: a republic in northwestern Africa on the Mediterranean Sea
         with a population that is predominantly Sunni Muslim;
         colonized by France in the 19th century but gained autonomy
         in the early 1960s [syn: Algeria, Algerie, Democratic
         and Popular Republic of Algeria]

2. CIA World Factbook 2002
Algeria

   Introduction Algeria
   --------------------
                            Background: After a century of rule by France,
                                        Algeria became independent in 1962.
                                        The surprising first round success
                                        of the fundamentalist FIS (Islamic
                                        Salvation Front) party in the
                                        December 1991 balloting caused the
                                        army to intervene, crack down on the
                                        FIS, and postpone the subsequent
                                        elections. The FIS response has
                                        resulted in a continuous low-grade
                                        civil conflict with the secular
                                        state apparatus, which nonetheless
                                        has allowed elections featuring pro-
                                        government and moderate religious-
                                        based parties. FIS's armed wing, the
                                        Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded
                                        itself in January 2000 and many
                                        armed militants surrendered under an
                                        amnesty program designed to promote
                                        national reconciliation.
                                        Nevertheless, residual fighting
                                        continues. Other concerns include
                                        Berber unrest, large-scale
                                        unemployment, a shortage of housing,
                                        and the need to diversify the
                                        petroleum-based economy.
  
   Geography Algeria
   -----------------
                              Location: Northern Africa, bordering the
                                        Mediterranean Sea, between Morocco
                                        and Tunisia
                Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 3 00 E
                        Map references: Africa
                                  Area: total: 2,381,740 sq km
                                        water: 0 sq km
                                        land: 2,381,740 sq km
                    Area - comparative: slightly less than 3.5 times the
                                        size of Texas
                       Land boundaries: total: 6,343 km
                                        border countries: 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
                       Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 NM
                                        territorial sea: 12 NM
                               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
                               Terrain: mostly high plateau and desert; some
                                        mountains; narrow, discontinuous
                                        coastal plain
                    Elevation extremes: lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
                                        highest point: Tahat 3,003 m
                     Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore,
                                        phosphates, uranium, lead, zinc
                              Land use: arable land: 3.21%
                                        permanent crops: 0.21%
                                        other: 96.57% (1998 est.)
                        Irrigated land: 5,600 sq km (1998 est.)
                       Natural hazards: mountainous areas subject to severe
                                        earthquakes; mudslides and floods in
                                        rainy season
          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 party to: Biodiversity, Climate
                            agreements: Change, Desertification, Endangered
                                        Species, Environmental Modification,
                                        Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
                                        Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
                                        Pollution, Wetlands
                                        signed, but not ratified: Nuclear
                                        Test Ban
                      Geography - note: second-largest country in Africa
                                        (after Sudan)
  
   People Algeria
   --------------
                            Population: 32,277,942 (July 2002 est.)
                         Age structure: 0-14 years: 33.5% (male 5,512,369;
                                        female 5,311,914)
                                        15-64 years: 62.4% (male 10,175,135;
                                        female 9,950,315)
                                        65 years and over: 4.1% (male
                                        610,643; female 717,566) (2002 est.)
                Population growth rate: 1.68% (2002 est.)
                            Birth rate: 22.34 births/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                            Death rate: 5.15 deaths/1,000 population (2002
                                        est.)
                    Net migration rate: -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population
                                        (2002 est.)
                             Sex ratio: at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
                                        under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
                                        15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
                                        65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/
                                        female
                                        total population: 1.02 male(s)/
                                        female (2002 est.)
                 Infant mortality rate: 39.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
                                        est.)
              Life expectancy at birth: total population: 70.24 years
                                        female: 71.67 years (2002 est.)
                                        male: 68.87 years
                  Total fertility rate: 2.63 children born/woman (2002 est.)
      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.07% (1999 est.)
     HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
                                  AIDS:
                     HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
                           Nationality: noun: Algerian(s)
                                        adjective: Algerian
                         Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99%, European less than
                                        1%
                             Religions: Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%,
                                        Christian and Jewish 1%
                             Languages: Arabic (official), French, Berber
                                        dialects
                              Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
                                        and write
                                        total population: 61.6%
                                        male: 73.9%
                                        female: 49% (1995 est.)
  
   Government Algeria
   ------------------
                          Country name: 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
                       Government type: republic
                               Capital: Algiers
              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, Tamanghasset,
                                        Tebessa, Tiaret, Tindouf, Tipaza,
                                        Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen
                          Independence: 5 July 1962 (from France)
                      National holiday: Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)
                          Constitution: 19 November 1976, effective 22
                                        November 1976; revised 3 November
                                        1988, 23 February 1989, and 28
                                        November 1996
                          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
                              Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
                      Executive branch: 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
                    Legislative branch: 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)
                       Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Cour Supreme
         Political parties and leaders: 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
          Political pressure groups and NA
                               leaders:
             International organization ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU,
                         participation: 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)
   Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Idriss
                                        JAZAIRY
                                        chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW,
                                        Washington, DC 20008
                                        FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174
                                        telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
     Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Janet
                                    US: A. SANDERSON
                                        embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-
                                        Ibrahimi, Algiers
                                        mailing address: B. P. Box 549,
                                        Alger-Gare, 16000 Algiers
                                        telephone: [213] (21) 69-11-86, 69-
                                        12-55, 69-18-54, 69-38-75
                                        FAX: [213] (21) 69-39-79
                      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 crescent, star, and
                                        color green are traditional symbols
                                        of Islam (the state religion)
  
   Economy Algeria
   ---------------
                    Economy - overview: 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.
                                   GDP: purchasing power parity - $177
                                        billion (2001 est.)
                GDP - real growth rate: 3.8% (2001 est.)
                      GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,600
                                        (2001 est.)
           GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17%
                                        industry: 33%
                                        services: 50% (2000 est.)
         Population below poverty line: 23% (1999 est.)
     Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 4.4%
                      percentage share: highest 10%: 25% (1995)
   Distribution of family income - Gini 35.3 (1995)
                                 index:
      Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3% (2001 est.)
                           Labor force: 9.4 million (2001 est.)
           Labor force - by occupation: government 29%, agriculture 25%,
                                        construction and public works 15%,
                                        industry 11%, other 20% (1996 est.)
                     Unemployment rate: 34% (2001 est.)
                                Budget: revenues: $20.3 billion
                                        expenditures: $18.8 billion,
                                        including capital expenditures of
                                        $5.8 billion (2001 est.)
                            Industries: petroleum, natural gas, light
                                        industries, mining, electrical,
                                        petrochemical, food processing
     Industrial production growth rate: 6% (2001 est.)
              Electricity - production: 23.556 billion kWh (2000)
    Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.58%
                                        hydro: 0.42%
                                        other: 0% (2000)
                                        nuclear: 0%
             Electricity - consumption: 21.847 billion kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - exports: 210 million kWh (2000)
                 Electricity - imports: 150 million kWh (2000)
                Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives,
                                        citrus, fruits; sheep, cattle
                               Exports: $20 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
                 Exports - commodities: petroleum, natural gas, and
                                        petroleum products 97%
                    Exports - partners: Italy 23%, Spain 13%, US 13%, France
                                        11%, Brazil 7%, (2000)
                               Imports: $1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
                 Imports - commodities: capital goods, food and beverages,
                                        consumer goods
                    Imports - partners: France 29%, US 9%, Italy 8%, Germany
                                        6%, Spain 5% (2000)
                       Debt - external: $24.7 billion (2001 est.)
              Economic aid - recipient: $100 million (1999 est.)
                              Currency: Algerian dinar (DZD)
                         Currency code: DZD
                        Exchange rates: Algerian dinars per US dollar -
                                        77.889 (January 2002), 77.215
                                        (2001), 75.260 (2000), 66.574
                                        (1999), 58.739 (1998), 57.707 (1997)
                           Fiscal year: calendar year
  
   Communications Algeria
   ----------------------
        Telephones - main lines in use: 2.3 million (1998)
          Telephones - mobile cellular: 33,500 (1999)
                      Telephone system: general assessment: telephone
                                        density in Algeria is very low, not
                                        exceeding five telephones per 100
                                        persons; the number of fixed main
                                        lines increased in the last few
                                        years to a little more than
                                        2,000,000, but only about two-thirds
                                        of these have subscribers; much of
                                        the infrastructure is outdated and
                                        inefficient
                                        domestic: good service in north but
                                        sparse in south; domestic satellite
                                        system with 12 earth stations (20
                                        additional domestic earth stations
                                        are planned)
                                        international: 5 submarine cables;
                                        microwave radio relay to Italy,
                                        France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia;
                                        coaxial cable to Morocco and
                                        Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel;
                                        satellite earth stations - 2
                                        Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1
                                        Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik, and 1
                                        Arabsat (1998)
              Radio broadcast stations: AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)
                                Radios: 7.1 million (1997)
         Television broadcast stations: 46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)
                           Televisions: 3.1 million (1997)
                 Internet country code: .dz
     Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
                        Internet users: 180,000 (2001)
  
   Transportation Algeria
   ----------------------
                              Railways: total: 4,820 km
                                        standard gauge: 3,664 km 1.435-
                                        m gauge (301 km electrified; 215 km
                                        double-track)
                                        narrow gauge: 1,156 km 1.055-m gauge
                                        (1999 est.)
                              Highways: total: 104,000 km
                                        paved: 71,656 km (including 640 km
                                        of expressways)
                                        unpaved: 32,344 km (1996 est.)
                             Waterways: none
                             Pipelines: crude oil 6,612 km; petroleum
                                        products 298 km; natural gas 2,948
                                        km
                     Ports and harbors: Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Beni
                                        Saf, Dellys, Djendjene, Ghazaouet,
                                        Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda,
                                        Tenes
                       Merchant marine: total: 73 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
                                        totaling 903,944 GRT/1,051,433 DWT
                                        ships by type: bulk 9, cargo 25,
                                        chemical tanker 7, liquefied gas 10,
                                        petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off
                                        12, short-sea passenger 4,
                                        specialized tanker 1, includes some
                                        foreign-owned ships registered here
                                        as a flag of convenience: United
                                        Arab Emirates 2 (2002 est.)
                              Airports: 136 (2001)
         Airports - with paved runways: total: 52
                                        over 3,047 m: 9
                                        2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
                                        914 to 1,523 m: 5
                                        under 914 m: 1 (2001)
                                        1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
       Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 84
                                        2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
                                        1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
                                        under 914 m: 18 (2001)
                                        914 to 1,523 m: 40
                             Heliports: 1 (2001)
  
   Military Algeria
   ----------------
                      Military branches: Peoples National Army (ANP),
                                         Algerian National Navy (ANN), Air
                                         Force, Territorial Air Defense,
                                         National Gendarmerie
       Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age (2002 est.)
       Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 9,016,048 (2002
                                         est.)
    Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 5,513,317 (2002
                                service: est.)
            Military manpower - reaching males: 388,939 (2002 est.)
                  military age annually:
          Military expenditures - dollar $1.87 billion (FY99)
                                 figure:
      Military expenditures - percent of 4.1% (FY99)
                                    GDP:
  
   Transnational Issues Algeria
   ----------------------------
               Disputes - international: part of southeastern region claimed
                                         by Libya; Algeria supports exiled
                                         West Saharan Polisario Front and
                                         rejects Moroccan administration of
                                         Western Sahara
  
                                       



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